158 research outputs found
Direct probing of the Wigner function by time-multiplexed detection of photon statistics
We investigate the capabilities of loss-tolerant quantum state
characterization using a photon-number resolving, time-multiplexed detector
(TMD). We employ the idea of probing the Wigner function point-by-point in
phase space via photon parity measurements and displacement operations,
replacing the conventional homodyne tomography. Our emphasis lies on
reconstructing the Wigner function of non-Gaussian Fock states with highly
negative values in a scheme that is based on a realistic experimental setup. In
order to establish the concept of loss-tolerance for state characterization we
show how losses can be decoupled from the impact of other experimental
imperfections, i.e. the non-unity transmittance of the displacement
beamsplitter and non-ideal mode overlap. We relate the experimentally
accessible parameters to effective ones that are needed for an optimised state
reconstruction. The feasibility of our approach is tested by Monte Carlo
simulations, which provide bounds resulting from statistical errors that are
due to limited data sets. Our results clearly show that high losses can be
accepted for a defined parameter range, and moreover, that (in contrast to
homodyne detection) mode mismatch results in a distinct signature, which can be
evaluated by analysing the photon number oscillations of the displaced Fock
states.Comment: 22 pages, 13 figures, published versio
Transverse multi-mode effects on the performance of photon-photon gates
The multi-mode character of quantum fields imposes constraints on the
implementation of high-fidelity quantum gates between individual photons. So
far this has only been studied for the longitudinal degree of freedom. Here we
show that effects due to the transverse degrees of freedom significantly affect
quantum gate performance. We also discuss potential solutions, in particular
separating the two photons in the transverse direction.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, published versio
Memory for Light as a Quantum Process
We report complete characterization of an optical memory based on
electromagnetically induced transparency. We recover the superoperator
associated with the memory, under two different working conditions, by means of
a quantum process tomography technique that involves storage of coherent states
and their characterization upon retrieval. In this way, we can predict the
quantum state retrieved from the memory for any input, for example, the
squeezed vacuum or the Fock state. We employ the acquired superoperator to
verify the nonclassicality benchmark for the storage of a Gaussian distributed
set of coherent states
Nondiffracting beams for vortex tomography
We propose a reconstruction of vortex beams based on the implementation of
quadratic transformations in the orbital angular momentum. The information is
encoded in a superposition of Bessel-like nondiffracting beams. The measurement
of the angular probability distribution at different positions allows for the
reconstruction of the Wigner function.Comment: 3 pages. 2 eps figures. To appear in Optics Letter
Pulsed squeezed light: simultaneous squeezing of multiple modes
We analyze the spectral properties of squeezed light produced by means of
pulsed, single-pass degenerate parametric down-conversion. The multimode output
of this process can be decomposed into characteristic modes undergoing
independent squeezing evolution akin to the Schmidt decomposition of the
biphoton spectrum. The main features of this decomposition can be understood
using a simple analytical model developed in the perturbative regime. In the
strong pumping regime, for which the perturbative approach is not valid, we
present a numerical analysis, specializing to the case of one-dimensional
propagation in a beta-barium borate waveguide. Characterization of the
squeezing modes provides us with an insight necessary for optimizing homodyne
detection of squeezing. For a weak parametric process, efficient squeezing is
found in a broad range of local oscillator modes, whereas the intense
generation regime places much more stringent conditions on the local
oscillator. We point out that without meeting these conditions, the detected
squeezing can actually diminish with the increasing pumping strength, and we
expose physical reasons behind this inefficiency
Discrete Wigner functions and the phase space representation of quantum teleportation
We present a phase space description of the process of quantum teleportation
for a system with an dimensional space of states. For this purpose we
define a discrete Wigner function which is a minor variation of previously
existing ones. This function is useful to represent composite quantum system in
