In our research group we have designed and implemented a variety of non-classical light sources with tailored spatio-temporal properties, in accordance with particular needs. For this purpose, we have explored the use of wide variety of optical devices and techniques including ultrashort (ps and fs) pulses, dispersion engineering, nonlinear waveguides, single- and few-mode specialty fibers (e.g. microstructured and tapered fibers), structured beams, as well as photonic lanterns. Most of our work has been based on spontaneous parametric processes in second- and third-order materials. This includes photon pair generation through the processes of spontaneous parametric downconversion in nonlinear crystals and spontaneous four wave mixing in fibers, as well as photon triplet generation through third-order spontaneous parametric downconversion in fibers. In addition, we have exploited such sources for a variety of applications and situations including random number generation, entangled-photon absorption spectroscopy, quantum optical coherence tomography, as well as testing Einstein Podolsky Rosen elements of reality.

Some of our recent work includes: progress towards practical quantum optical coherence tomography, progress towards photon triplet generation, testing Einstein Podolsky Rosen elements of reality, entangled-photon absorption spectroscopy, and the exploitation and characterization of the spatial degree of freedom of photon pairs.

Quantum optical coherence tomography:

• P. Yepiz Graciano, A, Michel Angulo Martínez, D. Lopez-Mago, G. Castro-Olvera, M. Rosete- Aguilar, J. Garduño-Mejía, R. Ramírez Alarcón, H. Cruz Ramírez, A.B. U’Ren, “Interference effects in quantum-optical coherence tomography using spectrally engineered photon pairs”, Scientific Reports 9 8954 (2019) [ PDF ]
• Z. Ibarra-Borja, C. Sevilla-Gutierrez, R. Ramirez-Alarcon, H. Cruz-Ramirez, A.B. U’Ren “Demonstration of full-field quantum optical coherence tomography”. Photonics Research 8 51 (2020) [ PDF ]
• P Yepiz Graciano, A M Angulo Martinez, D Lopez Mago, H Cruz Ramirez, A. B. U'Ren, "Spectrally-resolved Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry for Quantum-Optical Coherence Tomography" Photonics Research Vol. 8, No. 6 (2020) [ PDF ]

Photon triplet generation:

• A. Cavanna, J. Hammer, C. Okoth, E. Ortiz-Ricardo, H. Cruz-Ramirez, K. Garay-Palmett, A.B. U'Ren, M.H. Frosz, X. Jiang, N.Y. Joly, M.V. Chekhova “Towards third-order parametric down-conversion in optical fibers” Physical Review A 101 (3), 033840 (2020) [ PDF ]
• F.A. Dominguez-Serna, A.B. U'Ren, K. Garay-Palmett “Third order parametric downconversion: a stimulated approach”, Physical Review A 101 (3), 033813 (2020) [ PDF ]

Testing Einstein Podolsky Rosen elements of reality:

• O. Calderón-Losada, T. Moctezuma, H. Cruz-Ramirez, S. Murgueitio Ramírez, A. B. U'Ren, A. Botero, and A. Valencia, "A weak values approach for testing simultaneous Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen elements of reality for non-commuting observables" accepted Communications Physics (2020)

Spatial degree of freedom of photon pairs:

• D. Cruz-Delgado, J.C. Alvarado-Zacarias, H. Cruz-Ramirez, J.E. Antonio-Lopez, S.G. Leon- Saval, R. Amezcua-Correa, A.B. U’Ren, “Control over the transverse structure and long- distance fiber propagation of light at the single-photon level”, Scientific Reports 9 9015 (2019) [ PDF ]
• Z. Ibarra-Borja, C. Sevilla-Gutierrez, R. Ramirez Alarcon, Q. Zhan, H. Cruz Ramirez, A.B. U’Ren “Direct observation of OAM correlations from spatially entangled bi-photon states” Optics Express Vol. 27, No. 18 (2019) [ PDF ]
• D. Gutiérrez-López, M. Maldonado-Terrón, R.J. Hernández, V. Vicuña-Hernández, R. Ramírez-Alarcón, H. Cruz-Ramírez, R. Jáuregui, A.B. U'Ren, “Spatial control of spontaneous parametric down-conversion photon pairs through the use of apertured Bessel-Gauss pump beams” Physical Review A 100 013802 (2019) [ PDF ]

Entangled-photon absorption spectroscopy:

• R. de J. León-Montiel, J. Svozilík, J. P. Torres, and A.B. U’Ren, “Temperature-Controlled Entangled-Photon Absorption Spectroscopy” Physical Review Letters 123 023601 (2019) [ PDF ]