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Information-processing in higher dimensions
For photons to be used in quantum cryptography, it is important to pack as much information into them as possible. Together with collaborators from the University of Ottawa (Canada), researchers at the NLC have shown that it is possible to create quantum-entangled photons up to seven dimensions [Physical Review A vol. 84, 062101 (2011)]. This result outlines experimentally and theoretically how to analyse higher-dimensional systems, and is an important step on the road to commercial quantum cryptography devices. |
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Colour-blind shaping of light
The propagation of light is always dependent on the colour of the light, yet researchers at the NLC have shown that it is possible to control light in a manner that is independent of its colour (wavelength) [Optics Letters vol. 37, pp. 49 (2012)]. This surprising result is expected to impact on techniques to encode information in the colour of the light (e.g., wavelength multiplexing in optical fibres) and in high-precision manufacturing with broad wavelength femtosecond lasers. |
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Getting to grips with light
The orbital angular momentum (OAM) nature of light has attracted much attention world-wide and led to diverse applications ranging from secure communication systems to biophotonics, yet measuring the OAM of light is a tricky task. Researchers at the National Laser Centre (NLC) have recently devised methods to measure the global [New Journal of Physics vol. 13, 093014 (2011)] and local OAM of light [Optics Express vol. 19, pp. 16760, (2011)]. The global measurement – done in collaboration with the University of Glasgow (UK) – has been chosen as a “Hot” paper and the “Editor’s Selection” and is one of the top 10% of downloaded papers from the New Journal of Physics. The local OAM measurement technique allows – for the first time – a simple way for experimentalists to quantitatively measure the OAM density of light, and will be invaluable in the optical control of biological materials and optically-driven flow in micro-fluidic devices. |
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