arXiv subjects

Virginia O. Lorenz

Publications and source records attributed to Virginia O. Lorenz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Near-Infrared and Telecommunication-Wavelength Photon-Pair Source in Optical Fiber

We present a photon-pair source in commercially available optical fiber that produces paired photons at telecommunication and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. The highly nondegenerate pairs are 700 nm apart: one in the 1500 nm E- and S-band telecommunication range and the other in the 830 nm NIR range. The high non-degeneracy means the photon pairs are far-detuned from Raman noise, resulting in a high coincidence-to-accidental ratio even while operating at room temperature. The source produces two spectrally and spatially distinct phase-matched processes with low spectral cross-talk, distinct transverse spatial modes in the NIR, and a single fundamental spatial mode in the telecommunication range. The source's room-temperature operation, off-the-shelf materials, and multiplexing potential make it promising for deployment in quantum networks.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Astronomical interferometry using continuous variable quantum teleportation

We propose a method to build an astronomical interferometer using continuous variable quantum teleportation to overcome the transmission loss between distant telescopes. The scheme relies on two-mode squeezed states shared by distant telescopes as entanglement resources, which are distributed using continuous variable quantum repeaters. We find the optimal measurement on the teleported states, which uses beam-splitters and photon-number-resolved detection. Compared to prior proposals relying on discrete states, our scheme has the advantages of using linear optics to implement the scheme without wasting stellar photons, and making use of multiphoton events, which are regarded as noise in previous discrete schemes. We also outline the parameter regimes in which our scheme outperforms the direct detection method, schemes utilizing distributed discrete-variable entangled states, and local heterodyne techniques.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Temporally localized quantum operations on continuous-wave thermal light

Previous work showed that thermal light with a blackbody spectrum cannot be decomposed into a mixture of independent localized pulses. However, we find that in the weak-source limit and under the assumption of a flat spectrum, the first non-vacuum term in the state expansion does form a mixture of such pulses. This decomposition is essential for quantum-enhanced astronomical interferometry, which typically operates on localized pulses even though stellar light is inherently continuous-wave. We present a quantum derivation of the van Cittert-Zernike theorem that incorporates finite bandwidth, thereby justifying the operations on localized pulses while processing continuous-wave thermal light. For general spectra in the weak-source limit, we establish a criterion under which correlations between pulses can be safely neglected. When this criterion is not met, we provide a corrected strategy that accurately accounts for both the spectral profile and the detector-defined pulse shape.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Spatio-Spectral Quantum State Estimation of Photon Pairs from Optical Fiber Using Stimulated Emission

Developing a quantum light source that carries more than one bit per photon is pivotal for expanding quantum information applications. Characterizing a high-dimensional multiple-degree-of-freedom source at the single-photon level is challenging due to the large parameter space as well as limited emission rates and detection efficiencies. Here, we characterize photon pairs generated in optical fiber in the transverse-mode and frequency degrees of freedom by applying stimulated emission in both degrees of freedom while detecting in one of them at a time. This method may be useful in the quantum state estimation and optimization of various photon-pair source platforms in which complicated correlations across multiple degrees of freedom may be present.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Lineshape Optimization in Inhomogeneous $Λ$-type Quantum Memory

Photonic quantum memory is a crucial elementary operation in photonic quantum information processing. While many physically distinct memory protocols and hardware implementations have been applied to this task, the development of a quantum memory performant in all relevant metrics simultaneously (e.g., efficiency, bandwidth, lifetime, etc.) is still an open challenge. In this work, we focus on inhomogeneously broadened ensembles of $Λ$-type quantum emitters, which have long coherence lifetimes and broad bandwidth compatibility, but tend to exhibit low efficiency, in part due to technical constraints on medium growth and preparation, and in part due to inefficient use of a key resource in these systems: the inhomogeneously broadened excited state lineshape. We investigate the properties of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) for a survey of inhomogeneous lineshapes that are straightforward to realize experimentally, and optimize the memory efficiency for each lineshape over a large range of experimental parameters. We compare the optimal EIT efficiency to the well-known atomic frequency comb (AFC) protocol, which also relies on spectral shaping of the inhomogeneous broadening, and observe that with sufficient control field power the optimized lineshapes allow more efficient storage. Finally, we optimize over the inhomogeneous lineshape in a protocol agnostic fashion by numerically constructing the linear integral kernel describing the memory interaction and using a singular value decomposition and interpolation procedure to ensure optimality of the resulting lineshape.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Thermal contribution to current-driven antiferromagnetic-order switching

