In search of photonic bound entanglement: using hyperentanglement to study mixed entangled states

Quantum entanglement exhibits various interesting features that emerge only in high-dimensional systems. One of the most fascinating is bound entanglement, entanglement that cannot be extracted using local operations and classical communication. This thesis describes our work towards an experimental realization of the four-qubit bound-entangled Smolin state, using the polarization and spatial mode of photon pairs. We describe a number of interesting experimental challenges that this work faced. We present our results on entangled two-qubit spatial mode states and hyperentangled four-qubit polarization-spatial-mode states generated by spontaneous parametric down-conversion from a second-order TEM mode pump. Some of the subtleties involved in preparing genuine mixed states in the lab are discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2016

Author dc:creator

• Sharma, Aditya Nilakantan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kwiat, Paul G.
• Stack, John D.
• Lorenz, Virginia
• Weaver, Richard L.

• Entanglement
• Hyperentanglement
• Bound entanglement
• Smolin state
• Spontaneous parametric downconversion

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2016 by Aditya Nilakantan Sharma. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/92823

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/92823