Propagation of Two-Photon Zernike States in Atmospheric Turbulence

Abstract

We analyze propagation and detection of two-photon states expanded in Zernike modes through atmospheric turbulence using the extended Huygens-Fresnel formalism. For SPDC states prepared with a single Zernike pump mode, we analytically reduce the 8-dimensional continuous propagation integrals to an exact, discrete modal expansion. In the absence of turbulence, Zernike addition enforces conservation of azimuthal index and a strict radial-order bound. Turbulence relaxes these constraints, driving structured azimuthal and radial crosstalk dominated by low-order aberration modes.