In information technology devices, current-driven state switching is crucial in various disciplines including spintronics, where the contribution of heating to the switching mechanism plays an inevitable role. Recently, current-driven antiferromagnetic order switching has attracted considerable attention due to its implications for next-generation spintronic devices. Although the switching mechanisms can be explained by spin dynamics induced by spin torques, some reports have claimed that demagnetization above the Neel temperature due to Joule heating is critical for switching. Here we present a systematic method and an analytical model to quantify the thermal contribution due to Joule heating in micro-electronic devices, focusing on current-driven octupole switching in the non-collinear antiferromagnet, Mn3Sn. The results consistently show that the critical temperature for switching remains relatively constant above the Neel temperature, while the threshold current density depends on the choice of substrate and the base temperature. In addition, we provide an analytical model to calculate the Joule-heating temperature which quantitatively explains our experimental results. From numerical calculations, we illustrate the reconfiguration of magnetic orders during cooling from a demagnetized state of polycrystalline Mn3Sn. This work not only provides deeper insights into magnetization switching in antiferromagnets, but also a general guideline for evaluating the Joule-heating temperature excursions in micro-electronic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

High-efficiency, high-speed, and low-noise photonic quantum memory

We present a demonstration of simultaneous high-efficiency, high-speed, and low-noise operation of a photonic quantum memory. By leveraging controllable collisional dephasing in a neutral barium atomic vapor, we demonstrate a significant improvement in memory efficiency and bandwidth over existing techniques. We achieve greater than 95% storage efficiency and 26% total efficiency of 880 GHz bandwidth photons, with $\mathcal{O}(10^{-5})$ noise photons per retrieved pulse. These ultrabroad bandwidths enable rapid quantum information processing and contribute to the development of practical quantum memories with potential applications in quantum communication, computation, and networking.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Broadband Quantum Memory in Atomic Ensembles

Broadband quantum memory is critical to enabling the operation of emerging photonic quantum technology at high speeds. Here we review a central challenge to achieving broadband quantum memory in atomic ensembles -- what we call the 'linewidth-bandwidth mismatch' problem -- and the relative merits of various memory protocols and hardware used for accomplishing this task. We also review the theory underlying atomic ensemble quantum memory and its extensions to optimizing memory efficiency and characterizing memory sensitivity. Finally, we examine the state-of-the-art performance of broadband atomic ensemble quantum memories with respect to three key metrics: efficiency, memory lifetime, and noise.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Information Carried by a Single Particle in Quantum Multiple-Access Channels

Non-classical features of quantum systems have the potential to strengthen the way we currently exchange information. In this paper, we explore this enhancement on the most basic level of single particles. To be more precise, we compare how well multi-party information can be transmitted to a single receiver using just one classical or quantum particle. Our approach is based on a multiple-access communication model in which messages can be encoded into a single particle that is coherently distributed across multiple spatial modes. Theoretically, we derive lower bounds on the accessible information in the quantum setting that strictly separate it from the classical scenario. This separation is found whenever there is more than one sender, and also when there is just a single sender who has a shared phase reference with the receiver. Experimentally, we demonstrate such quantum advantage in single-particle communication by implementing a multi-port interferometer with messages being encoded along the different trajectories. Specifically, we consider a two-sender communication protocol built by a three-port optical interferometer. In this scenario, the rate sum achievable with a classical particle is upper bounded by one bit, while we experimentally observe a rate sum of $1.0152\pm0.0034$ bits in the quantum setup.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Fiber-based photon pair generation: a tutorial

The purpose of this tutorial paper is to present a broad overview of photon-pair generation through the spontaneous four wave mixing (SFWM) process in optical fibers. Progress in optical fiber technology means that today we have at our disposal a wide variety of types of fiber, which together with the fact that SFWM uses two pump fields, implies a truly remarkable versatility in the resulting possible photon-pair properties. We discuss how the interplay of the frequency, transverse mode, and polarization degrees of freedom, the first linked to the latter two through fiber dispersion, leads to interesting entanglement properties both in individual degrees of freedom and also permitting hybrid and hyper entanglement in combinations of degrees of freedom. This tutorial covers methods for photon pair factorability, frequency tunability, and SFWM bandwidth control, the effect of frequency non-degenerate and counter-propagating pumps, as well methods for characterizing photon pairs generated in optical fibers.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Variance-Based Sensitivity Analysis of $Λ$-type Quantum Memory

The storage and retrieval of photonic quantum states, quantum memory, is a key resource for a wide range of quantum applications. Here we investigate the sensitivity of $Λ$-type quantum memory to experimental fluctuations and drift. We use a variance-based approach, focusing on the effects of fluctuations and drift on memory efficiency. We consider shot-to-shot fluctuations of the memory parameters, and separately we consider longer timescale drift of the control field parameters. We find the parameters that a quantum memory is most sensitive to depend on the quantum memory protocol being employed, where the observed sensitivity agrees with physical interpretation of the protocols. We also present a general framework that is applicable to other figures of merit beyond memory efficiency. These results have practical ramifications for quantum memory experiments.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Superresolution in interferometric imaging of strong thermal sources

