Quantum photonic devices operating in the single photon regime require the detection and characterization of quantum states of light. Chip-scale, waveguide-based devices are a key enabling technology for increasing the scale and complexity of such systems. Collecting single photons from multiple outputs at the end-face of such a chip is a core task that is frequently non-trivial, especially when output ports are densely spaced. We demonstrate a novel, inexpensive method to efficiently image and route individual output modes of a polymer photonic chip, where single photons undergo a quantum walk. The method makes use of single-pixel imaging (SPI) with a digital micromirror device (DMD). By implementing a series of masks on the DMD and collecting the reflected signal into single-photon detectors, the spatial distribution of the single photons can be reconstructed with high accuracy. We also demonstrate the feasibility of optimization strategies based on compressive sensing.
@article{arxiv.2307.05031,
title = {Compressive single-pixel read-out of single-photon quantum walks on a polymer photonic chip},
author = {Aveek Chandra and Shuin Jian Wu and Angelina Frank and James A. Grieve},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2307.05031},
year = {2023}
}