arXiv subjects

Isaac Nape

Publications and source records attributed to Isaac Nape.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Quantum skyrmion parallelism via metasurface-tailored high-dimensional entanglement

Quantum skyrmions are topological structures that have garnered significant interest due to their demonstrated robustness and versatility across diverse optical platforms. However, existing approaches for their generation are limited to producing pre-determined two dimensional qubit states with a single topology. Here we create multi-dimensional topological states by introducing a non-local interaction between high-dimensional photonic entanglement and a metasurface, where the topological transformation induced by the metasurface is made non-deterministic by the probabilistic nature of the interfacing entangled state. Within this framework, we demonstrate that individual quantum states can host multiple co-existing topologies that are only revealed upon measurement, allowing for their parallel transport within distinct spatial mode channels. We confirm this by revealing the rich topological landscape within our modified Hilbert space while controlling the desired output topology by orbital angular momentum (OAM) projections on one of the entangled photons, producing multiple non-local polarization-OAM entangled states characterized by distinct topological classes, all from a single metasurface device. Our results reveal new capability when structured high-dimensional entanglement is interfaced with structured matter capable of coupling photonic degrees of freedom, establishing a new pathway for the compact generation of complex quantum states.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Tunable spatio-spectral Target Skyrmions and topological multiplexing

Optical Skyrmions have recently garnered much interest providing a potential avenue for high capacity, robust topological information transfer. Typically, Skyrmions are derived from the coupling of just two degrees of freedom (DoFs) limiting their versatility. In this work we realize spatio-spectral Skyrmions derived from the non-separability between three DoFs: wavelength, space and polarization. A compact and simple technique is used to generate the spatio-spectral vector beams (SSVB) carrying the desired Skyrmionic structure, offering simple pathways for complex Skyrmionic beam design. The topological structure, witnessed through a map between the spatio-spectral plane and the Poincar\'e sphere, exhibits an additional tunable $k\pi$ parameter thereby enhancing the number of controllable DoFs. Our three DoF construction allows us to propose a novel topological multiplexing strategy that independently encodes different Skyrmion numbers at different radii of the field. We experimentally demonstrate the practicality of this approach by transmitting and receiving three distinct Skyrmion numbers encoded into a single topological field, for the first form of mode division multiplexing with Skyrmion topology. This work opens up new avenues for dense information encoding using multiple topological channels encoded in a single light field.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Orthogonalised Self-Guided Quantum Tomography: Insights from Single-Pixel Imaging

We introduce the concept of self-guided imaging (SGI) as a linear analogue of self-guided quantum tomography (SGQT). We show that SGI is mathematically equivalent to single-pixel imaging (SPI). Taking inspiration from orthogonalised ghost imaging, a recent advance in SPI, we introduce orthogonalised SGQT. This requires no additional experimental overhead and leads to faster and more accurate final convergence, as we demonstrate numerically (fidelity $95.2\% \rightarrow 99.17\%$) and experimentally (fidelity $92.1\% \rightarrow 95.3\%$). This work suggests that further routines from SPI and SGQT can be interchanged to optimise measurements and convergence.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Reconfigurable circuit for mode tunable topological quantum structured light

Structured light in the quantum regime has garnered considerable attention due to the opportunities it offers when mixing light's internal degrees of freedom, for high-dimensional and multi-dimensional quantum states of light. A popular example is to harness polarisation and spatial entangled photons with a shared topological invariant that is robust against numerous families of noisy quantum channels. Yet, producing such states with high purity and adaptability remains challenging. Here we introduce a compact, self-locking Mach-Zehnder interferometer that integrates digital spatial light modulators with static beam displacers to map spatial-mode entanglement from a parametric down-conversion source onto topological entanglement with high fidelity. The device also mimics the action of a reprogrammable controlled-unitary gate, digitally driven by the spatial light modulator. This approach is an enabling platform and provides a practical route to generating reliable, high-purity quantum-structured light with topological features, both at the single-photon level and as entangled states, a direction of growing topical interest.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Remote engineering of particle-like topologies to visualise entanglement dynamics

