Photon pair generation in birefringent optical fibers

TL;DR

This paper investigates photon pair generation via spontaneous four-wave mixing in birefringent optical fibers, demonstrating control over spectral entanglement and analyzing noise effects through experiments and modeling.

Contribution

It introduces a simple predictive model for photon spectral states in birefringent fibers and explores the balance between signal and Raman noise.

Findings

Ability to generate various two-photon spectral states

Model accurately predicts spectral properties based on experimental parameters

Tradeoff between SFWM efficiency and Raman noise quantified

Abstract

We study both experimentally and theoretically the generation of photon pairs by spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) in standard birefringent optical fibers. The ability to produce a range of two-photon spectral states, from highly correlated (entangled) to completely factorable, by means of cross-polarized birefringent phase matching, is explored. A simple model is developed to predict the spectral state of the photon pair which shows how this can be adjusted by choosing the appropriate pump bandwidth, fiber length and birefringence. Spontaneous Raman scattering is modeled to determine the tradeoff between SFWM and background Raman noise, and the predicted results are shown to agree with experimental data.