Quantum detector tomography of a superconducting nanostrip photon-number-resolving detector

Nonlinear feedforward enabling quantum computation

Measurement-based quantum computation with optical time-domain multiplexing is a promising method to realize a quantum computer from the viewpoint of scalability. Fault tolerance and universality are also realizable by preparing appropriate resource quantum states and electro-optical feedforward that is altered based on measurement results. While linear feedforward has been realized and become a common experimental technique, nonlinear feedforward was unrealized until now. In this paper, we demonstrate that a fast and flexible nonlinear feedforward realizes the essential measurement required for fault-tolerant and universal quantum computation. Using non-Gaussian ancillary states, we observed 10% reduction of the measurement excess noise relative to classical vacuum ancilla.

Non-Gaussian quantum state generation by multi-photon subtraction at the telecommunication wavelength

In the field of continuous-variable quantum information processing, non-Gaussian states with negative values of the Wigner function are crucial for the development of a fault-tolerant universal quantum computer. While several non-Gaussian states have been generated experimentally, none have been created using ultrashort optical wave packets, which are necessary for high-speed quantum computation, in the telecommunication wavelength band where mature optical communication technology is available. In this paper, we present the generation of non-Gaussian states on wave packets with a short 8-ps duration in the 1545.32 nm telecommunication wavelength band using photon subtraction up to three photons. We used a low-loss, quasi-single spatial mode waveguide optical parametric amplifier, a superconducting transition edge sensor, and a phase-locked pulsed homodyne measurement system to observe negative values of the Wigner function without loss correction up to three-photon subtraction. These results can be extended to the generation of more complicated non-Gaussian states and are a key technology in the pursuit of high-speed optical quantum computation.

Taming numerical errors in simulations of continuous variable non-Gaussian state preparation

Numerical simulation of continuous variable quantum state preparation is a necessary tool for optimization of existing quantum information processing protocols. A powerful instrument for such simulation is the numerical computation in the Fock state representation. It unavoidably uses an approximation of the infinite-dimensional Fock space by finite complex vector spaces implementable with classical digital computers. In this approximation we analyze the accuracy of several currently available methods for computation of the truncated coherent displacement operator. To overcome their limitations we propose an alternative with improved accuracy based on the standard matrix exponential. We then employ the method in analysis of non-Gaussian state preparation scheme based on coherent displacement of a two mode squeezed vacuum with subsequent photon counting measurement. We compare different detection mechanisms, including avalanche photodiodes, their cascades, and photon number resolving detectors in the context of engineering non-linearly squeezed cubic states and construction of qubit-like superpositions between vacuum and single photon states.

Efficient Backcasting Search for Optical Quantum State Synthesis

Non-Gaussian states are essential for many optical quantum technologies. The so-called optical quantum state synthesizer (OQSS), consisting of Gaussian input states, linear optics, and photon-number resolving detectors, is a promising method for non-Gaussian state preparation. However, an inevitable and crucial problem is the complexity of the numerical simulation of the state preparation on a classical computer. This problem makes it very challenging to generate important non-Gaussian states required for advanced quantum information processing. Thus, an efficient method to design OQSS circuits is highly desirable. To circumvent the problem, we offer a scheme employing a backcasting approach, where the circuit of OQSS is divided into some sublayers, and we simulate the OQSS backwards from final to first layers. Moreover, our results show that the detected photon number by each detector is at most 2, which can significantly reduce the requirements for the photon-number resolving detector. By virtue of the potential for the preparation of a wide variety of non-Gaussian states, the proposed OQSS can be a key ingredient in general optical quantum information processing.

Reducing g(2)(0) of a parametric down-conversion source via photon-number resolution with superconducting nanowire detectors

Multiphoton contributions pose a significant challenge for the realisation of heralded single-photon sources (HSPS) based on nonlinear processes. In this work, we improve the quality of single photons generated in this way by harnessing the photon-number resolving (PNR) capabilities of commercial superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs). We report a 13 ± 0.4% reduction of g⁽²⁾(τ = 0), even with a collection efficiency in the photon source of only 29.6%. Our work demonstrates the first application of the PNR capabilities of SNSPDs and shows improvement in the quality of an HSPS with widely available technology.

Single-shot discrimination of coherent states beyond the standard quantum limit

The discrimination of coherent states is a key task in optical communication and quantum key distribution protocols. In this work, we use a photon-number-resolving detector, the transition-edge sensor, to discriminate binary-phase-shifted coherent states at a telecom wavelength. Owing to its dynamic range and high efficiency, we achieve a bit error probability that unconditionally exceeds the standard quantum limit (SQL) by up to 7.7 dB. The improvement to the SQL persists for signals containing up to approximately seven photons on average and is achieved in a single shot (i.e., without measurement feedback), thus making our approach compatible with larger bandwidths.