Programmable two-photon quantum interference in 10^3 channels in opaque scattering media

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Abstract

We investigate two-photon quantum interference in an opaque scattering medium that intrinsically supports a large number of transmission channels. By adaptive spatial phase modulation of the incident wave fronts, the photons are directed at targeted speckle spots or output channels. From 10 3 experimentally available coupled channels, we select two channels and enhance their transmission to realize the equivalent of a fully programmable 2×2 beam splitter. By sending pairs of single photons from a parametric down-conversion source through the opaque scattering medium, we observe two-photon quantum interference. The programed beam splitter need not fulfill energy conservation over the two selected output channels and hence could be nonunitary. Consequently, we have the freedom to tune the quantum interference from bunching (Hong-Ou-Mandel-like) to antibunching. Our results establish opaque scattering media as a platform for high-dimensional quantum interference that is notably relevant for boson sampling and physical-key-based authentication.
Original languageEnglish
Article number053817
Pages (from-to)053817-
JournalPhysical review A : atomic, molecular, and optical physics and quantum information
Volume93
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 May 2016

Keywords

  • IR-100378
  • METIS-316635

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