Loss-tolerant quantum enhanced metrology and state engineering via the reverse Hong-Ou-Mandel effect

Preparing highly entangled quantum states between remote parties is a major challenge for quantum communications [1-8]. Particularly promising in this context are the N00N states, which are entangled N-photon wavepackets delocalized between two different locations, providing measurement sensitivity limited only by the uncertainty principle [1, 10-15]. However, these states are notoriously vulnerable to losses, making it difficult both to share them between remote locations, and to recombine them to exploit interference effects. Here we address this challenge by utilizing the reverse version of the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect [16] to prepare a high-fidelity two-photon N00N state shared between two parties connected by a lossy optical channel. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the enhanced phase sensitivity can be directly exploited in the two distant locations, and we remotely prepare superpositions of coherent states, known as Schr\"odinger's cat states" [17, 18]

Synthesis of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement in a sequence of two single-mode squeezers

Synthesis of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entangled state --- the primary entangled resource in continuous-variable quantum-optical information processing --- is a technological challenge of great importance. Here we propose and implement a new scheme of generating this state. Two nonlinear optical crystals, positioned back-to-back in the waist of a pump beam, function as single-pass degenerate optical parametric amplifiers and produce single-mode squeezed vacuum states in orthogonal polarization modes, but in the same spatiotemporal mode. A subsequent pair of waveplates acts as a beam splitter, entangling the two polarization modes to generate the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen state. This technique takes advantage of the strong nonlinearity associated with type-I phase-matching configuration while at the same time eliminating the need for actively stabilizing the optical phase between the two squeezers, which typically arises if these squeezers are spatially separated. We demonstrate our method in an experiment, preparing a 1.4 dB two-mode squeezed state and characterizing it via two-mode homodyne tomography.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

A Methodological Model for Exchanging Local and Scientific Climate Change Knowledge in Northeastern Siberia

This paper analyzes findings from “Knowledge Exchanges,” which engaged communities of Viliui Sakha, native horse and cattle agropastoralists of northeastern Siberia, Russia, with regional scientific specialists, a cultural anthropologist, and a permafrost scientist. Our process of knowledge exchange involved first gathering ethnographic data from affected communities, through focus groups, interviews, and surveys, and analyzing how people perceived, understood, and responded to local change. Next we documented the community results and compared them with regional climate change data. Lastly, we discussed these results during community knowledge exchange events, facilitating an increased understanding across knowledge systems and stakeholder groups. The knowledge exchange method documented in this article provides an adaptable model for integrating local and scientific knowledge systems that allows participants to reach understanding more quickly at global and local levels of how climate change is affecting places and peoples.Cette communication vient analyser les constatations émanant de l’échange de connaissances auquel ont participé les collectivités de Viliui Sakha, des agropasteurs indigènes s’occupant de chevaux et de bétail dans le nord-est de la Sibérie, en Russie, des spécialistes scientifiques régionaux, un anthropologue des cultures et un scientifique spécialisé en pergélisol. Notre échange de connaissances a commencé par la collecte de données ethnographiques auprès des collectivités concernées, données qui ont été recueillies au moyen de groupes de discussion, d’entrevues et de sondages. Cette collecte de données a été suivie de l’analyse de la manière dont les gens percevaient les changements qui se produisent à l’échelle locale, de la manière dont ils comprenaient ces changements et de la manière dont ils y réagissaient. Ensuite, nous avons consigné les résultats obtenus au sein des collectivités et les avons comparés aux données sur le changement climatique régional. En dernier lieu, nous avons discuté de ces résultats à l’occasion de séances d’échanges de connaissances organisées dans les collectivités, puis nous avons favorisé une plus grande compréhension à l’échelle des systèmes de connaissances et au sein des groupes d’intervenants. La méthodologie de l’échange de connaissances dont il est question dans le présent article présente un modèle adaptable d’intégration des systèmes de connaissances locales et de connaissances scientifiques, modèle qui permet aux participants de comprendre plus rapidement, mondialement et localement, comment le changement climatique influe sur les lieux et les gens

Undoing the effect of loss on quantum entanglement

Entanglement distillation is a process via which the strength and purity of quantum entanglement can be increased probabilistically. It is a key step in many quantum communication and computation protocols. In particular, entanglement distillation is a necessary component of the quantum repeater, a device which counters the degradation of entanglement that inevitably occurs due to losses in a communication line. Here we report an experiment on distilling the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) state of light, the workhorse of continuous-variable entanglement, using the technique of noiseless amplification. In contrast to previous implementations, the entanglement enhancement factor achievable by our technique is not fundamentally limited and permits recovering an EPR state with a macroscopic level of entanglement no matter how low the initial entanglement or how high the loss may be. In particular, we recover the original level of entanglement after one of the EPR modes has passed through a channel with a loss factor of 20. The level of entanglement in our distilled state is higher than that achievable by direct transmission of any state through a similar loss channel. This is a key bench-marking step towards the realization of a practical continuous-variable quantum repeater and other CV quantum protocols.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Acoustic Properties of Porous Coatings for Hypersonic Boundary-Layer Control