Skyrmions are a particle-like topology with a quantised skyrmion number, realised across condensed matter and photonic platforms alike. In quantum photonics, they constitute an emerging resource, promising robust quantum information encoding, so far realised as single photon and bi-photon entangled states. Here we report the first visualisation of tripartite entanglement dynamics through topological structure using spin-skyrmion entangled states, where the topology of a single photon is remotely controlled through the spin of its entangled partner. We visualise our tripartite state theoretically by introducing the notion of a topological Bloch sphere that completely captures the entanglement and topolological features of the state. By leveraging this state, we realise the first quantum multiskyrmions, comprising multiple localised skyrmions within a single structure, that emulate signatures of their magnetic counterparts. We verify this experimentally and show that traversing our topological sphere reveals entanglement-driven particle-like motion of the localised topological structures. These dynamics unveil a physical manifestation of tripartite entanglement correlations which we illustrate by example of GHZ-like states, enabling a visualisation of multiple Bell states encoded within our system. Our work opens exciting possibilities for quantum sensing by mapping complex quantum channel features onto topological observables of multipartite states and offers a promising avenue for harnessing quantum topologies for multi-level encoding quantum communication schemes.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Topological robustness of orbital angular momentum entanglement in stochastic channels

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) entanglement gives access to multiple qubit and high dimensional Hilbert spaces, but is unfortunately susceptible to disturbance, decaying in real-world noisy channels. Here, we show there is an underlying topology arising from OAM entanglement that is robust to such channels, which we demonstrate using atmospheric turbulence -- exemplary of stochastic or chaotic media. Using a quantum channel with various turbulence strengths, we find the OAM topological observable preserved even though the OAM itself is shown to be highly sensitive to the turbulence. We show this is true for mixed states too, with the OAM topology intact even as the purity of the state decreases due to decoherence. Our work offers a new perspective on OAM entanglement preservation, and may easily be extended to other spatial bases, degrees of freedom, as well as complex channels, whether static or dynamic.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Deep diffractive optical neural networks for detecting Skyrmionic topologies of light

Optical Skyrmions are topological forms of structured light with the potential of an infinite encoding alphabet that is immune to disturbance. This attractive prospect is hindered by the lack of any topological detector, a challenging problem due to the non-orthogonal nature of the topological invariant (N). Here we demonstrate the first deterministic detector for Skyrmionic topologies of light using a deep diffractive optical neural network. Our network uses two independent processing channels of 5 diffractive layers each to map incoming topologies to spatially separated Gaussian channels from which N can be detected. We overcome the complexity of the training by using a spatial mode basis rather than pixels, reducing the training variables by x1000 compared to current methods. We use the detector on an input set of 81 input topologies, showing high accuracy even in the presence of significant levels of noise. Finally, to show the practical utility of the device, we transmit and receive an image encoded in a 14-level topological alphabet with no discernible cross-talk. Our work offers a new paradigm for the emergent field of diffractive optical networks and can easily be extended to other forms of optical topologies, setting a clear pathway for their deployment in real-world applications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Towards reconstructing quantum structured light on a quantum computer

We introduce a variational quantum computing approach for quantum state reconstruction within a discretized logical framework, using experimental measurement data as input. By mapping the reconstruction cost function onto an Ising model, the problem can be solved using a variational eigensolver on present-day quantum hardware identifying dominant logical elements of the density matrix. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the method on quantum structured light, in particular, entangled photons carrying orbital angular momentum and show that the reconstruction procedure can yield reliable performance even on noisy devices. Our results highlight the potential of variational algorithms as a complementary approach to quantum state tomography, particularly for high-dimensional structured light, where classical approaches can face bottlenecks.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Unveiling the link between quantum ghost imaging and Grover's quantum searching algorithm

Photonic quantum technologies have become pivotal in the implementation of communication, imaging and computing modalities. Among these applications, quantum ghost imaging (GI) exploits photon correlations to surpass classical limits, with recent advances in spatial-mode encoding and phase imaging. In parallel, all-optical computing offers powerful, passive-light processing capabilities. Here, we explore the intersection of these domains, revealing a conceptual and operational link between GI and Grover's quantum search algorithm (GSA) which is designed to search for elements in an unstructured database. Here, the elements are encoded as phases in the position basis states of photons. To show this, we use entangled photon pairs, with one photon encoding the oracle features while the other photon is used to find the marked element.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Topological Control of Chirality and Spin with Structured Light

