Double-slit interferometry as a lossy beam splitter. (12th November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sadana, Simanraj; Sanders, Barry C; Sinha, Urbasi
• Is Part Of: New journal of physics. Volume 21:Number 11(2019:Nov.)
• Publication Date: 2019-11-12
• Subjects: diffraction optics -- beam splitters -- unitary transformations -- higher-dimensional quantum information processing -- wavelets -- double-slit -- post-selection; Physics -- Periodicals; Physics; Periodicals; 530.05
• DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/ab4f46
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-2630

Abstract

Abstract: We cast diffraction-based interferometry in the framework of post-selected unitary description towards enabling it as a platform for quantum information processing (QIP). We express slit-diffraction as an infinite-dimensional transformation and truncate it to a finite-dimensional transfer matrix by post-selecting modes. Using such a framework with classical fields we show that a customized double-slit setup is effectively a lossy beam splitter in a post-selected sense. Diffraction optics provides a robust alternative to conventional multi-beam interferometry with scope for miniaturization, and also has applications in matter wave interferometry. In this work, the classical treatment of slit-diffraction sets the stage for quantization of fields and implementing higher-dimensional QIP like that done with other platforms such as orbital angular momentum.