Spatial Characterization Of Two-Photon States - GAP-Optique

Spatial Characterization Of Two-Photon States - GAP-Optique Spatial Characterization Of Two-Photon States - GAP-Optique

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1. General description of two-photon states When the amplitude of the electric field increases, the higher orders term in equation 1.2 become relevant, and then a nonlinear response of the material to the field appears. Optical nonlinear phenomena resulting from this kind of interaction include the generation of harmonics, the Kerr effect, Raman scattering, self-phase modulation, and cross-phase modulation [34]. Spontaneous parametric down-conversion, and other second order nonlinear processes, result from the second order polarization, defined as the first nonlinear term in the polarization tensor P (2) = ɛ0χ (2) EE. (1.4) The quantization of the electromagnetic field leads to a quantization of the second order polarization, so that the nonlinear polarization operator ˆ P (2) becomes ˆP (2) = ɛ0χ (2) ( Ê(+) + Ê(−) )( Ê(+) + Ê(−) ), (1.5) where Ê(+) and Ê(−) are the positive and negative frequency parts of the field operator [36]. The positive frequency part of the electric field operator is a function of the annihilation operator â(k), and is defined at position rn xnˆxn + ynˆyn + znˆzn and time t as = Ê (+) 1/2 ωn n (rn, t) = ien 2ɛ0v dkn exp [ikn · rn − iωnt]â(kn), (1.6) where the magnitude of the wave vector k satisfies k 2 = ωn/c. The volume v contains the field, and en is the unitary polarization vector. The negative frequency part of the field is the Hermitian conjugate of the positive part, Ê (−) n (rn, t) = Ê(+)† n (rn, t). Thus, the negative frequency part is a function of the creation operator â † (k). Following references [37] and [38], in first order perturbation theory, the interaction of a volume V of a material with a nonlinear polarization ˆ P (2) and the field Êp(rp, t), produces a system described by the state |ΨT 〉 ∝ |1〉p|0〉s|0〉i − i τ 0 dt ˆ HI|1〉p|0〉s|0〉i, (1.7) where τ is the interaction time, |1〉p|0〉s|0〉i is the initial state of the field, and the interaction Hamiltonian reads ˆHI = − dV ˆ P (2) Êp(rp, t). (1.8) V The first term at the right side of equation 1.7 describes a one photon system, while the second term describes a two-photon system. In what follows we will consider only the second term as we are mainly interested in the generation of pairs of photons. The two-photon system state is given by |Ψ〉 = i τ 0 dt ˆ HI|1〉p|0〉s|0〉i, (1.9) or ˆρ = |Ψ〉〈Ψ| in the density matrix formalism. Seven of the eight terms that compose the interaction Hamiltonian vanish when they are applied over the state |1〉p|0〉s|0〉i. The remaining term is proportional to the annihilation 4

1.3. Approximations and other considerations operator in mode p, and the creation operators in modes s and i. Assuming constant χ (2) , the two-photon state reduces to (2) τ iɛ0χ |Ψ〉 = dt dV 0 V Ê(+) p (rp, ωp) Ê(−) s (rs, ωs) Ê(−) i (ri, ωi)|1〉p|0〉s|0〉i, (1.10) which can be written as |Ψ〉 ∝ dks dkiΦ(ks, ωs, ki, ωi)a † (ks)a † (ki)|0〉s|0〉i; (1.11) where Φ(ks, ωs, ki, ωi) is known as the mode function and, assuming that the pump has certain spatial distribution Ep(kp), is given by τ Φ(ks, ωs, ki, ωi) ∝ dt dV dkpEp(kp) 0 V × exp [ikp · rp − iks · rs − iki · ri − i(ωp − ωs − ωi)t] × â(kp)|1〉p. (1.12) The mode function contains all the information about the generated two-photon system in space and frequency, not only about their individual state but about their correlations. This function is therefore highly complex, and to calculate any feature of the two-photon state it is necessary to simplify it, as the next section shows. 1.3 Approximations and other considerations Analytical calculations of any features of the down converted photons require simplification of the mode function in equation 1.12. This section lists the most important approximations used in this thesis, as well as the restrictions that they impose. Separation of transversal and longitudinal components A field with a wave vector k almost parallel to its propagation direction spreads only a little in the transversal direction. It is then possible, to consider the longitudinal and transversal components of the wave vector separately, k = kzˆz + q. (1.13) As the wave vector’s magnitude k = ωn/c is bigger than the transversal component’s magnitude q = |q| = (k 2 x + k 2 y) 1/2 , the magnitude of the longitudinal component kz is always a real number, kz = k 2 1 − q 2 2 . (1.14) Assuming that the pump, the signal, and the idler are such fields, the mode function becomes τ Φ(qs, ωs, qi, ωi) ∝ 0 dt dV V dqpEp(qp) exp [ik z pzp − ik z szs − ik z i zi] × exp [iq p · r ⊥ p − iq s · r ⊥ s − iq i · r ⊥ i − i(ωp − ωs − ωi)t] × â(q p)|1〉p. (1.15) where r ⊥ n = xnˆxn + ynˆyn is the transversal position vector. 5