Structured light beams with engineered topological properties offer a powerful means to control spin angular momentum (SAM) and optical chirality, key quantities shaped by spin-orbit interaction (SOI) in light. Such effects are typically regarded as emerging only through light-matter interactions. Here, we show that higher-order Poincar\'e modes, carrying a tunable Pancharatnam topological charge $\ell_p$, enable precise control of SOI purely from the intrinsic topology of the light field, without requiring any material interface. In doing so, we reveal a free-space paraxial optical Hall effect, where modulation of $\ell_p$ drives spatial separation of circular polarization states - a direct signature of SOI in a regime previously thought immune to such behaviour. Our analysis identifies two propagation-induced topological mechanisms underlying this effect: differential Gouy phase shifts between orthogonal components, and radial divergence of the beam envelope. These results overturn the common view that spin-orbit effects in free space require non-paraxial conditions, and establish a broadly tunable route to generating and controlling chirality and SAM without tight focusing. This approach provides new opportunities for optical manipulation, chiral sensing, and high-dimensional photonic information processing.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Orbital angular momentum of entangled photons as a probe for relativistic effects

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) as both classical and quantum states of light has proven essential in numerous applications, from high-capacity information transfer to enhanced precision and accuracy in metrology. Here, we extend OAM metrology to relativistic scenarios to determine the Lorentz factor of a moving reference frame, exploiting the fact that OAM is not Lorentz invariant. We show that the joint OAM spectrum from entangled states is modified by length contraction when measured by two observers moving relative to the entanglement source. This relative motion rescales the spatial dimensions, thus breaking the orthogonality of the OAM measurement process and resulting in a broadening of the joint OAM spectrum that can precisely determine the Lorentz factor. We experimentally simulate velocities up to $0.99c$, confirm the predicted broadening, and use the measurement outcomes to extract the Lorentz factor. Our work provides a pathway for novel measurement techniques suitable for relativistic conditions that leverage OAM structured light as a resource.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Dual-wavelength quantum skyrmions from liquid crystal topological defect

We propose a spin-orbit strategy for generating dual-wavelength quantum skyrmions, realized either as entangled photon pairs at dual wavelengths or as heralded single-photon states at a given wavelength -- regimes neither previously conceptualized nor demonstrated. By coupling a two-photon entangled state to an electrically tunable liquid crystal topological defect, we engineer both nonlocal and local skyrmionic topologies in a reconfigurable platform. We highlight with examples how this approach may open new directions for engineered topological quantum states that exploit the topological richness of liquid crystals.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

On-chip photon entanglement-assisted topology loading and transfer

Topological protection offers a robust solution to the challenges of noise and loss in physical systems. By integrating topological physics into optics, loading and encoding quantum states into topological invariants can provide resilience to information systems in the face of environmental disruptions. Here, we demonstrate on-chip loading and entanglement-assisted transfer of photon topology, where the topological structure is coherently encoded in a single-photon spin-textured quantum state, which can be transferred, through entanglement distribution, into a non-local quantum-correlated topology shared between two entangled photons. Throughout the transfer process, the topology remains protected against substantial background noise as well as isotropic and anisotropic disturbances, while quantum correlations persist. Our framework for loading and transferring topology is compatible with quantum teleportation when ancillary photons are introduced, thereby promising the development of distributed quantum systems with inherently secure and protected information channels. This approach serves as a step toward building robust quantum interconnects and advancing distributed quantum information technology mediated by topology.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Wavelength-adaptive spin-orbit orbital angular momentum management in three-wave mixing

Here we propose the use of an adjustable liquid crystal spin-orbit device to shape bi-colour structured light to create bimodal states. We demonstrate the proof-of-principle for two individual wavelengths in a nonlinear optics framework. The spin-orbit device has an inhomogeneous optical axis orientation and birefringence, allowing it to modulate two wavelengths of light with pre-selected transmission functions by simply tuning a voltage. We combine this bi-colour functionality in a nonlinear optical experiment by employing three-wave mixing in a periodically poled crystal to show how the combined effect of linear spin-orbit transformation rules and nonlinear selection rules gives rise to novel approaches for light to modulate light, and light to unravel light. We show that the roles of the nonlinear crystal and spin-orbit device can be switched to either characterise the device with known light, or unravel unknown light with the device. This synergy between spin-orbit and nonlinear optics offers a novel paradigm where light manipulates and reveals its own structure across spectral domains.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

