Spectral properties of entangled photon pairs generated via quasi-phased-matched spontaneous parametric down-conversion

The spectral properties of entangled photon pairs generated via quasi-phased matching in spontaneous parametric down-conversion are proposed and demonstrated experimentally. A general mathematical model for evaluating the spectral properties is developed to obtain the spectrum shape and range of down-converted photons. The model takes into account the effects of phase mismatching due to non-ideal pumping and the relationship between crystal periodic modulation function and the incidence angle of the pump beam. The spectrum curve shape is determined by the discrete Fourier transform of a Gaussian pump beam and the integration of parametric down-conversion generated by an individual plane wave. An experiment is carried out with a PPLN non-linear crystal and dispersing optics, which shows a good consistency in their spectral ranges and shapes with our model predictions within the spectrum of 600–633 nm. This therefore illustrates that both the simulation model and the experimental process are reasonable. This novel method has potential applications in high-accuracy calibration in the wide spectrum using correlated photons.