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Group Leader: Filippo Cardano |
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Photons can be characterized by multiple physical properties (such as frequency, linear momentum, polarization, etc.) which can all be exploited to encode quantum information or to define quantum variables. Among them, we focus our attention on transverse spatial modes of light, that are paraxial optical fields showing specific amplitude and phase profiles in the plane perpendicular to the main propagation direction. A remarkable example is provided by helical modes, carrying a definite amount of orbital angular momentum. In our group we engineer photonic platforms where we dynamically manipulate spatial and polarization properties of these optical modes, so as to tailor photonic evolutions that mimic quantum models of interest. Our simulators can be shaped to implement quantum dynamics such as quantum walks, in one and two spatial dimensions. Our systems are carefully designed to manifest photonic topological phases, offering an ideal context where related phenomena can be discovered and deeply investigated. We are also interested in the simulation of these processes in a genuinely quantum regime, obtained when considering the evolution of multiple correlated photons.
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Preprints and Published Articles Roadmap on structured waves Spatial mode analysis of optical beams carrying monstar disclinations Electric polarization and its quantization in one-dimensional non-Hermitian chains Ultra-long photonic quantum walks via spin-orbit photonics Retrieving unitary polarization transformations via optimized quantum tomography Smoke rings of light Quantum walks of two correlated photons in a 2D synthetic lattice Electric polarization and its quantization in one-dimensional non-Hermitian chains Ultra-sensitive measurement of transverse displacements with structured light
R. Barboza, A. Babazadeh, L. Marrucci, F. Cardano, C. de Lisio, V. D'Ambrosio, Nature Communications 13, 1080 (2022) [Link] Linking topological features of the Hofstadter model to optical diffraction figures Bloch-Landau-Zener dynamics induced by a synthetic field in a photonic quantum walk Longitudinal fields and transverse rotations Bulk detection of time-dependent topological transitions in quenched chiral models Two-dimensional topological quantum walks in the momentum space of structured light Continuous-variable entangled states of light carrying orbital angular momentum Q-plate technology: a progress review Vector vortex beams generated by q-plates as a versatile route to direct fs laser surface structuring Apparato per la simulazione fotonica bidimensionale mediante lamine a fase di Pancharatnam-Berry Simple method for the characterization of intense Laguerre-Gauss vector vortex beams First observation of the quantized exciton-polariton field and effect of interactions on a single polariton Topological characterization of chiral models through their long time dynamics Measuring the complex orbital angular momentum spectrum and spatial mode decomposition of structured light beams Detection of Zak phases and topological invariants in a chiral quantum walk of twisted photons Surface Structuring with Polarization-Singular Femtosecond Laser Beams Generated by a q-plate Topological features of vector vortex beams perturbed with uniformly polarized light |