Huygens-Fresnel principle for N-photon states of light

TL;DR

This paper extends the Huygens-Fresnel principle to N-photon states, enabling the use of Fourier optics techniques to manipulate entanglement and photon detection effects in quantum light fields.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized Huygens-Fresnel integral for N-photon states, bridging classical optics methods with quantum entanglement engineering.

Findings

Demonstrates how Fourier optics techniques can control N-photon entanglement.

Shows how photon detection influences the state of remaining photons.

Provides a framework for designing quantum light propagation using classical optics tools.

Abstract

We show that the propagation of a N-photon field in space and time can be described by a generalized Huygens-Fresnel integral. Using two examples, we then demonstrate how familiar Fourier optics techniques applied to a N-photon wave function can be used to engineer the propagation of entanglement and to design the way the detection of one photon shapes the state of the others.