Phase shaping of single-photon wave packets

Although the phase of a coherent light field can be precisely known, this is not true for the phase of the individual photons that create the field, considered individually. Phase changes within single-photon wave packets, however, have observable effects. In fact, actively controlling the phase of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNature photonics Vol. 3; no. 8; pp. 469 - 472
Main Authors Moehring, D. L, Specht, H. P, Bochmann, J, Mücke, M, Weber, B, Figueroa, E, Rempe, G
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Nature Publishing Group 01.08.2009
Subjects
Classical and quantum physics: mechanics and fields
Exact sciences and technology
Physics
Quantum communication
Quantum information
Phase shift
Coherent radiation
Single photon
Quantum optics
Photon pair
Quantum interference phenomena
Quantum communication
Wave packets
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Summary:Although the phase of a coherent light field can be precisely known, this is not true for the phase of the individual photons that create the field, considered individually. Phase changes within single-photon wave packets, however, have observable effects. In fact, actively controlling the phase of individual photons has been identified as a powerful resource for quantum communication protocols. Here we demonstrate arbitrary phase control of a single photon. The phase modulation is applied without affecting the photon's amplitude profile and is verified by means of a two-photon quantum interference measurement, demonstrating fermionic spatial behaviour of photon pairs. Combined with previously demonstrated control of a single photon's amplitude, frequency, and polarization, the fully deterministic phase shaping presented here allows for the complete control of single-photon wave packets.
ISSN:1749-4885
1749-4893
DOI:10.1038/nphoton.2009.115