Optimal Gaussian measurements for phase estimation in single-mode Gaussian metrology

The central issue in quantum parameter estimation is to find out the optimal measurement setup that leads to the ultimate lower bound of an estimation error. We address here a question of whether a Gaussian measurement scheme can achieve the ultimate bound for phase estimation in single-mode Gaussian metrology that exploits single-mode Gaussian probe states in a Gaussian environment. We identify three types of optimal Gaussian measurement setups yielding the maximal Fisher information depending on displacement, squeezing, and thermalization of the probe state. We show that the homodyne measurement attains the ultimate bound for both displaced thermal probe states and squeezed vacuum probe states, whereas for the other single-mode Gaussian probe states, the optimized Gaussian measurement cannot be the optimal setup, although they are sometimes nearly optimal. We then demonstrate that the measurement on the basis of the product quadrature operators XP+PX, i.e., a non-Gaussian measurement, is required to be fully optimal.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure

Robust-to-loss entanglement generation using a quantum plasmonic nanoparticle array

We introduce a scheme for generating entanglement between two quantum dots using a plasmonic waveguide made from an array of metal nanoparticles. We show that the scheme is robust to loss, enabling it to work over long distance plasmonic nanoparticle arrays, as well as in the presence of other imperfections such as the detuning of the energy levels of the quantum dots. The scheme represents an alternative strategy to the previously introduced dissipative driven schemes for generating entanglement in plasmonic systems. Here, the entanglement is generated by using dipole-induced interference effects and detection-based postselection. Thus, contrary to the widely held view that loss is major problem for quantum plasmonic systems, we provide a robust-to-loss entanglement generation scheme that could be used as a versatile building block for quantum state engineering and control at the nanoscale.Comment: 32 pages, 11 figure