Two-photon interference : spatial aspects of two-photon entanglement, diffraction, and scattering

Peeters, W.H. (2010)

Doctoral Thesis

This dissertation contains scientific research within the realm of quantum optics, which is a branch of physics. An experimental and theoretical study is made of two-photon interference phenomena in various optical systems. Spatially entangled photon pairs are produced via the nonlinear optical process of spontaneous parametric down-conversion. These entangled photons are then passed through different optical systems to study various aspects of two-photon interference. Firstly, an experimental analysis is made of the high-dimensional entanglement that is present in the orbital angular momentum of the photons. Secondly, we present a comprehensive description of two-photon quantum interference behind a double slit. We demonstrate how to control the quantum correlations and present the first observations of complete two-photon diffraction patterns behind a double slit. Finally, we present pioneering experiments on spatially entangled two-photon states that are scattered of random media. We have observed and theoretically analyzed the structure in the random two-photon interference patterns called two-photon speckle patterns. Spatial entanglement gives two-photon speckle a much richer structure than ordinary one-photon speckle. Our experiments also demonstrate a two-photon interference phenomenon that survives averaging over different realizations of disorder. The latter results are closely related to bosonic, fermionic, and anyonic particle exchange symmetries.

• Double slit
• Entanglement
• Orbital angular momentum entanglement
• Quantum optics
• Scattering
• Speckle
• Spontaneous parametric down-conversion
• Two-photon interference
• Wave propagation in random media

• All authors: Peeters, W.H.
• Supervisor: Woerdman, J.P.
• Co-supervisor: Exter, M.P. van
• Committee: Beenakker, C.W.J.; Dood, M.J.A. de; Lagendijk, A.; Nienhuis, G.; Ruitenbeek, J.M. van; Torres, J.P.; Zwiller, V.
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Faculty of Science, Leiden University
• Date: 2010-12-21
• Title of host publication: Casimir PhD Series
• ISBN (print): 9789085930891
• Name: 2010-29
• Court: LEI Universiteit Leiden
• Sponsorship: Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM)