Quantum Nonlinear Optics: Nonlinear Optics Meets the Quantum World

by Prof. Robert W. Boyd (University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada University of Rochester, Rochester, USA)

Monday 4 Jul 2016, 15:00 → 17:00 Europe/Rome

Aula Conversi (Dipartimento di Fisica - Ed. G. Marconi)

This presentation first reviews the historical development of the field of nonlinear optics, starting from its inception in 1961. It then reviews some of its more recent developments, including especially how nonlinear optics has become a crucial tool for the developing field of quantum technologies. Fundamental quantum processes enabled by nonlinear optics, such as the creation of squeezed and entangled light states, are reviewed. We then illustrate these concepts by means of specific applications, such as the development of secure communication systems based on the quantum states of light. We are also interested in studying the properties of structured light fields. These structured light beams have recently been shown to possess exotic properties of their own, such as vacuum propagation velocities differing from the light velocity c for plane waves.