Colgate University, Hamilton, NY
Quantum Optics Experiments with Single Photons
August 5, 2025 to August 7, 2025
Number of setups available: 2
Maximum number of participants: 6
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The goal of the immersion is to show the participant how to setup, successfully implement, and understand the underlying physics, of quantum optics experiments designed to illustrate the fundamentals of quantum physics. The experiments will include:
a) Generation and detection of photon pairs via spontaneous parametric down conversion.
b) Three quantum optics experiments: single-photon interference, the quantum eraser and polarization entanglement (including the Bell test).
c) Experience with advanced demonstration setups on:
a. Double-slit interference with single photons,
b. Hong-Ou-Mandel Interference.
c. Delayed Choice.
d. Motorized components for remote operation.
d) The objective is to learn how to set up the experiments and learn how to do the alignments. It also includes discussions of the equipment to acquire and options available.
e) Immersion Outline: Five half-day sessions of presentation and discussion followed by hands-on sessions in the lab (we start with a clean breadboard and end taking data on each of the experiments).
f) No prior experience is necessary. Bring ideas of what you expect to accomplish back home and what you want to learn.
A cost estimate for implementing the experiments. A basic setup is likely to be about $10k. Additions to this setup for various experiments runs about $2k-$10k, depending on the experiment.
Host and Mentor:
Enrique “Kiko” Galvez got a B.S. in physics at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Notre Dame. He has been at Colgate University since 1988 where he is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Physics and Astronomy. His research interests include geometric phases in optics, studies of complex light and photon entanglement. Since 1999 he has developed new quantum optics laboratories to teach quantum physics. He has received the APS Award for Research at an Undergraduate Institution and the Jonathan Reichert and Barbara Wolff-Reichert Award for Advanced Laboratory Instruction. He is also a Fellow of OSA, APS and a Senior Member of SPIE.
Please note that the Jonathan F. Reichert Foundation has established a grant program to help purchase apparatus used in Laboratory Immersions. Limitations and exclusions apply, but generally speaking the Foundation may support up to 50% of the cost of the required equipment.