Coherent multi-photon interference and compensation of polarization dispersion

This thesis will explore strategies for coherent manipulation of multi-photon packets. Correlated multi-photon states can arise in nonlinear optical devices. A nonlinear quantum interferometer which includes these states can have interesting and strikingly different behavior from a conventional interferometer. The special quantum states set up in these devices are degraded by loss. In this thesis, we will set up theory for describing the interesting quantum behavior of these devices and the limitations imposed by loss decoherence. The underlying structure of interferometer states is shared by all two-mode systems-including classical polarization states of a single-mode fiber. We are exploring bire-fringent systems as a possible implementation of nonlinear quantum coupler ideas, but also because of its practical importance in optical communications. Polarization mode dispersion an important source of signal distortion in high-bitrate communications arising from unwanted birefringence in the fiber. We will describe theoretical analysis of compensated PMD systems, as well as our theoretical and experimental effeots to develop novel PMD compensators.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Fini, John Michael

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hermann A. Haus and Peter L. Hagelstein.

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/16790

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/16790