New systems for quantum nonlinear optics

Photons travelling through free space do not interact with each other. This characteristic makes them perfect candidates to carry quantum information over long distances. On the other hand, processing the information they encode requires interaction mechanisms. In recent years, there have been growing efforts to realize strong, controlled interactions between photons by making them interact with individual atoms, which are intrinsically nonlinear objects. This, and the efforts to understand the phenomena that can emerge, have spawned the new field of`"quantum nonlinear optics." A number of approaches have been pursued to attain near-deterministic atom-photon interactions, including the use of cavities (CQED), of atomic ensembles, and more recently of dielectric nanostructures able to confine light without defocusing, thus enabling the interaction with atoms trapped in the proximity of the structures. While for the CQED case powerful theoretical tools have been developed to treat the interactions of photons, in the case of atomic ensembles, either in free space or coupled to nanophotonic structures, there is a general lack of theoretical methods beyond the linear regime. This relative lack of understanding also implies that there could be rich new physical phenomena that have thus far not been identified. The overall goal of this thesis is to explore these themes in greater detail. In Chapter 2 of this thesis we develop a new formalism to calculate the properties of quantum light when interfaced with atomic ensembles. The method consists of using a "spin model" that maps a quasi one-dimensional (1D) light propagation problem to the dynamics of an open 1D interacting spin system, where all of the photon correlations are obtained from those of the spins. The spin dynamics can be numerically solved using the toolbox of matrix product states (MPS), thus providing a technique to study strongly interacting photons in the true many-body limit. In Chapter 3 we investigate the possibility of creating exotic phases of matter using the recently realized photonic crystal waveguide (PCW)-atoms interface. In particular, we examine the consequences that arise from the strong interatomic forces mediated by the exchange of band gap photons, whose strengths also depend strongly on the internal atomic states (¿spins¿). Taking one realistic model, we show that "quantum crystallization" can occur, in which the emergent spatial orders of atoms depend intricately on the spin correlations. In Chapter 4 we investigate the possibility of implementing second-order nonlinear quantum optical processes with graphene nanostructures, as a more robust alternative to the use of atomic systems. We quantify the second-order nonlinear properties, showing that the tight confinement of surface plasmons (SP) in graphene gives rise to extraordinary interaction strengths at the single-photon level. Finally, we predict that opportunely engineered arrays of graphene nanostructures can provide a second harmonic generation efficiency comparable with that of state-of-the-art nonlinear crystals, with the high Ohmic losses of graphene serving as the fundamental limitation for deterministic processes. In Chapter 5 we investigate a new paradigm for quantum memories of light based upon ordered atomic arrays. In particular, we show that the strong constructive interference in optical emission can give rise to a significantly enhanced atom-light interface, as compared to a standard, disordered atomic ensemble. In the case of a single, 2D atomic layer, we find the impressive result that a memory realized with 16 atoms can have the same storage efficiency as an atomic ensemble with optical depth larger than 100.Los fotones que viajan por el espacio libre no interactúan entre sí. Esta característica los hace