10,514 research outputs found
Tunable entanglement distillation of spatially correlated down-converted photons
We report on a new technique for entanglement distillation of the bipartite
continuous variable state of spatially correlated photons generated in the
spontaneous parametric down-conversion process (SPDC), where tunable
non-Gaussian operations are implemented and the post-processed entanglement is
certified in real-time using a single-photon sensitive electron multiplying CCD
(EMCCD) camera. The local operations are performed using non-Gaussian filters
modulated into a programmable spatial light modulator and, by using the EMCCD
camera for actively recording the probability distributions of the
twin-photons, one has fine control of the Schmidt number of the distilled
state. We show that even simple non-Gaussian filters can be finely tuned to a
~67% net gain of the initial entanglement generated in the SPDC process.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figure
Experimental polarization encoded quantum key distribution over optical fibres with real-time continuous birefringence compensation
In this paper we demonstrate an active polarization drift compensation scheme
for optical fibres employed in a quantum key distribution experiment with
polarization encoded qubits. The quantum signals are wavelength multiplexed in
one fibre along with two classical optical side channels that provide the
control information for the polarization compensation scheme. This set-up
allows us to continuously track any polarization change without the need to
interrupt the key exchange. The results obtained show that fast polarization
rotations of the order of 40*pi rad/s are effectively compensated for. We
demonstrate that our set-up allows continuous quantum key distribution even in
a fibre stressed by random polarization fluctuations. Our results pave the way
for Bell-state measurements using only linear optics with parties separated by
long-distance optical fibres
Quantum key distribution session with 16-dimensional photonic states
The secure transfer of information is an important problem in modern
telecommunications. Quantum key distribution (QKD) provides a solution to this
problem by using individual quantum systems to generate correlated bits between
remote parties, that can be used to extract a secret key. QKD with
D-dimensional quantum channels provides security advantages that grow with
increasing D. However, the vast majority of QKD implementations has been
restricted to two dimensions. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of using
higher dimensions for real-world quantum cryptography by performing, for the
first time, a fully automated QKD session based on the BB84 protocol with
16-dimensional quantum states. Information is encoded in the single-photon
transverse momentum and the required states are dynamically generated with
programmable spatial light modulators. Our setup paves the way for future
developments in the field of experimental high-dimensional QKD.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure
Long-distance distribution of genuine energy-time entanglement
Any practical realization of entanglement-based quantum communication must be
intrinsically secure and able to span long distances avoiding the need of a
straight line between the communicating parties. The violation of Bell's
inequality offers a method for the certification of quantum links without
knowing the inner workings of the devices. Energy-time entanglement quantum
communication satisfies all these requirements. However, currently there is a
fundamental obstacle with the standard configuration adopted: an intrinsic
geometrical loophole that can be exploited to break the security of the
communication, in addition to other loopholes. Here we show the first
experimental Bell violation with energy-time entanglement distributed over 1 km
of optical fibers that is free of this geometrical loophole. This is achieved
by adopting a new experimental design, and by using an actively stabilized
fiber-based long interferometer. Our results represent an important step
towards long-distance secure quantum communication in optical fibers.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. Matches published versio
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Dynamic multifactor hubs interact transiently with sites of active transcription in Drosophila embryos.
The regulation of transcription requires the coordination of numerous activities on DNA, yet how transcription factors mediate these activities remains poorly understood. Here, we use lattice light-sheet microscopy to integrate single-molecule and high-speed 4D imaging in developing Drosophila embryos to study the nuclear organization and interactions of the key transcription factors Zelda and Bicoid. In contrast to previous studies suggesting stable, cooperative binding, we show that both factors interact with DNA with surprisingly high off-rates. We find that both factors form dynamic subnuclear hubs, and that Bicoid binding is enriched within Zelda hubs. Remarkably, these hubs are both short lived and interact only transiently with sites of active Bicoid-dependent transcription. Based on our observations, we hypothesize that, beyond simply forming bridges between DNA and the transcription machinery, transcription factors can organize other proteins into hubs that transiently drive multiple activities at their gene targets.Editorial noteThis article has been through an editorial process in which the authors decide how to respond to the issues raised during peer review. The Reviewing Editor's assessment is that all the issues have been addressed (see decision letter)
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