Coherent perfect absorption of path entangled single photons

Abstract

We examine the question of coherent perfect absorption (CPA) of single photons, and more generally, of the quantum fields by a {\it macroscopic} medium. We show the CPA of path entangled single photons in a Fabry-Perot interferometer containing an absorptive medium. The frequency of perfect absorption can be controlled by changing the interferometer parameters like the reflectivity and the complex dielectric constant of the material. We exhibit similar results for path entangled photons in micro-ring resonators. For entangled fields like the ones produced by a down converter the CPA aspect is evident in phase sensitive detection schemes such as in measurements of the squeezing spectrum.