Generation and detection of squeezed states via a synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillator
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Abstract
A synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillator (SPOPO) operating at 93 MHz is used to generate squeezed states at 1035 nm. The system features a counter-propagating beam at the same wavelength as the quantum state, which simultaneously actively stabilizes the cavity and, after transmission, acts as the local oscillator for homodyne detection. By deriving the local oscillator directly from the SPOPO cavity, the setup establishes an intrinsically excellent spatial mode overlap and high interference visibility, forming a distinctive self-referenced architecture. Two spatial light modulators enable precise spectral shaping of both the pump and the local oscillator in amplitude and phase, allowing investigation of the spectral properties of the generated states. The versatility of the setup further allows exploration of different SPOPO configurations, including regimes with varied finesse and escape efficiency. Representative measurements, including homodyne traces and squeezing levels as functions of pump power and local oscillator bandwidth, demonstrate the performance of the system. Theoretical simulations based on a multimode singular-value-decomposition model reproduce well the measured dependence of squeezing on pump power and LO bandwidth, confirming the accuracy of the description and the robustness of the setup. Measured squeezing levels up to -3.3 dB are achieved, corresponding to -5.7 dB at SPOPO output, evidencing the robustness and versatility of this platform for stable pulsed squeezed-light generation and advanced quantum optical applications.