Fifteen years of quantum optics, quantum information, and nano-optics educational facility at the Institute of Optics, University of Rochester

Abstract

The quantum optics/quantum information and nano-optics educational laboratory facility (QNOL) at the University of Rochester (UR) is located within three rooms of the Institute of Optics with a total area of 587 ft 2 . It has been used for teaching a 4-credit-hour QNOL class annually for 15 years. Four teaching labs were prepared on the generation and characterization of entangled and single (antibunched) photons demonstrating the laws of quantum mechanics: (1) entanglement and Bell's inequalities, (2) single-photon interference (Young's double slit experiment and Mach-Zehnder interferometer), (3) single-photon source I: confocal fluorescence microscopy of single nanoemitters, and (4) single-photon source II: a Hanbury Brown and Twiss setup, fluorescence antibunching. Further, based on QNOL, 1.5 to 3 h sturdy quantum "mini-labs" were developed and introduced into the required classes such that all optics students at the UR had experience with quantum labs. Monroe Community College (MCC) students participated in two mini-labs at the UR. Since 2006 to spring 2022, a total of ~850 students have utilized the labs for lab report submission (including 144 MCC students) and more than 250 students have used them for lab demonstrations. In addition, UR freshman research projects have become a very important educational activity in this facility. All developed materials and students' reports are available at http://www.optics.rochester.edu/ workgroups/lukishova/QuantumOpticsLab/. We present a description of sturdy, universally accessible experiments that can be introduced into either a separate advanced class or into classes with a large number of students. Assessment methods, evaluation of students' knowledge, and their attitude toward their career in quantum information are discussed.

Sustainable education in the age of the second quantum revolution: fifteen years of the University of Rochester National Science Foundation supported efforts

“…This paper shows the sturdy lab construction on photons entangled in polarization for 1.5 to 3.0 h lab sessions (Figures 3 and 4). See more details in our paper 1 . The original experiment was implemented by Kwiat et al 3 .…”

“…This laboratory provides a visual demonstration of the appearance and disappearance of interference fringes, both at laser light power, visible at room light, and single-photon levels, by carefully destroying and restoring "which-path" information using a quantum eraser in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (further details in Refs. 1,[17][18][19][20][21][22] ). Measurements are made using a He-Ne laser beam, attenuated to the single-photon level with neutral density filters.…”

“…A framework shown in Figure 1 presents all classes that used the quantum and nano-optics laboratory (QNOL) facility of the Institute of Optics, University of Rochester (UR). In upper levels QNOL classes, four basic labs address generation and characterization of entangled and single photons, demonstrating the laws of quantum mechanics: (1) entanglement and Bell's inequalities, (2) single-photon interference (Young's double slit experiment and Mach-Zehnder interferometer), (3) single-photon source (SPS) I: confocal microscope imaging of single-emitter fluorescence, (4) SPS II: Hanbury Brown and Twiss setup, photon antibunching. In addition, weekly lectures with theory, discussion of lab equipment, measurements results, and the history of the cornerstone experiments in quantum optics form an important aspect of the QNOL classes.…”

Undergraduate program in nanoscience and nanoengineering: five years after the National Science Foundation grant including two pandemic years

“…Among the elective classes for CNSNE, the most popular class is OPT 253 Quantum and Nano-Optics Laboratory. [25][26][27][28] This four-credit-hour class consists of four, 6-to 15-h laboratory experiments in quantum and nano-optics accompanied by lectures (see Ref. 28 of this issue in which this class is described in detail).…”

“…The mini-labs were introduced into various UR courses from freshman to senior levels. Based on an earlier, National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported collaboration between the UR and Monroe Community College (MCC) in teaching quantum optics laboratory, [25][26][27][28] UR and MCC strengthened this collaboration in nanotechnology education. In Sec.…”