Flat-optics generation of broadband photon pairs with tunable polarization entanglement

Abstract

The concept of “flat optics” is quickly conquering different fields of photonics, but its implementation in quantum optics is still in its infancy. In particular, polarization entanglement, strongly required in quantum photonics, is so far not realized on “flat” platforms. Meanwhile, relaxed phase matching of “flat” nonlinear optical sources enables enormous freedom in tailoring their polarization properties. Here we use this freedom to generate photon pairs with tunable polarization entanglement via spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) in a 400-nm GaP film. By changing the pump polarization, we tune the polarization state of photon pairs from maximally entangled to almost disentangled, which is impossible in a single bulk SPDC source. Polarization entanglement, together with the broadband frequency spectrum, results in an ultranarrow (12 fs) Hong–Ou–Mandel effect and promises extensions to hyperentanglement.