Gianfelici G, Mancini S. Quantum channels from reflections on moving mirrors.
Sci Rep 2017;
7:15747. [PMID:
29147001 PMCID:
PMC5691070 DOI:
10.1038/s41598-017-15578-0]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Light reflection on a mirror can be thought as a simple physical effect. However if this happens when the mirror moves a rich scenario opens up. Here we aim at analyzing it from a quantum communication perspective. In particular, we study the kind of quantum channel that arises from (Gaussian) light reflection upon an accelerating mirror. Two competing mechanisms emerge in such a context, namely photons production by the mirror's motion and interference between modes. As consequence we find out a quantum amplifier channel and quantum lossy channel respectively below and above a threshold frequency (that depends on parameters determining mirror's acceleration). Exactly at the threshold frequency the channel behaves like a purely classical additive channel, while it becomes purely erasure for large frequencies. In addition the time behavior of the channel is analyzed by employing wave packets expansion of the light field.
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