The topological spectrum of high dimensional quantum states

Topology has emerged as a fundamental property of many systems, manifesting in cosmology, condensed matter, high-energy physics and waves. Despite the rich textures, the topology has largely been limited to low dimensional systems that can be characterised by a single topological number, e.g., a Chern number in matter or a Skyrme number in waves. Here, using photonic quantum states as an example, we harness the synthetic dimensions of orbital angular momentum (OAM) to discover a rich tapestry of topological maps in high dimensional spaces. Moving beyond spin textured fields, we demonstrate topologies using only one degree of freedom, the OAM of light. By interpreting the density matrix as a non-Abelian Higgs potential, we are able to predict topologies that exist as high dimensional manifolds which remarkably can be deconstructed into a multitude of simpler maps from disks to disks and spheres to spheres, giving rise to the notion of a topological spectrum rather than a topological number. We confirm this experimentally using quantum wave functions with an underlying topology of 48 dimensions and a topological spectrum spanning over 17000 maps, an encoding alphabet with enormous potential. We show that the topological spectrum allows the simultaneous ability to be robust to and probe for perturbation, the latter made possible by observing emergent signatures in the non-topological (trivial) spaces of the spectrum. Our experimental approach benefits from easy implementation, while our theoretical framework is cast in a manner that can be extrapolated to any particle type, dimension and degree of freedom. Our work opens exciting future possibilities for quantum sensing and communication with topology.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Enhanced fidelity in nonlinear structured light by virtual light-based apertures

Tailoring the degrees of freedom (DoF) of light for a desired purpose, so-called structured light, has delivered numerous advances over the past decade, ranging from communications and quantum cryptography to optical trapping, and microscopy. The shaping toolkit has traditionally been linear in nature, only recently extended to the nonlinear regime, where input beams overlap in a nonlinear crystal to generate a structured output beam. Here we show how to enhance the fidelity of the structured output by aligning light with light. Using orbital angular momentum modes and difference frequency generation as an example, we demonstrate precise control of the spatial overlap in both the transverse and longitudinal directions using the structure of one mode as a virtual structured (in amplitude and phase) light-based aperture for the other. Our technique can easily be translated to other structured light fields as well as alternative nonlinear processes such as second harmonic generation and sum frequency generation, enabling advancements in communication, imaging, and spectroscopy.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Tailoring light to create invariant modal spectra through complex channels

Light's spatial degree of freedom is emerging as a potential resource for a myriad of applications, in both classical and quantum domains, including secure communication, sensing and imaging. However, it has been repeatedly shown that a complex medium (atmosphere, optical fibre, turbid media, etc.) can perturb the spatial amplitude, phase and polarization of the structured light fields leading to a degradation in their performance. A promising solution to this is the use of invariant modes to whom the medium appears transparent. While the creation and robustness of these modes has been experimentally demonstrated, they are difficult to implement in many important applications due to large channel matrices, a susceptibility to numerical artefacts, non-physical solutions and unreliable performance. In this work, we outline a procedure for determining these invariant modes using a modal basis, which results in a set of eigenmodes that are free of these issues, are consistently realisable and require a much smaller channel matrix to compute. Using atmospheric turbulence and LG modes as the underlying basis as an illustrative example, we find robust modes for a variety of turbulence strengths with a basis of only 231 modes, one order of magnitude smaller than previous approaches. These modes consistently show a fidelity of above 80% after propagating through the complex channel, a significant improvement over sending the individual LG modes themselves and reveal an invariant modal spectrum through the channel. Our approach will work for any complex medium and modal basis, paving the way for the effective implementation of the eigenmode approach in real-world situations.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Laguerre-Gaussian modes become elegant after an azimuthal phase modulation

Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) modes are solutions of the paraxial Helmholtz equation in cylindrical coordinates and are associated with light fields carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM). It is customary to modulate such beams using phase-only vortex profiles, for example, when increasing (laddering up) or decreasing (laddering down) the OAM content of some given LG mode. However, the resulting beams have been shown to be hypergeometric-Gaussian modes, due to the changing radial amplitudes on propagation. In this work, we show that these beams in fact have the angular spectrum of elegant Laguerre-Gaussian (eLG) modes, and therefore map back to LG-type modes. Accordingly, the fields obtain new OAM and radial quantum numbers that depend on the initial OAM and additional OAM gained during modulation.

physics.optics↗