Royal Society of SA Online Webinar

Webinar co-hosted by the Academy of Science of SA, presented by Dr Isaac Nape, Lecturer and Researcher, Structured Light Laboratory, Wits School of Physics.

'Crafting quantum states of light for quantum information technologies'

Abstract: Light, much like clay, can be moulded and shaped in various ways: spinning (polarization), embedding spatially structured patterns, twisting (orbital angular momentum), or altering its colour (wavelength) and temporal dynamics. The spatial patterns, in particular, allow us to imprint arbitrary shapes onto photons therefore creating a large encoding alphabet. At the single-photon level, these patterns can also be crafted, but they also bring with them the strange and fascinating phenomena of the quantum world, which in recent years have unlocked new methods for processing information over long-distance communication channels and for computing. In this talk, I will guide you through some of the techniques that we use to encode and decode information using spatial patterns of photons, generate secure encoding alphabets, realize Einstein’s 'spooky action at a distance,' and more. I will also explore the potential applications we are investigating at the Structured Light Lab, aimed at advancing the next generation of quantum communication and computing technologies using tailored states of light.

About the Speaker: Dr. Isaac Nape is a Lecturer at the School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, and is focused on photonics and quantum computing. His work includes harnessing spatial patterns of light for quantum information processing and using quantum computers for solving multiparameter problems in quantum optics.  He was recently awarded the prestigious Meiring Naudé Medal by the Royal Society of South Africa (2024), the Jubilee Silver Medal by the South African Institute of Physics in 2023 and was recognized as one of the top 200 young South Africans in technology and innovation by Mail & Guardian (2023). Additionally, he serves as the Optica Emerging Leader in Optics Chair and is a Friedel Sellschop Fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand.

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