Tuesday, August 3, 2010

  • Photon triplets born at Waterloo
  • Sabbaticals: kinetic art to keratoconus
  • Editor:
  • Chris Redmond
  • Communications and Public Affairs
  • bulletin@uwaterloo.ca

Photon triplets born at Waterloo

Waterloo Media Relations

A significant breakthrough spearheaded by the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing and Department of Physics and Astronomy is featured in the July 28 issue of the online journal Nature News.

The international research team achieved a longstanding milestone in quantum optics research — the direct generation of photon triplets. This result has been sought for years but never achieved until now.

Thomas Jennewein, IQCThe breakthrough was made by Thomas Jennewein (left), Hannes Hübel, Deny Hamel and Kevin Resch of the University of Waterloo, in collaboration with Alessandro Fedrizzi of the University of Queensland and Sven Ramelow of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

“This is going to open a new frontier of quantum optics and allow a new class of experiments in quantum computing using photons,” said Jennewein, the lead investigator.

In the past, the generation of pairs of photons (particles of light) revolutionized quantum optics and made possible emerging technologies such as quantum cryptography and quantum computing with photons. 

Typically, these photon pairs were created from strong lasers sent through a crystal — a process known as “parametric down-conversion.”

In the new approach, researchers created photon triplets by producing a first pair of photons using an optical crystal, then splitting one of the photon pairs further into two additional photons inside a second crystal.

It’s a process that was first conceived 20 years ago, but had never before been experimentally observed.

Because each triplet originates from a single pump photon, the quantum correlations will extend over all three photons in a manner not achievable when using independently created photon pairs.

It is expected that this photon-triplet source will allow tests of novel quantum correlations and will greatly advance photonic quantum computing.

Jennewein praised his collaborators and IQC’s research facilities for the fruitful results: “It shows the value of a very strong team and a great environment for allowing breakthroughs to happen.”

Their article, “Direct Generation of Photon Triplets Using Cascaded Photon-Pair Sources,” was published in Nature vol. 466, 601-603 (2010).

The project involved collaboration between IQC’s Quantum Photonics Laboratory and Quantum Optics and Quantum Information Group.

The research was supported by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, the Ontario Centres of Excellence, the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

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Sabbaticals: kinetic art to keratoconus

Here’s another list of faculty members who are currently on sabbatical leaves. In each case, the plans described are as reported to the university’s Board of Governors, which has to give approval for all sabbaticals. All these leaves began July 1, 2010, and are for six months.

Lois AndersonLois Andison (right), fine arts: “During the sabbatical leave I will produce new work for three upcoming solo exhibitions: Galerie Art Mür, Montréal, in 2010; the Olga Korpere gallery, Toronto, in 2011; and a touring exhibition with a publication organized by curator Ann MacDonald for the Doris McCarthy Gallery, Scarborough, in 2012. I will be producing both video installation and kinetic sculpture for these upcoming exhibitions.”

Ramona Bobocel, psychology: “For this sabbatical, my main goal is to write a number of research articles based on numerous studies that students, colleagues and I have conducted over the last four years. I will also devote some time to learning new literatures in anticipation of launching two new lines of research on my return, which will extend my past work.”

Forbes BurkowskyForbes Burkowski (left), computer science: “During the sabbatical, research will continue on geometric embedding algorithms for protein structure and the writing of a text book tentatively titled Computational and Visualization Techniques for Structural Bioinformatics Using Chimera. This will be published by Chapman & Hall/ CRC and the final manuscript is due on or before March 31, 2011.”

Andrew Childs, combinatorics and optimization: “I would like to take a half-year to spend more time on research activities. The plan is to spend the majority of the time at Waterloo. My research will focus on developing algorithms for and understanding limitations of quantum computers. Topics of study include quantum walks, quantum query algorithms for graph properties, and quantum computation of elliptic curve isogenies.”

