Photon Pair Generation Triggered by Quantum Optical Delay
A Canadian research team has discovered a gain-induced group delay in spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), a process where a photon splits into two entangled photons. This delay, dependent on the intensity of incoming light, could impact applications requiring precise photon timing, such as quantum sensors and computers. The study, published in Physical Review Letters, used theoretical models and experiments to identify this delay, which poses challenges for quantum interference circuits but can be compensated in bulk optics.