We present experimental results relative to superluminal propagation based on a single photon traversing an optical system, called a 4f-system, which acts singularly on the photon's spectral component phases. A single photon is created by a continuous wave (CW) laser light down-conversion process. The introduction of a linear spectral phase function will lead to the shift of the photon peak far beyond the coherence length of the photon itself (an apparent superluminal propagation of the photon). Superluminal group velocity detection is done by interferometric measurement of the temporally shifted photon with its correlated untouched reference. The observed superluminal photon propagation complies with causality. The operation of the optical system allows the origin of the apparent superluminal photon velocity to be elucidated. The experiment foresees a superluminal effect with single-photon wavepackets.

Apparent superluminal advancement of a single photon far beyond its coherence length / S. Cialdi, I. Boscolo, F. Castelli, V. Petrillo. - In: NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. - ISSN 1367-2630. - 11(2009 Feb 20), pp. 023036.023036.1-023036.023036.8.

Apparent superluminal advancement of a single photon far beyond its coherence length

S. Cialdi
Primo
;
I. Boscolo
Secondo
;
F. Castelli
Penultimo
;
V. Petrillo
Ultimo
2009

Abstract

We present experimental results relative to superluminal propagation based on a single photon traversing an optical system, called a 4f-system, which acts singularly on the photon's spectral component phases. A single photon is created by a continuous wave (CW) laser light down-conversion process. The introduction of a linear spectral phase function will lead to the shift of the photon peak far beyond the coherence length of the photon itself (an apparent superluminal propagation of the photon). Superluminal group velocity detection is done by interferometric measurement of the temporally shifted photon with its correlated untouched reference. The observed superluminal photon propagation complies with causality. The operation of the optical system allows the origin of the apparent superluminal photon velocity to be elucidated. The experiment foresees a superluminal effect with single-photon wavepackets.
Single photon ; superluminal
Settore FIS/03 - Fisica della Materia
20-feb-2009
Article (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/66744
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