Shannon dimensionality of quantum channels and its application to photon entanglement.
We introduce the concept of Shannon dimensionality D as a new way to quantify bipartite entanglement as measured in an experiment. This is applied to orbital-angular-momentum entanglement of two photons, using two state analyzers composed of a rotatable angular-sector phase plate that is lens coupled to a single-mode fiber. We can deduce the value of D directly from the observed two-photon coincidence fringe. In our experiment, D varies between 2 and 6, depending on the experimental conditions. We predict how the Shannon dimensionality evolves when the number of angular sectors imprinted in the phase plate is increased and anticipate that D approximately 50 is experimentally within reach.
Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands. pors@molphys.leidenuniv.nl
J B
JB
Pors
S S R
SS
Oemrawsingh
A
A
Aiello
M P
MP
van Exter
E R
ER
Eliel
G W
GW
't Hooft
J P
JP
Woerdman