Tutorial: Shaping the Spatial Correlations of Entangled Photon Pairs

TL;DR

This tutorial explores how classical light shaping techniques can be adapted for quantum imaging with entangled photon pairs, demonstrating experimental configurations and applications like aberration correction.

Contribution

It introduces methods to shape spatial correlations of entangled photons using spatial light modulators, bridging classical and quantum imaging techniques.

Findings

Demonstrated shaping of photon pair correlations using spatial light modulators

Applied correlation shaping to aberration correction in quantum imaging

Provided detailed experimental guidance for photon-pair-based imaging

Abstract

Quantum imaging enhances imaging systems performance, potentially surpassing fundamental limits such as noise and resolution. However, these schemes have limitations and are still a long way from replacing classical techniques. Therefore, there is a strong focus on improving the practicality of quantum imaging methods, with the goal of finding real-world applications. With this in mind, in this tutorial we describe how the concepts of classical light shaping can be applied to imaging schemes based on entangled photon pairs. We detail two basic experimental configurations in which a spatial light modulator is used to shape the spatial correlations of a photon pair state and highlight the key differences between this and classical shaping. We then showcase two recent examples that expand on these concepts to perform aberration and scattering correction with photon pairs. We include specific details on the key steps of these experiments, with the goal that this can be used as a guide for building photon-pair-based imaging and shaping experiments.