Quantum researchers split 1 photon into 3

Researchers from the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo report the first occurrence of directly splitting one photon into three

Apparently this opens up new possibilities for deeper research into quantum optics and presents some some solutions to issues limiting the seasoned two-photon methods familiar to science.
This could have deep imapct in the field of quantum computing.

Another stepping stone on the road to the stars!

The occurrence, the first of its kind, used the spontaneous parametric down-conversion method (SPDC) in quantum optics and created what quantum optics researchers call a non-Gaussian state of light. A non-Gaussian state of light is considered a critical ingredient to gain a quantum advantage.

"It was understood that there were limits to the type of entanglement generated with the two-photon version, but these results form the basis of an exciting new paradigm of three-photon quantum optics," said Chris Wilson, a principle investigator at IQC faculty member and a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Waterloo.
Phys.org

For those interested, here's the paper as published in Physical Review X:
Observation of Three-Photon Spontaneous Parametric Down-Conversion in a Superconducting Parametric Cavity

Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) has been a key enabling technology in exploring quantum phenomena and their applications for decades. For instance, traditional SPDC, which splits a high-energy pump photon into two lower-energy photons, is a common way to produce entangled photon pairs. Since the early realizations of SPDC, researchers have thought to generalize it to higher order, e.g., to produce entangled photon triplets. However, directly generating photon triplets through a single SPDC process has remained elusive. Here, using a flux-pumped superconducting parametric cavity, we demonstrate direct three-photon SPDC, with photon triplets generated in a single cavity mode or split between multiple modes. With strong pumping, the states can be quite bright, with flux densities exceeding 60 photons per second per hertz. The observed states are strongly non-Gaussian, which has important implications for potential applications. In the single-mode case, we observe a triangular star-shaped distribution of quadrature voltages, indicative of the long-predicted “star state.” The observed state shows strong third-order correlations, as expected for a state generated by a cubic Hamiltonian. By pumping at the sum frequency of multiple modes, we observe strong three-body correlations between multiple modes, strikingly, in the absence of second-order correlations. We further analyze the third-order correlations under mode transformations by the symplectic symmetry group, showing that the observed transformation properties serve to “fingerprint” the specific cubic Hamiltonian that generates them. The observed non-Gaussian, third-order correlations represent an important step forward in quantum optics and may have a strong impact on quantum communication with microwave fields as well as continuous-variable quantum computation.

Adam&Evil
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3 scientist doing experiments with quantum effects have a single photo results of the first experiment they now have 2 .
3rd scientist is always complaining about not have his own photon .

So experiment 2 they create a 3rd so now each scientist has his very own photon .
They all live happly ever after the end .

originally posted by: midnightstar
3 scientist doing experiments with quantum effects have a single photo results of the first experiment they now have 2 .
3rd scientist is always complaining about not have his own photon .

So experiment 2 they create a 3rd so now each scientist has his very own photon .
They all live happly ever after the end .

Wait now there is a fourth scientist, where is his?

Oh look a line of scientists awaits!

a reply to: ADAMandEVIL

If a photon can be split into 3 equal photons and photons can be used to generate power.

Does something like this lead to infinite energy?

originally posted by: scraedtosleep
a reply to: ADAMandEVIL

If a photon can be split into 3 equal photons and photons can be used to generate power.

Does something like this lead to infinite energy?

depends on the type of atom. if you're talking about uranium, then yeah but the problem is how do you control nuclear fission - i.e nuclear explosion?

On the flip side, to split a photon atom, the energy you put in is incredibly large for the amount of energy you get out. It's like spending $1 to get a penny.

originally posted by: scraedtosleepDoes something like this lead to infinite energy?

No. The principle photon has X energy. Two photons each have X/2 energy, and three photons each have X/3 energy.

There is no transfer of additional energy to any of the new photons.