US-UK Dissertation Enhancement: Controlled Photon Entanglement for Quantum Information Processing using Nonlinear Photonic Crystals

University Of Oregon Eugene, Eugene OR

Investigators

Abstract

0334590 Raymer This U.S.-U.K. dissertation enhancement project supports a Ph.D. student, Brian Smith of the University of Oregon, to pursue thesis research under the guidance of Michael Raymer, University of Oregon and Ian Walmsley, University of Oxford. It adds an international dimension to the University of Oregon's ITR (Information Technology Research) award aimed at engineering controlled single-photon sources and using them to develop all-optical means for Quantum Information Processing (QIP). Quantum entanglement of the states of two particles carries potential to serve as a basis for a new class of technology - Quantum Information Processing. QIP includes quantum cryptographic key distribution, quantum communication and quantum computation. Generation and manipulation of quantum entanglement of optical light fields are key techniques in the further development of practical QIP. The objective of this work is to develop practical technologies for achieving a high degree of control over the space-time wave-packet modes in which single photons or pairs of photons are created. To achieve the QIP goals, the Oxford and Southampton groups will design and fabricate patterned crystals that then will be tested and used at the Oregon and Oxford labs. The student will contribute to the design and fabrication aspects and gain experience with the technology developed by the Oxford group. This research will advance the development of new nonlinear optical materials that are useful for a range of applications such as doubling of light, telecommunications and classical optical computing. New techniques for characterizing the spatial coherence studies of light will be developed and may have applications in other fields of optics.