perfectos candidatos para transportar la información cuántica a largas distancias. Por otro lado, el procesamiento de la información que codifican requiere mecanismos de interacción. En los últimos años se han realizado esfuerzos crecientes para realizar interacciones fuertes y controladas entre los fotones y para comprender las leyes subyacentes que describen los fenómenos que pueden surgir, generando así el nuevo campo de la "óptica cuántica no lineal". Mientras que los materiales tridimensionales tienen coeficientes no lineales extremadamente débiles, se pueden obtener interacciones entre los fotones haciéndolos interactuar con átomos individuales, que son objetos intrínsecamente no lineales, teniendo la capacidad de absorber únicamente un solo fotón a la vez. La realización de interacciones determinísticas entre fotones y átomos es uno de los principales retos de la óptica cuántica no lineal. Para eludir las limitaciones debidas a la pequeña sección eficaz óptica de los átomos y el límite de difracción en el espacio libre, se han aplicado diferentes estrategias, entre ellas el uso de cavidades (CQED), de colectividades atómicas y, más recientemente, de nanoestructuras dieléctricas capaces de confinar la luz sin desenfocarse, permitiendo así la interacción con átomos atrapados en la proximidad de esas estructuras. Mientras que para el caso de la CQED se han desarrollado potentes herramientas teóricas para tratar las interacciones de los fotones, en el caso de colectividades atómicas hay una falta general de métodos teóricos más allá del régimen lineal. Esta relativa falta de comprensión también implica que podría haber nuevos fenómenos físicos interesantes que hasta ahora no se han identificado. El objetivo general de esta tesis es explorar estos temas con mayor detalle. En el capítulo 2 de esta tesis desarrollamos un nuevo formalismo para calcular las propiedades de la luz cuántica cuando interactúa con sistemas atómicos. El método consiste en utilizar un"`modelo de espines" que mapea un problema de propagación de luz cuasi unidimensional (1D) a la dinámica de un sistema abierto unidimensional de espines que interactúan entre sí, donde todas las correlaciones de fotones se obtienen a partir de las de los espines. La dinámica de los espines se puede resolver numéricamente utilizando la caja de herramientas de los estados producto de matrices (MPS), proporcionando así una técnica para estudiar los fotones que interactúan fuertemente en el regimen de la física de muchos cuerpos. En el capítulo 3 se investiga la posibilidad de crear fases exóticas de la materia utilizando la interfaz entre guía de ondas de cristales fotónicos (PCW) y átomos recientemente realizada experimentalmente, donde los modos de la banda de frecuencias prohibidas de la PCW se utilizan para mediar las interacciones de largo alcance entre los átomos. Encontramos un rico diagrama de fases de órdenes emergentes. En el capítulo 4 se investiga la posibilidad de implementar procesos ópticos cuánticos no lineales de segundo orden con nano-estructuras de grafeno, como una alternativa más robusta al uso de sistemas atómicos. Cuantificamos las propiedades no lineales de segundo orden, mostrando que el estrecho confinamiento da lugar a extraordinarias fuerzas de interacción a nivel de un solo fotón y predecimos que un diseño apropiado de las nano-estructuras del grafeno permitiría generar el segundo armónico con una eficiencia comparable a la de los cristales no lineales de última generación. En el capítulo 5, investigamos cómo la emisión cooperativa en memorias cuánticas realizadas con reticulos atómicos afecta su eficiencia, encontrando el impresionante resultado de que una memoria realizada con 16 átomos puede tener la misma eficiencia que un gas cuántico atómico de profundidad óptica mayor que 100.Postprint (published version