Svetlana KaminskaiaSvetlana Kaminskaïa (right), French studies: “During this leave, I will work on the proceedings for the congress of the Canadian Linguistic Association (held in May), on presentations for New Ways of Analyzing Variation (held in October), Bilingual Workshop in Theoretical Linguistics, and Phonologie du Français Contemporain meeting (both held in December). And most of all, I will dedicate my time to data analysis, which will provide me with more material for conference presentations and publications in 2011.”

Barbara Robinson, optometry: “During this leave I will complete the data analysis and final reports for two recently completed research projects, plan a workshop for a current project and begin an across-Canada study. The Canada-wide study depends on a funding decision from CIHR.”

Luigina Sorbara, optometry: “Leave is requested to complete five publications that are in various stages and three others that are waiting for changes from co-authors. Also to spend time with collaborators in my research, such as Dr. Bizheva who is building an UHR-OCT for my use with keratoconic patients and with Drs. Peterson, Dua (possibly) and Quadrilatero who will help me with tests related to cell function.”

Costas TzoganakisCostas Tzoganakis (left), chemical engineering: “During this leave, I intend to concentrate on (i) improve existing and create new course material for two undergraduate courses, (ii) expand our rubber devulcanization technology and help commercialization through new UW start-up, Tyromer Inc., and (iii) develop plans for migration of my laboratory from DWE to the new chemical engineering building.”

Ross Willard, pure mathematics: “I will spend the sabbatical catching up on current research and starting new research projects with collaborators. I will host two collaborators from Australia during July and August, then travel to Europe for two months of collaborations in Hungary, Poland and France. I will spend November and part of December visiting collaborators at Vanderbilt University, USA.”

CPA staff

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Link of the day

World Breastfeeding Week

When and where

Class enrolment on Quest for fall term courses: open enrolment began July 26.

Library hours for spring exam period, July 25 to August 14. Davis Centre open 24 hours a day, except closed Sundays 2 - 8 a.m. for system maintenance. (Dana Porter open regular hours: 8 a.m. - 11 p.m., Monday-Friday; 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.)

CIBC ABM in the Student Life Centre, main level, removed because of renovations, should be restored today.

Spring term examinations begin today and continue to the 14th (online courses, August 6-7). Unofficial marks begin appearing on Quest, August 16. Marks become official September 20.

Employer interviews for co-op programs, main group, today through Friday.

Co-op job postings, main group, for fall 2010 work terms, on JobMine August 3 – 9; daily postings thereafter.

Men’s hockey “shooting to score” camp for boys 5-14, August 3-6, 16-20, 23-27, August 30 to September 3, Icefield. Details.

In Chemistry 2 there will be a shut down of various air, water, and gas services on Wednesday, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., while lab benches are replaced.

Centre for Teaching Excellence workshop: “Course Design”, Thursday, 9:30, Flex Lab, Dana Porter Library. Details.

Electrical power shutoff in Modern Languages, foyer to the south-east side, for panel replacement, Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Computers should be shut down in orderly fashion.

Feds Used Books opens Saturday, August 7, in addition to regular weekdays, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Ontario Mennonite Music Camp for students aged 12 to 16, August 8-20 at Conrad Grebel University College. Details.

Women’s hockey camps: Future Warriors, girls ages 6-15, daytime; “elite conditioning camp” for girls 15-19, evenings, both August 9-13, Icefield. Details.

Selected Areas in Cryptography Conference, August 12-13, Centre for Environmental and Information Technology room 1015. Registration/reception August 11. Details.

Star gazing party Thursday, August 12: join faculty members and enthusiasts to watch Perseid meteor showers, north campus soccer pitch near Columbia Icefield, after nightfall (weather permitting).

Women’s hockey “future Warriors camp” for girls 6-15, August 16-20, Icefield. Details.

Men’s volleyball coed summer camp August 16-20, Icefield. Details.

UWRC Book Club discusses The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, Wednesday, August 18, 12:00, Dana Porter Library room 407.

St. Paul’s University College Masters Golf Tournament, Friday, August 27, Glen Eagle Golf Club, Caledon. Details.

Fall term fees due Monday, August 30 (fee arrangements), September 8 (bank payment). Details.

WatCACE financial support for research on co-op: proposals deadline September 1. Guidelines.

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