High-NOON States by Mixing Quantum and Classical Light

Abstract

All and Nothing Entanglement, where a system can be in a superposition of a number of distinct states simultaneously, is a principle at the foundation of quantum mechanics (recall Schrödinger's cat, which is both dead and alive). It can also be used in many applications—imaging, communication, patterning, and metrology—with the effect being amplified by entangling larger systems. However, the systematic generation of “large” entangled systems is challenging. Afek et al. (p. 879 ; see the Perspective by Wildfeuer ) present a technique for generating many-photon entanglement in so-called NOON states, where there are two possible paths and N photons in one path and 0 in the other—the system being a superposition of “all and nothing” states. Mixing of entangled pairs with classical light at a beam splitter formed up to five photon-entangled states. The technique should be generally applicable to generate higher-order entangled states.