Quantum walks are powerful tools for quantum applications and for designing topological systems. Although they are simulated in a variety of platforms, genuine two-dimensional realizations are still challenging. Here we present an innovative approach to the photonic simulation of a quantum walk in two dimensions, where walker positions are encoded in the transverse-wavevector component of a single light beam. The desired dynamics is obtained by means of a sequence of liquid-crystal devices, which apply polarization-dependent transverse “kicks” to the photons in the beam. We engineer our quantum walk so that it realizes a periodically driven Chern insulator, and we probe its topological features by detecting the anomalous displacement of the photonic wavepacket under the effect of a constant force. Our compact, versatile platform offers exciting prospects for the photonic simulation of two-dimensional quantum dynamics and topological systems.
Two-dimensional topological quantum walks in the momentum space of structured light / D’Errico, Alessio; Cardano, Filippo; Maffei, Maria; Dauphin, Alexandre; Barboza, Raouf; Esposito, Chiara; Piccirillo, Bruno; Lewenstein, Maciej; Massignan, Pietro; Marrucci, Lorenzo. - In: OPTICA. - ISSN 2334-2536. - ELETTRONICO. - 7:2(2020), pp. 108-114. [10.1364/OPTICA.365028]
Two-dimensional topological quantum walks in the momentum space of structured light
Raouf Barboza;
2020-01-01
Abstract
Quantum walks are powerful tools for quantum applications and for designing topological systems. Although they are simulated in a variety of platforms, genuine two-dimensional realizations are still challenging. Here we present an innovative approach to the photonic simulation of a quantum walk in two dimensions, where walker positions are encoded in the transverse-wavevector component of a single light beam. The desired dynamics is obtained by means of a sequence of liquid-crystal devices, which apply polarization-dependent transverse “kicks” to the photons in the beam. We engineer our quantum walk so that it realizes a periodically driven Chern insulator, and we probe its topological features by detecting the anomalous displacement of the photonic wavepacket under the effect of a constant force. Our compact, versatile platform offers exciting prospects for the photonic simulation of two-dimensional quantum dynamics and topological systems.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