Imaging using interferometer arrays based on the Van Cittert-Zernike theorem has been widely used in astronomical observation. Recently it was shown that superresolution can be achieved in this system for imaging two weak thermal point sources. Using quantum estimation theory, we consider the fundamental quantum limit of resolving the transverse separation of two strong thermal point sources using interferometer arrays, and show that the resolution is not limited by the longest baseline. We propose measurement techniques using linear beam splitters and photon-number-resolving detection to achieve our bound. Our results demonstrate that superresolution for resolving two thermal point sources of any strength can be achieved in interferometer arrays.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Optimization of Broadband $Λ$-type Quantum Memory Using Gaussian Pulses

Optical quantum memory--the ability to store photonic quantum states and retrieve them on demand--is an essential resource for emerging quantum technologies and photonic quantum information protocols. Simultaneously achieving high efficiency and high-speed, broadband operation is an important task necessary for enabling these applications. In this work, we investigate the optimization of a large class of optical quantum memory protocols based on resonant interaction with ensembles of $Λ$-type level systems with the restriction that the temporal envelope of all optical fields must be Gaussian, which reduces experimental complexity. We show that for overlapping signal and control fields there exists a unique and broadband pulse duration that optimizes the memory efficiency, and that this optimized efficiency can be close to the protocol-independent bound. We further optimize over the control field temporal delay and pulse duration, demonstrating saturation of this efficiency bound over a broad range of pulse durations while clarifying the underlying physics of the quantum memory interaction.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Channel Activation of CHSH Nonlocality

Quantum channels that break CHSH nonlocality on all input states are known as CHSH-breaking channels. In quantum networks, such channels are useless for distributing correlations that can violate the CHSH Inequality. Motivated by previous work on activation of nonlocality in quantum states, here we demonstrate an analogous activation of CHSH-breaking channels. That is, we show that certain pairs of CHSH-breaking channels are no longer CHSH-breaking when used in combination. We find that this type of activation can emerge in both uni-directional and bi-directional communication scenarios.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Photon--Matter Quantum Correlations in Spontaneous Raman Scattering

We develop a Hamiltonian formalism to study energy and position/momentum correlations between a single Stokes photon and a single material excitation that are created as a pair in the spontaneous Raman scattering process. Our approach allows for intuitive separation of the effects of spectral linewidth, chromatic dispersion, and collection angle on these correlations, and we compare the predictions of the model to experiment. These results have important implications for the use of Raman scattering in quantum protocols that rely on spectrally unentangled photons and collective excitations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Anomalous Spin-Orbit Torques in Magnetic Single-Layer Films

Spin-orbit interaction (SOI) couples charge and spin transport, enabling electrical control of magnetization. A quintessential example of SOI-induced transport is the anomalous Hall effect (AHE), first observed in 1880, in which an electric current perpendicular to the magnetization in a magnetic film generates charge accumulation on the surfaces. Here we report the observation of a counterpart of the AHE that we term the anomalous spin-orbit torque (ASOT), wherein an electric current parallel to the magnetization generates opposite spin-orbit torques on the surfaces of the magnetic film. We interpret the ASOT as due to a spin-Hall-like current generated with an efficiency of 0.053+/-0.003 in Ni80Fe20, comparable to the spin Hall angle of Pt. Similar effects are also observed in other common ferromagnetic metals, including Co, Ni, and Fe. First principles calculations corroborate the order of magnitude of the measured values. This work suggests that a strong spin current with spin polarization transverse to magnetization can exist in a ferromagnet, despite spin dephasing. It challenges the current understanding of spin-orbit torque in magnetic/nonmagnetic bilayers, in which the charge-spin conversion in the magnetic layer has been largely neglected.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Joint Spectral Characterization of Photon-Pair Sources

The ability to determine the joint spectral properties of photon pairs produced by the processes of spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) and spontaneous four wave mixing (SFWM) is crucial for guaranteeing the usability of heralded single photons and polarization-entangled pairs for multi-photon protocols. In this paper, we compare six different techniques that yield either a characterization of the joint spectral intensity or of the closely-related purity of heralded single photons. These six techniques include: i) scanning monochromator measurements, ii) a variant of Fourier transform spectroscopy designed to extract the desired information exploiting a resource-optimized technique, iii) dispersive fibre spectroscopy, iv) stimulated-emission-based measurement, v) measurement of the second-order correlation function $g^{(2)}$ for one of the two photons, and vi) two-source Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry. We discuss the relative performance of these techniques for the specific cases of a SPDC source designed to be factorable and SFWM sources of varying purity, and compare the techniques' relative advantages and disadvantages.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

3D MOKE spin-orbit torque magnetometer

We demonstrate simultaneous detection of current driven antidamping-like and field-like spin-orbit torques in heavy metal/ferromagnetic metal bilayers by measuring all three magnetization components m_(x,) m_y, and m_z using the vector magneto-optic Kerr effect. We have also implemented a self-calibration method to accurately determine the effective fields of spin-orbit torques. With this technique, we investigate the magnitude and direction of spin-orbit torques in a series of platinum/permalloy samples. The values found are in excellent agreement with results obtained via quadratic magneto-optic Kerr effect, planar Hall effect, and spin transfer ferromagnetic resonance measurements.

physics.ins-det↗