Quantum Optomagnetics in Graphene

Graphene can be magnetized through nonlinear response of its orbital angular momentum to an intense circularly polarized light. This optomagnetic effect can be well exemplified by the Inverse Faraday Effect (IFE) where an optically-generated DC magnetization leads to graphene's optical activity. We provide a single-particle quantum mechanical model of an IFE in graphene by solving Schr\"odinger's equation in the presence of a renormalized Hamiltonian near a Dirac point in the presence of circularly polarized monochromatic light. We derive an analytical expression for DC magnetization based on non-perturbative and dressed states of quasi-electrons where their energy spectrum is isotropically gapped by the circularly polarized light. Optical rotatory power is then computed through the gyroelectric birefringence where a measurable polarization rotation angle under moderate and intense optical radiations is predicted.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures; general typos corrected, 1 typo in equation correct, 2 typos in notation corrected, introduction extended, original magnetization expression integrated over k, figure added for comparison, figures slightly changed and plotted in lower intensity range

Nonlinearity in Single Photon Detection: Modeling and Quantum Tomography

Single Photon Detectors are integral to quantum optics and quantum information. Superconducting Nanowire based detectors exhibit new levels of performance, but have no accepted quantum optical model that is valid for multiple input photons. By performing Detector Tomography, we improve the recently proposed model [M.K. Akhlaghi and A.H. Majedi, IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 19, 361 (2009)] and also investigate the manner in which these detectors respond nonlinearly to light, a valuable feature for some applications. We develop a device independent model for Single Photon Detectors that incorporates this nonlinearity

Stimulated quantum phase slips from weak electromagnetic radiations in superconducting nanowires

We study the rate of quantum phase slips in an ultranarrow superconducting nanowire exposed to weak electromagnetic radiations. The superconductor is in the dirty limit close to the superconducting-insulating transition, where fluxoids move in strong dissipation. We use a semiclassical approach and show that external radiation stimulates a significant enhancement in the probability of quantum phase slips. This can help to outline a new type of detector for microwave to submillimetre radiations based on stimulated quantum phase slip phenomenon.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure

Quantum Key Distribution over Probabilistic Quantum Repeaters

A feasible route towards implementing long-distance quantum key distribution (QKD) systems relies on probabilistic schemes for entanglement distribution and swapping as proposed in the work of Duan, Lukin, Cirac, and Zoller (DLCZ) [Nature 414, 413 (2001)]. Here, we calculate the conditional throughput and fidelity of entanglement for DLCZ quantum repeaters, by accounting for the DLCZ self-purification property, in the presence of multiple excitations in the ensemble memories as well as loss and other sources of inefficiency in the channel and measurement modules. We then use our results to find the generation rate of secure key bits for QKD systems that rely on DLCZ quantum repeaters. We compare the key generation rate per logical memory employed in the two cases of with and without a repeater node. We find the cross-over distance beyond which the repeater system outperforms the non-repeater one. That provides us with the optimum inter-node distancing in quantum repeater systems. We also find the optimal excitation probability at which the QKD rate peaks. Such an optimum probability, in most regimes of interest, is insensitive to the total distance.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures; Fig. 5(a) is replace

Efficient Single Photon Absorption by Optimized Superconducting Nanowire Geometries

We report on simulation results that shows optimum photon absorption by superconducting nanowires can happen at a fill-factor that is much less than 100%. We also present experimental results on high performance of our superconducting nanowire single photon detectors realized using NbTiN on oxidized silicon.Comment: \copyright 2013 IEEE. Submitted to "Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices - NUSOD 2013" on 19-April-201

New Journal of Physics Controlling a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector using tailored bright illumination

Abstract. We experimentally demonstrate that a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector is deterministically controllable by bright illumination. We found that bright light can temporarily make a large fraction of the nanowire length normally conductive, can extend deadtime after a normal photon detection, and can cause a hotspot formation during the deadtime with a highly nonlinear sensitivity. As a result, although based on different physics, the superconducting detector turns out to be controllable by virtually the same techniques as avalanche photodiode detectors. As demonstrated earlier, when such detectors are used in a quantum key distribution system, this allows an eavesdropper to launch a detector control attack to capture the full secret key without this being revealed by too many errors in the key