Photon pair generation in birefringent optical fibers

Area of Science:

• Quantum Optics
• Photon Pair Generation
• Optical Fiber Physics

Background:

• Spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) is a key nonlinear optical process for generating photon pairs.
• Birefringent optical fibers offer a platform for controlling the properties of generated photon pairs.
• Tailoring photon pair properties is crucial for quantum information applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally and theoretically investigate photon pair generation via SFWM in birefringent optical fibers.
• To explore the generation of various two-photon spectral states, including entangled and factorable states.
• To model and understand the influence of pump bandwidth, fiber length, and birefringence on spectral states.

Main Methods:

• Experimental implementation of spontaneous four-wave mixing in standard birefringent optical fibers.
• Theoretical modeling of two-photon spectral state generation using cross-polarized birefringent phase matching.
• Modeling of spontaneous Raman scattering to assess its impact as background noise.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the ability to produce a range of two-photon spectral states by adjusting experimental parameters.
• Developed a predictive model correlating pump bandwidth, fiber length, and birefringence with spectral state.
• Experimental data validated the model's predictions and showed agreement with theoretical calculations.

Conclusions:

• Cross-polarized birefringent phase matching enables tunable generation of photon pair spectral states.
• The developed model provides a tool for optimizing SFWM for desired photon pair properties.
• Understanding the trade-off with Raman noise is essential for efficient photon pair generation.