Sending Quantum-Entangled Photons Across Campus

We will use a pair of amateur astronomy telescopes and mounts to beam a laser and then individual photons from one telescope to another telescope. Each telescope will send a beacon laser so they can properly point at each other using cameras and other, faster, analog mirror-tiling feedback mechanisms.

The goal in spring is to demonstrate a working transmitter and receiver and measure both what fraction of the photons get across and how accurately their polarization is preserved.

This is effectively a free-space quantum communication or quantum cryptography system, but we will be using it to perform fundamental tests of quantum physics under unusual situations, where measurement choices are determined by incoming photons from distant stars or galaxies.

Relevant experience includes optics, electronics, Verilog FPGA work, amateur astronomy, python data analysis (numpy, scipy, jupyter-lab, matplotlib), Linux hardware interfacing, and C/C++ Arduino-like programming.

Applicants will be selected based on their ability to independently read relevant documentation and figure out how to make the optics, electronics, and software work together. Please list your own relevant experience, detailing your particular contribution to any group projects.

Not all of this background is required, but to accept any ambitious 1st or 2nd year students, I'd need to be convinced of your ability to independently pick up a useful subset.

You must be willing to commit 4, 8, or 12 hours/week on this project in the spring in 3-4 hour blocks. There will be a separate application later for summer, funding pending, which would require committing to 10 weeks, usually starting the first or second week.