Numerical simulations are performed to investigate the interaction of acoustic waves with an array of equally spaced two-dimensional microcavities on an otherwise flat plate without external boundary-layer flow. This acoustic scattering problem is important in the design of ultrasonic absorptive coatings for hypersonic laminar flow control. The reflection coefficient, characterizing the ratio of the reflected wave amplitude to the incident wave amplitude, is computed as a function of the acoustic wave frequency and angle of incidence, for coatings of different porosities, at various acoustic Reynolds numbers relevant to hypersonic flight. Overall, the numerical results validate predictions from existing theoretical modeling. In general, the amplitude of the reflection coefficient has local minima at some specific frequencies. A simple model to predict these frequencies is presented. The simulations also highlight the presence of resonant acoustic modes caused by coupling of small-scale scattered waves near the coating surface. Finally, the cavity depth and the porosity are identified as the most important parameters for coating design. Guidelines for the choice of these parameters are suggested

Observation of ionospheric Alfven resonance at a middle latitude station

This paper intends to report on the statistical results on the spectral resonance structures of the ionospheric Alfven resonances (IAR) in the ULF frequency range 0.1-5.0 Hz on the basis of the analysis of long-term data obtained from July 2000 to December 2002 (2.5 years) at the Karimshino station (Kamchatka, Russia) (L=2.1) by the conventional 3-component search-coil magnetometer. We analyze both the dynamic spectra of three components and polarization spectra in order to distinguish IAR from other possible noises. The average frequency difference _F between the adjacent maxima, intensity and occurrence rate of the IAR spectra have been estimated from the averaged spectra. Early papers at middle latitudes have been based on a small data base. Based on our first long-term observation at middle latitude, new findings, especially related to the seasonal variation, have emerged from this analysis. (1) There is an evident seasonal variation in the occurrence rate with a maximum in the September-January period and an almost complete absence of IAR structures in the spring-early summer time. (2) Occurrence maximum in the diurnal variation is found at 21-23 LT in the autumn and winter. Almost all the IAR structures are observed at local nighttime. (3) The averaged _F is found to be about 0.2-0.5 Hz in the autumn period but it seems to increase up to 0.5-0.7 Hz in winter. (4) The IAR occurrence rate is inversely correlated with the Kp index of global magnetic activity. (5) The intensity of D component exceeds essentially that of H component of the IAR structures in a majority of cases. Diurnal variations of resonance frequencies in the H and D components are not always identical. Finally the mechanisms to explain the observed characteristics of the IAR have been discussed

Alternate Designs of Ultrasonic Absorptive Coatings for Hypersonic Boundary Layer Control

Numerical simulations of the linear and nonlinear two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are used to parametrically investigate hypersonic boundary layers over ultrasonic absorptive coatings consisting of a uniform array of rectangular pores (slots) with a range of porosities and pore aspect ratios. Based on our previous work, we employ a temporally evolving approximation appropriate to slowly-growing second-mode instabilities. We consider coatings operating in attenuative regimes where the pores are relatively deep and acoustic waves and second mode instabilities are attenuated by viscous effects inside the pores, as well as cancellation/reinforcement regimes with alternating regions of local minima and maxima of the coating acoustic absorption, depending on the frequency of the acoustic waves. The focus is on reinforcement cases which represent a worst case scenario (minimal second-mode damping). For all but one of the cases considered, the linear simulations confirm the results of linear instability theory that employs an approximate porous-wall boundary condition. A particular case with a relatively shallow cavities and very high porosity showed the existence of a shorter wavelength instability that is not predicted by theory. Finally, nonlinear simulations of the same cases led to the same conclusions as linear analysis; in particular, we did not observe any "tripping" of the boundary layer by small scale disturbances associated with individual pores

Second-mode attenuation and cancellation by porous coatings in a high-speed boundary layer

Numerical simulations of the linear and nonlinear two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations, and linear stability theory are used to parametrically investigate hypersonic boundary layers over ultrasonic absorptive coatings. The porous coatings consist of a uniform array of rectangular pores (slots) with a range of porosities and pore aspect ratios. For the numerical simulations, temporally (rather than spatially) evolving boundary layers are considered and we provide evidence that this approximation is appropriate for slowly growing second-mode instabilities. We consider coatings operating in the typical regime where the pores are relatively deep and acoustic waves and second-mode instabilities are attenuated by viscous effects inside the pores, as well as regimes with phase cancellation or reinforcement associated with reflection of acoustic waves from the bottom of the pores. These conditions are defined as attenuative and cancellation/reinforcement regimes, respectively. The focus of the present study is on the cases which have not been systematically studied in the past, namely the reinforcement regime (which represents a worst-case scenario, i.e. minimal second-mode damping) and the cancellation regime (which corresponds to the configuration with the most potential improvement). For all but one of the cases considered, the linear simulations show good agreement with the results of linear instability theory that employs an approximate porous-wall boundary condition, and confirm that the porous coating stabilizing performance is directly related to their acoustic scattering performance. A particular case with relatively shallow pores and very high porosity showed the existence of a shorter-wavelength instability that was not initially predicted by theory. Our analysis shows that this new mode is associated with acoustic resonances in the pores and can be more unstable than the second mode. Modifications to the theoretical model are suggested to account for the new mode and to provide estimates of the porous coating parameters that avoid this detrimental instability. Finally, nonlinear simulations confirm the conclusions of the linear analysis; in particular, we did not observe any tripping of the boundary layer by small-scale disturbances associated with individual pores