Multidimensional fiber quantum light sources and their applications

Optical fibers support discrete transverse spatial modes that have potential for applications in high-dimensional quantum information processing. When paired with other degrees of freedom such as spectral modes, fibers become a versatile platform for studying multidimensional quantum systems. In this thesis, we present our recent progress in fundamental studies and applications of multidimensional optical fiber-based quantum light sources. We study spontaneous four-wave mixing processes in optical fibers that can create photon pairs correlated in spatio-spectral degrees of freedom. Utilizing spatial light modulators, we show control over individual spontaneous four-wave mixing processes through precise beam shaping of the pump spatial mode. Employing stimulated emission and spatio-spectral control of the seed beam, we carefully characterize the photon pairs created from few-mode polarization-maintaining fibers. We develop spatial-mode quantum state tomography and quantum state estimation techniques and take steps towards generating spatial-mode-entangled photon pairs in a cross-spliced few-mode polarization-maintaining fiber. We elaborate on the spectro-temporal distinguishabilities that can challenge the entanglement generation and potential experimental remedies that can minimize them. Furthermore, we explore the scalability of our scheme in a ring-core fiber platform that is capable of supporting more than thirty different high-dimensional orbital angular momentum states. We control the spectral correlation of these photon pairs and measure their quantum source properties such as coincidence-to-accidental ratio and heralded second-order correlation function. Additionally, with a commercial telecom polarization-maintaining fiber, we conduct spectral and coincidence measurements to investigate and confirm the generation of telecom-infrared photon pairs that can be potentially integrated into quantum network infrastructure. Finally, we study the application of our fiber photon-pair sources for quantum imaging of biomolecules through scattering-robust fluorescence ghost imaging.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Kim, Dong Beom

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lorenz, Virginia O
• Kwiat, Paul G
• Goldschmidt, Elizabeth A
• Garay-Palmett, Karina
• Backlund, Mikael P
• U'ren, Alfred B
• Ramachandran, Siddharth

• multidimensional
• optical fiber
• quantum information
• photon-pair source
• spontaneous four-wave mixing
• SFWM
• entanglement
• transverse spatial mode
• SLM
• quantum communication
• quantum metrology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Dong Beom Kim

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/132620

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/132620