Generation of heralded vector-polarized single photons in remotely controlled topological classes

Year: 2024

Authors: Corona-Aquino S., Ibarra-Borja Z., Calderun-Losada O., Piccirillo B., Vicusa-Hernbndez V., Moctezuma-Quistian T., Cruz-Ramnrez H., Lopez-Mago D., U’Ren AB.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Ciencias Nucl, Apartado Postal 70-543, Cd Mx 04510, Mexico; Univ Valle, Ctr Invest Innovac Bioinformat & Foton, Edificio E20 1069, Cali 760042, Valle Del Cauca, Colombia; Univ Napoli Federico II, Dipartimento Fis Ettore Pancini, I-80125 Naples, Italy; Ist Nazl Fis Nucl, Sez Napoli, Complesso Univ Monte St Angelo,Via Cinthia, I-80126 Naples, Italy; CNR INO, Ist Nazl Ott, Via Campi Flegrei 34, I-80078 Pozzuoli, NA, Italy; Tecnol Monterrey, Escuela Ingn & Ciencias, Monterrey 64849, NL, Mexico.

Abstract: We demonstrate an experimental protocol for the preparation and control of heralded single photons in inhomogeneously polarized states, such as vector vortex and full Poincare beam states. A laser beam is shaped by a voltage-controlled spin-to-orbital angular momentum converter q-plate device, which eliminates the need for an interferometer for the robust preparation of high-quality inhomogeneously polarized beams. Such a beam is then used as a pump in a spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) photonpair source. We demonstrate the full pump to heralded single-photon transfer of the intensity and phase distributions, as well as of the vector polarization structure. Additionally, we show that by controlling the polarization to which the heralding idler photon is projected before detection, we can toggle between the direct and basis-switched pump-single-photon transfer. We show that this nonlocal control of the heralded single photon pertains also to the topological class of the resulting heralded single photon. We believe that our work will lead to opportunities in photon-based quantum information processing science.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW APPLIED

Volume: 21 (3)      Pages from: 34030-1  to: 34030-10

More Information: This work was funded by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CF -2019-217559) ; PAPIIT-UNAM (IN103521) and AFOSR (FA9550-21-1-0147) ; B.P. was supported by PNRR MUR project PE0000023-NQSTI; V.V.-H thanks Department of Physics E. Pancini UniNA. S.C-A. thanks CONAHCYT for the scholarship given during the development of this project. S.C.-A. and Z.I.-B contributed equally to this work. S.C.-A., Z.I.-B, O.C.-L, T,M. -Q and H.C.-R. carried out the experiment. D.L.-M, S.C.-A, and Z.I.-B carried out the data analysis. B.P. and V.V.-H designed and manufactured the q plates. A.B.U., S.C.-A, Z.I.-B, O.C.-L, and D.L.-M developed the main conceptual ideas and physical inter- pretation. S.C.-A., O.C.-L., Z.I.-B, B.P., and V.V.-H led writing the paper. A.B.U contributed to analysis and paper writing. A.B.U. directed and supported the project.
KeyWords: Laser; Beams
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevApplied.21.034030

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