Quantum Entanglement of Complex Structures of Photons

This thesis casts new light on quantum entanglement of photons with complex spatial patterns due to direct coincidence imaging. It demonstrates novel methods to generate, investigate, and verify entanglement of complex spatial structures. Quantum theory is one of the most successful and astonishing physical theories. It made possible various technical devices like lasers or mobile phones and, at the same time, it completely changed our understanding of the world. Interestingly, such counterintuitive features like entanglement are an important building block for future quantum technologies. In photonic experiments, the transverse spatial degree of freedom offers great potential to explore fascinating phenomena of single photons and quantum entanglement. It was possible to verify the entanglement of two photons with very high quanta of orbital angular momentum, a property of photons connected to their spatial structure and theoretically unbounded. In addition, modern imaging technology was used to visualize the effect of entanglement even in real-time and to show a surprising property: photons with complex spatial patterns can be both entangled and not entangled in polarization depending on their transverse spatial position.

Nominated as an outstanding Ph.D. thesis by University of Vienna, Austria Simple introduction to the concept of spatial modes of light and their applications in quantum information science Intuitive demonstration of quantum entanglement due to direct coincidence imaging Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Autorentext
Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Ottawa (Canada)
Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Vienna (Austria)
PhD in Physics at the University of Vienna (Austria)
Study of Physics at the University of Ulm (Germany)
Masters thesis: "Cold single ions for the implantation in solid state devices with nanometre resolution"
Study of Philosphy at the University of Ulm (Germany)
Bachelor thesis: "The idea of realism in quantum physics"
Apprenticeship as an electronics engineer in Kempten, Allgäu (Germany).

Inhalt
Introduction.- Theoretical Background.- Entanglement of High Angular Momenta.- Coincidence Imaging of Spatial Mode Entanglement.- Entanglement of Complex Photon Polarization Patterns in Vector Beams.- Conclusion and Outlook.