ECE MS Thesis Defense: Travis Rettke

ECE MS Thesis Defense: Travis Rettke

Title: Design, Fabrication, and Implementation of a Hi-Fidelity Free-Space Grover-Michelson Interferometer for Super-Resolution Sensing Applications

Presenter: Travis Rettke

Advisor: Professor Alexander Sergienko

Committee: Professor Roberto Paiella & Professor Anna Swan

Abstract: Recent advances in optical interferometry have involved the development of un-biased multiport devices using linear optical components that have the potential to yield significant advancements in sensing capabilities for relatively small increases in size and complexity. The unbiased four port case, titled the “Grover Coin” due to its application in the Grover Quantum Search Algorithm, has been particularly interesting because of its even symmetry across all four ports including back reflections. Previous fabrication attempts of the Grover coin using bulk optical components have already been experimentally shown to be successful in realizing the theoretical potential of the device. However, these versions of the Grover coin still leave a lot of room for improvement in terms of loss, size, and evenness of the splitting ratios. This thesis details the design and fabrication of a novel, compact, free-space “Compact Grover Coin,” with the goal of capitalizing on these improvements and creating a single rigorously characterized device. Additionally, the validity of this device in the laboratory was explored through the creation and characterization of the full three port configuration, as well as the recreation of the Grover-Michelson interferometer.