Demonstrations of scalable photonic de Broglie wavelengths using a phase-controlled SLM

Abstract

A conceptual framework for a quantum spectrometer is presented based on phase-controlled spatial light modulators (SLMs) and polarization-basis projection measurements, in which each SLM pixel functions as a macroscopic quantum eraser. Recently, macroscopic quantum erasers have been proposed and experimentally demonstrated using both single photons and continuous-wave laser light in the classical regime. Polarization-basis projection measurements, which are essential for realizing quantum erasers, are also widely employed in N00N-state-based quantum sensing. In this work, a pair of SLMs replaces bulky optical components, forming a pixelated array that enables precise polarization-basis control of quantum erasers. For potential applications of the SLM-based quantum spectrometer, intensity correlations between paired SLM pixels are numerically calculated, demonstrating resolution enhancement proportional to the number of pixels and surpassing that of conventional optical sensors.