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A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference
Published on: September 5, 2019
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Photon Correlation Spectroscopy as a Witness for Quantum Coherence
Carlos Sánchez Muñoz1, Frank Schlawin1
1Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom.
Physical Review Letters
|June 6, 2020
Summary
Photon correlation measurements offer a novel spectroscopic method to detect quantum coherence in molecular systems. This technique reveals quantum dynamics in driven-dissipative environments, crucial for quantum technologies and biochemistry.
Area of Science:
- Quantum physics
- Spectroscopy
- Molecular aggregates
Background:
- Quantum coherence plays a role in quantum technologies, quantum thermodynamics, and potentially biochemical processes.
- Detecting quantum coherence in driven-dissipative systems, like natural light-harvesting complexes, is challenging for standard spectroscopy.
- New spectroscopic tools are needed to verify quantum coherence in both transient and steady states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce photon correlation measurements as a novel spectroscopic tool for analyzing quantum dynamics.
- To demonstrate the capability of photon correlation statistics to detect quantum coherence in molecular aggregates.
- To provide spectroscopic access to site energies in molecular aggregates.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing photon correlation measurements on models of molecular aggregates.
- Analyzing photon correlation statistics of emitted light.
- Investigating frequency-resolved photon correlations.
Main Results:
- Photon correlation statistics can directly signal the presence of quantum coherence in the steady state of molecular aggregates.
- Deviations from independent emitter statistics serve as a fingerprint for quantum coherence.
- Frequency-resolved photon correlations can detect coherent dynamics even without steady-state coherence.
Conclusions:
- Photon correlation measurements are a promising new technique for studying quantum dynamics in driven-dissipative systems.
- This method provides a direct spectroscopic probe for quantum coherence and site energies in molecular aggregates.
- The findings have implications for advancing quantum technologies and understanding quantum effects in biological systems.
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