Generalized Multiphoton Quantum Interference

Author(s)
Max Tillmann, Si-Hui Tan, Sarah E. Stoeckl, Barry C. Sanders, Hubert de Guise, Rene Heilmann, Stefan Nolte, Alexander Szameit, Philip Walther
Abstract

Nonclassical interference of photons lies at the heart of optical quantum information processing. Here, we exploit tunable distinguishability to reveal the full spectrum of multiphoton nonclassical interference. We investigate this in theory and experiment by controlling the delay times of three photons injected into an integrated interferometric network. We derive the entire coincidence landscape and identify transition matrix immanants as ideally suited functions to describe the generalized case of input photons with arbitrary distinguishability. We introduce a compact description by utilizing a natural basis that decouples the input state from the interferometric network, thereby providing a useful tool for even larger photon numbers.

Organisation(s)
Quantum Optics, Quantum Nanophysics and Quantum Information
External organisation(s)
Singapore University of Technology & Design, University of Calgary, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Lakehead University, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Journal
Physical Review X
Volume
5
No. of pages
23
ISSN
2160-3308
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.5.041015
Publication date
10-2015
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103026 Quantum optics
Keywords
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/af0311ca-f7b5-43fa-9f21-5acec4627739