Single photon sources with different spatial modes

TL;DR

This paper investigates the correlation properties of single photons with orbital angular momentum (OAM) using an HBT experiment, revealing how OAM influences the quality of single photon sources.

Contribution

It characterizes single photon sources with different OAM states and analyzes how OAM affects their correlation properties and source quality.

Findings

g^{(2)}(0) increases with OAM, indicating changing photon statistics

Single photon sources with various OAM states were experimentally characterized

OAM impacts the correlation and quality of single photon emission

Abstract

We study the correlation properties of single photons carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) in a Hanbury Brown and Twiss (HBT) type experiment. We have characterized single photon sources obtained by pumping a nonlinear crystal with a laser beam carrying different OAM under same experimental conditions. For heralded twisted single photons carrying OAM, we calculate $g^{(2)}(0)$, a measurable parameter characterizing the quality of a single photon source, and observe an increment with the OAM of the single photon.