Gustav Bourdon | 2026 I.S. Symposium
Name: Gustav Bourdon
Title: Classical Analogues to Quantum Coherence
Major: Physics
Minor: English
Advisor: Cody Leary
One property of light that cannot be fully explained using classical methods is Hong-Ou-Mandel interference between entangled photon pairs, where a pair of indistinguishable pair of photons will always leave a beam-splitter through the same output. This work focuses on examining how classical wave interferometry can behave as an analogue to properties of quantum Hong-Ou-Mandel interference. By splitting a laser pulse and adjusting properties of one split beam relative to the other before re-combining them, behavior analogous to Hong-Ou-Mandel interference can be observed. In addition, the relative phase difference between two beams entering a beam-splitter can be used analogously to the time delay between them, allowing an analogue to be constructed and experimentally tested using a continuous wave laser. An extended analogue using multiple input sources can model more complex behavior, such as photons whose polarizations are entangled. Initial experimental testing confirms the validity of these analogues, and future experimental and theoretical work will allow for a closer analogue to be constructed.
Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.