Second-order quantum nonlinear optical processes in single graphene nanostructures and arrays

Intense efforts have been made in recent years to realize nonlinear optical interactions at the single-photon level. Much of this work has focused on achieving strong third-order nonlinearities, such as by using single atoms or other quantum emitters while the possibility of achieving strong second-order nonlinearities remains unexplored. Here, we describe a novel technique to realize such nonlinearities using graphene, exploiting the strong per-photon fields associated with tightly confined graphene plasmons in combination with spatially nonlocal nonlinear optical interactions. We show that in properly designed graphene nanostructures, these conditions enable extremely strong internal down-conversion between a single quantized plasmon and an entangled plasmon pair, or the reverse process of second harmonic generation. A separate issue is how such strong internal nonlinearities can be observed, given the nominally weak coupling between these plasmon resonances and free-space radiative fields. On one hand, by using the collective coupling to radiation of nanostructure arrays, we show that the internal nonlinearities can manifest themselves as efficient frequency conversion of radiative fields at extremely low input powers. On the other hand, the development of techniques to efficiently couple to single nanostructures would allow these nonlinear processes to occur at the level of single input photons.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figure

Quantum dynamics of propagating photons with strong interactions: a generalized input-output formalism

There has been rapid development of systems that yield strong interactions between freely propagating photons in one dimension via controlled coupling to quantum emitters. This raises interesting possibilities such as quantum information processing with photons or quantum many-body states of light, but treating such systems generally remains a difficult task theoretically. Here, we describe a novel technique in which the dynamics and correlations of a few photons can be exactly calculated, based upon knowledge of the initial photonic state and the solution of the reduced effective dynamics of the quantum emitters alone. We show that this generalized "input-output" formalism allows for a straightforward numerical implementation regardless of system details, such as emitter positions, external driving, and level structure. As a specific example, we apply our technique to show how atomic systems with infinite-range interactions and under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency enable the selective transmission of correlated multi-photon states

Exploring ISAC Technology for UAV SAR Imaging

This paper illustrates the potential of an Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) system, operating in the sub-6 GHz frequency range, for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging via an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) employed as an aerial base station. The primary aim is to validate the system's ability to generate SAR imagery within the confines of modern communication standards, including considerations like power limits, carrier frequency, bandwidth, and other relevant parameters. The paper presents two methods for processing the signal reflected by the scene. Additionally, we analyze two key performance indicators for their respective fields, the Noise Equivalent Sigma Zero (NESZ) and the Bit Error Rate (BER), using the QUAsi Deterministic RadIo channel GenerAtor (QuaDRiGa), demonstrating the system's capability to image buried targets in challenging scenarios. The paper shows simulated Impulse Response Functions (IRF) as possible pulse compression techniques under different assumptions. An experimental campaign is conducted to validate the proposed setup by producing a SAR image of the environment captured using a UAV flying with a Software-Defined Radio (SDR) as a payload

A Nonparametric Estimator for Coherent Change Detection: The Permutational Change Detection

Nowadays, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is widely used in heterogeneous fields with aims strictly dependent on the objectives of the application. One of the most common is the exploitation of the interferometric-SAR (InSAR) to measure millimeter movements on the Earth's surface, aiming to monitor failures (e.g., landslides) or to measure the health state of infrastructures (e.g., mining assets, bridges, and buildings). In this article, developing algorithms to detect temporal and spatial changes in the radar targets becomes very important. This article focuses on the temporal change detection framework, proposing a nonparametric coherent change detection (CCD) algorithm called permutational change detection (PCD), a purely statistical algorithm whose core is the permutational test. The PCD estimates the temporal change points (CPs) of a radar target recognizing blocks structure in the coherence matrix, namely, new radar objects. The algorithm has been fine-tuned for small SAR datasets, with the specific aim of prioritizing the analysis of the latest changes. A rigorous mathematical derivation of the algorithm is carried out, explaining how some limits have been addressed. Then, the performance analysis on the simulated data is deeply accomplished, carried out for the stand-alone PCD and the PCD compared with a parametric CCD algorithm based on the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT), and with the Omnibus and REACTIV detectors. The comparison with these other algorithms and the stand-alone performance analysis point out the robustness of the PCD in dealing with very noisy environments, even in the case of a single block. Finally, the PCD is validated by processing two Sentinel I data stacks, ascending and descending geometries, of the 2016 Central Italy earthquake

A Low-Cost and Low-Power Messaging System Based on the LoRa Wireless Technology

[EN] In this paper we describe a low-cost and low-power consumption messaging system based on LoRa technology. More that one billion people worldwide cannot access even the most basic connectivity services. For them even simple messaging services would be of great help, for example to farmers wishing to know the price of goods they want to sell or buy before deciding whether a possibly long, expensive and exhausting trip is undertaken. LoRa networks allow for very long wireless links that can connect villages and towns. This system falls in the category of community networks, where users build their own network where no commercial infrastructure is available. In addition to the simple messaging application, LoRa can be used to distribute sensor information to communities or to provide disaster alerts or meteorological data.Moreno Cardenas, A.; Nakamura Pinto, MK.; Pietrosemoli, E.; Zennaro, M.; Rainone, M.; Manzoni, P. (2020). A Low-Cost and Low-Power Messaging System Based on the LoRa Wireless Technology. Mobile Networks and Applications (Online). 25(3):961-968. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11036-019-01235-5S96196825