Phonons influence Photon Number Coherence in unusual ways
- Cygorek
- Reiter
Photon Number Coherence (PNC), defined as the phase relationship between the zero- and one-photon Fock states, plays a crucial role in the security of quantum cryptography protocols. When photons are generated via solid-state quantum emitters, phonons can influence the PNC.
While phonons are typically expected to degrade coherence by acting as a loss channel for information, our study reveals a more complex picture. Surprisingly, in the presence of a photonic cavity, the interaction with phonons can result in either the destruction or enhancement of PNC.
In our latest paper, we explore how the influence of phonons on PNC depends on various parameters.
For more information on PNC, and particularly how to measure it, check out our previous work on PNC.
The work was conducted in collaboration with Martin Axt’s group in Bayreuth and Mathieu Bozzio from Universität Wien.