Magnonic Hong-Ou-Mandel effect

We carried out numerical simulations of propagation of spin waves (magnons in quantum language) in an yttrium-iron garnet film. The numerical model is based on an original formalism. We demonstrated that a potential barrier for magnons, created by an Oersted field of a dc current flowing through a wire sitting on top of the film, can act as an electrically controlled partly transparent mirror for the magnons. We found that the mirror transparency can be set to 50% by properly adjusting the current strength, thus creating a semitransparent mirror. A strong Hong-Ou-Mandel effect for single magnons is expected in this configuration. The effect must be seen as two single magnons, launched simultaneously into the film from two transducers located from the opposite sides of the mirror, creating a two-microwave-photon state at the output port of one of the transducers. The probability of seeing those two-photon states at the output port of either transducer must be the same for both transducers.

Automated summary

In this study, numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the propagation of spin waves in an yttrium-iron garnet film. It was found that the transparency of a potential barrier for magnons, created by an Oersted field of a current, can be electrically controlled to act as a semitransparent mirror. The Hong-Ou-Mandel effect was observed in this configuration.