Photon Duplication

一个实验研究计划将在实验室中实现光子复制的过程，这是一种新的过程，其中输入光束的光子统计被复制到两个输出光束中，其中一个可以测量，而另一个可以进一步操作。从一些基本的和应用的角度来看，这个过程是有趣的。从根本上说，光子复制是一种从未被观察到的现象；它需要在一个从未被探索过的体制下进行量子光学实验。它还导致了新的量子不破坏检测策略，这些策略是高效的，不需要大的泵浦功率或明确的相敏测量。从应用的角度来看，光子复制器可以作为透明光抽头在通信网络中使用。具体地说，我们建议分析光子复制的详细物理，并进行一个实验来证明这一过程。四波混合实验将在预测发生光子复制的状态下进行。采用锁模调q Nd:YAG激光器泵浦的CdTe血小板作为非线性介质。选择碲化镉是因为它已被证明有一个大的三阶非线性与亚纳秒的响应时间。光子相关性将使用我们开发的一种新型脉冲射击噪声检测方案进行测量。此外，我们将探讨在非线性光波导中实现光子复制过程的途径。

An experimental research program will be undertaken to realize in the laboratory the process of photon duplication, a novel process in which the photon statistics of an input beam of light is duplicated into two output beams, one of which can be measured while leaving the other for further manipulation. This process is of interest from a number of standpoints that are both fundamental and applied. Fundamentally, photon duplication is a phenomenon that has never been observed; it requires quantum- optic experimentation in a regime that has never been explored. It also leads to novel quantum nondemolition detection strategies that are efficient and do not require largepump power or explicit phase-sensitive measurements. From an applied standpoint, a photon duplicator can be used in a communication network as a transparent optical tap. Specifically, we propose to analyze the detailed physics of photon duplication and to perform an experiment that will demonstrate the process. A four-wave mixing experiment will be carried out in a regime where photon duplication is predicted to occur. A platelet of CdTe, pumped by a mode- locked and Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, will be used as the nonlinear medium. CdTe is chosen because it has been shown to have a large third-order nonlinearity with a sub-nanosecond response time. Photon correlations will be measured using a novel pulsed shot-noise detection scheme that we have developed. In addition, we will investigate avenues toward implementation of the process of photon duplication in nonlinear optical waveguides.