Single Photon Approach for Chirality Sensing

Year: 2023

Authors: Sgobba F., Elefante A., Dello Russo S., Sicialiani De Cumis M., Amato LS.

Autors Affiliation: Italian Space Agcy ASI, Ctr Spaziale Giuseppe Colombo, Local Terlecchia, I-75100 Matera, Italy; CNR, Ist Nazl Ott, Lgo E Fermi 6, I-50125 Florence, Italy; CNR INO, Ist Nazl Ott, Via Campi Flegrei 34, I-80078 Pozzuoli, NA, Italy.

Abstract: We developed a high sensitivity optical sensor for circular birefringence using a heralded photon source. The sensor can be employed for chirality measurements and, being based on single photons, can be exploited for fragile biological sample or in metrological applications where the light intensity must be kept as low as possible. We found the best operational condition; then, we calibrated the sensor and tested its performance up to a very long acquisition time, obtaining excellent stability and a sub-ppm birefringence detection limit (for a 100 mu m sample), thus paving the way for fundamental physics test as well.

Journal/Review: PHOTONICS

Volume: 10 (5)      Pages from: 512-1  to: 512-10

More Information: This research was partially supported by the QUANCOM project (MUR PON Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020 ARS01 00734) and the project MOlecular spectroscopy for Space science and quantum physics Test (MOST) funded by Italian Space Agency.
KeyWords: circular birefringence; single photon; chirality; polarization measurement
DOI: 10.3390/photonics10050512

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