phase space and to analyze situations where entanglement between subsystems is
relevant (dimensionality of the space of states of each subsystem is
arbitrary). We also describe how a direct tomographic measurement of this
Wigner function can be performed.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, to appear in Phys Rev
A balanced homodyne detector for high-rate Gaussian-modulated coherent-state quantum key distribution
We discuss excess noise contributions of a practical balanced homodyne
detector in Gaussian-modulated coherent-state (GMCS) quantum key distribution
(QKD). We point out the key generated from the original realistic model of GMCS
QKD may not be secure. In our refined realistic model, we take into account
excess noise due to the finite bandwidth of the homodyne detector and the
fluctuation of the local oscillator. A high speed balanced homodyne detector
suitable for GMCS QKD in the telecommunication wavelength region is built and
experimentally tested. The 3dB bandwidth of the balanced homodyne detector is
found to be 104MHz and its electronic noise level is 13dB below the shot noise
at a local oscillator level of 8.5*10^8 photon per pulse. The secure key rate
of a GMCS QKD experiment with this homodyne detector is expected to reach
Mbits/s over a few kilometers.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figure
Experimental Vacuum Squeezing in Rubidium Vapor via Self-Rotation
We report the generation of optical squeezed vacuum states by means of
polarization self-rotation in rubidium vapor following a proposal by Matsko et
al. [Phys. Rev. A 66, 043815 (2002)]. The experimental setup, involving in
essence just a diode laser and a heated rubidium gas cell, is simple and easily
scalable. A squeezing of 0.85+-0.05 dB was achieved
A high-fidelity noiseless amplifier for quantum light states
Noise is the price to pay when trying to clone or amplify arbitrary quantum
states. The quantum noise associated to linear phase-insensitive amplifiers can
only be avoided by relaxing the requirement of a deterministic operation. Here
we present the experimental realization of a probabilistic noiseless linear
amplifier that is able to amplify coherent states at the highest level of
effective gain and final state fidelity ever reached. Based on a sequence of
photon addition and subtraction, and characterized by a significant
amplification and low distortions, this high-fidelity amplification scheme may
become an essential tool for quantum communications and metrology, by enhancing
the discrimination between partially overlapping quantum states or by
recovering the information transmitted over lossy channels.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
The Uncertainty Relation in "Which-Way" Experiments: How to Observe Directly the Momentum Transfer using Weak Values
A which-way measurement destroys the twin-slit interference pattern. Bohr
argued that distinguishing between two slits a distance s apart gives the
particle a random momentum transfer \wp of order h/s. This was accepted for
more than 60 years, until Scully, Englert and Walther (SEW) proposed a
which-way scheme that, they claimed, entailed no momentum transfer. Storey,
Tan, Collett and Walls (STCW) in turn proved a theorem that, they claimed,
showed that Bohr was right. This work reviews and extends a recent proposal
[Wiseman, Phys. Lett. A 311, 285 (2003)] to resolve the issue using a
weak-valued probability distribution for momentum transfer, P_wv(\wp). We show
that P_wv(\wp) must be wider than h/6s. However, its moments can still be zero
because P_wv(\wp) is not necessarily positive definite. Nevertheless, it is
measurable in a way understandable to a classical physicist. We introduce a new
measure of spread for P_wv(\wp): half of the unit-confidence interval, and
conjecture that it is never less than h/4s. For an idealized example with
infinitely narrow slits, the moments of P_wv(\wp) and of the momentum
distributions are undefined unless a process of apodization is used. We show
that by considering successively smoother initial wave functions, successively
more moments of both P_wv(\wp) and the momentum distributions become defined.
For this example the moments of P_wv(\wp) are zero, and these are equal to the
changes in the moments of the momentum distribution. We prove that this
relation holds for schemes in which the moments of P_wv(\wp) are non-zero, but
only for the first two moments. We also compare these moments to those of two
other momentum-transfer distributions and \hat{p}_f-\hat{p}_i. We find
agreement between all of these, but again only for the first two moments.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, submitted to J. Opt.
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