Events

On-Chip Weak Value Amplification

Jaime Cardenas, Associate Professor, Institute of Optics, University of Rochester

Presented in person in Goergen 101 and on Zoom

Join Zoom

Abstract

Optical interferometers are the basis for measuring quantities such as distance, velocity, acceleration, temperature, protein binding, and chemical concentration. However, reaching shot noise limited sensitivity is challenging in most cases and usually only possible in tabletop setups in specialized labs. Weak value amplification, an effect discovered by Aharonov and Vaidman in 1988, has been shown to enable shot noise limited sensitivity. In this talk, we will discuss how to amplify the phase signal in a photonic interferometer without increasing technical noise using weak value amplification. We will review weak value amplification and show how it is ideally suited for implementation on a photonic chip. We will show recent advances and how they can enhance the performance of interferometric sensors.

Biography

Jaime Cardenas is an associate professor at The Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester. His group has transformed photonic packaging with fiber to chip fusion and passive alignment and showed the advantage of weak value amplification interferometric sensing. He is the CTO of Photonect Interconnect Solutions and recipient of the DARPA Young Faculty Award.