1.3. Approximations and other considerations<br />

operator in mode p, and the creation operators in modes s and i. Assuming<br />

constant χ (2) , the two-photon state reduces to<br />

(2) τ <br />

iɛ0χ<br />

|Ψ〉 = dt dV<br />

0 V<br />

Ê(+) p (rp, ωp) Ê(−) s (rs, ωs) Ê(−) i (ri, ωi)|1〉p|0〉s|0〉i,<br />

(1.10)<br />

which can be written as<br />

<br />

|Ψ〉 ∝ dks dkiΦ(ks, ωs, ki, ωi)a † (ks)a † (ki)|0〉s|0〉i; (1.11)<br />

where Φ(ks, ωs, ki, ωi) is known as the mode function and, assuming that the<br />

pump has certain spatial distribution Ep(kp), is given by<br />

τ <br />

Φ(ks, ωs, ki, ωi) ∝ dt dV dkpEp(kp)<br />

0<br />

V<br />

× exp [ikp · rp − iks · rs − iki · ri − i(ωp − ωs − ωi)t]<br />

× â(kp)|1〉p. (1.12)<br />

The mode function contains all the information about the generated two-photon<br />

system in space and frequency, not only about their individual state but about<br />

their correlations. This function is therefore highly complex, and to calculate<br />

any feature of the two-photon state it is necessary to simplify it, as the next<br />

section shows.<br />

1.3 Approximations and other considerations<br />

Analytical calculations of any features of the down converted photons require<br />

simplification of the mode function in equation 1.12. This section lists the most<br />

important approximations used in this thesis, as well as the restrictions that<br />

they impose.<br />

Separation of transversal and longitudinal components<br />

A field with a wave vector k almost parallel to its propagation direction spreads<br />

only a little in the transversal direction. It is then possible, to consider the<br />

longitudinal and transversal components of the wave vector separately,<br />

k = kzˆz + q. (1.13)<br />

As the wave vector’s magnitude k = ωn/c is bigger than the transversal component’s<br />

magnitude q = |q| = (k 2 x + k 2 y) 1/2 , the magnitude of the longitudinal<br />

component kz is always a real number,<br />

kz = k 2 1<br />

− q<br />

2 2 . (1.14)<br />

Assuming that the pump, the signal, and the idler are such fields, the mode<br />

function becomes<br />

τ <br />

Φ(qs, ωs, qi, ωi) ∝<br />

0<br />

dt dV<br />

V<br />

dqpEp(qp) exp [ik z pzp − ik z szs − ik z i zi]<br />

× exp [iq p · r ⊥ p − iq s · r ⊥ s − iq i · r ⊥ i − i(ωp − ωs − ωi)t]<br />

× â(q p)|1〉p. (1.15)<br />

where r ⊥ n = xnˆxn + ynˆyn is the transversal position vector.<br />

5

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