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arXiv:1203.3396 · Physical Review A

Heralded photon amplification for quantum communication

Clara I. Osorio, Natalia Bruno, Nicolas Sangouard, Hugo Zbinden, Nicolas Gisin, Rob Thew

Published Aug 8, 2012• 102 citations
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Abstract

Heralded noiseless amplification based on single-photon sources and linear optics is ideally suited for long-distance quantum communication tasks based on discrete variables. We experimentally demonstrate such an amplifier, operating at telecommunication wavelengths. Coherent amplification is performed with a gain of $G=1.98\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.20$ for a state with a maximum expected gain $G=2$. We also demonstrate that there is no need for a stable phase reference between the initial signal state and the local auxiliary photons used by the amplifier. We discuss these results in the context of experimental device-independent quantum key distribution based on heralded qubit amplification, and we highlight several key challenges for its realization.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.86.023815

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Heralded noiseless amplification based on single-photon sources and linear optics is ideally suited for long-distance quantum communication tasks based on discrete variables. We experimentally demonstrate such an amplifier, operating at telecommunication wavelengths. Coherent amplification is performed with a gain of G=1.98\ifmmode±\else\textpm\fi0.20G=1.98\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.20G=1.98\ifmmode±\else\textpm\fi0.20 for a state with a maximum expected gain G=2G=2G=2. We also demonstrate that there is no need for a stable phase reference between the initial signal state and the local auxiliary photons used by the amplifier. We discuss these results in the context of experimental device-independent quantum key distribution based on heralded qubit amplification, and we highlight several key challenges for its realization.
Heralded noiseless amplification of photons has recently been shown to provide a means to overcome losses in complex quantum communication tasks. In particular, to overcome transmission losses that could allow for the violation of a Bell inequality free from the detection loophole, for device independent quantum key distribution (DI-QKD). Several implementations of a heralded photon amplifier have been proposed and the first proof of principle experiments realized. Here we present the first full characterization of such a device to test its functional limits and potential for DI-QKD. This device is tested at telecom wavelengths and is shown to be capable of overcoming losses corresponding to a transmission through 20 km of single mode telecom fibre. We demonstrate heralded photon amplifier with a gain >100 and a heralding probability >83%, required by DI-QKD protocols that use the Clauser–Horne–Shimony–Holt inequality. The heralded photon amplifier clearly represents a key technology for the realization of DI-QKD in the real world and over typical network distances.
We demonstrate postselection free heralded qubit amplification for Time-Bin qubits and single photon states in an all-fibre, telecom-wavelength, scheme that highlights the simplicity, stability and potential for fully integrated photonic solutions. Exploiting high-efficiency superconducting detectors, the gain, fidelity and the performance of the amplifier are studied as a function of loss. We also demonstrate the first heralded single photon amplifier with independent sources. This provides a significant advance towards demonstrating device-independent quantum key distribution as well as fundamental tests of quantum mechanics over extended distances.
The viability of quantum communication schemes rely on sending quantum states of light over long distances.However, transmission loss can degrade the signal strength, adding noise.Heralded noiseless amplification of a quantum signal can provide a solution by enabling longer direct transmission distances and by enabling entanglement distillation.The central idea of heralded noiseless amplification-a conditional modification of the probability distribution over photon number of an optical quantum state-is suggestive of a parallel with weak measurement: in a weak measurement, learning partial information about an observable leads to a conditional back-action of a commensurate size.Here we experimentally investigate the application of weak, or variable-strength, measurements to the task of heralded amplification, by using a quantum logic gate to weakly couple a small single-optical-mode quantum state (the signal) to an ancilla photon (the meter).The weak measurement is carried out by choosing the measurement basis of the meter photon and, by conditioning on the meter outcomes, the signal is amplified.We characterise the gain of the amplifier as a function of the measurement strength, and use interferometric methods to show that the operation preserves the coherence of the signal.
Due to the pervasive nature of decoherence, protection of quantum information during transmission is of critical importance for any quantum network. A linear amplifier that can enhance quantum signals stronger than their associated noise while preserving quantum coherence is therefore of great use. This seemingly unphysical amplifier property is achievable for a class of probabilistic amplifiers that does not work deterministically. Here we present a linear amplification scheme that realises this property for coherent states by combining a heralded measurement-based noiseless linear amplifier and a deterministic linear amplifier. The concatenation of two amplifiers introduces the flexibility that allows one to tune between the regimes of high-gain or high noise-reduction, and control the trade-off of these performances against a finite heralding probability. We demonstrate an amplification signal transfer coefficient of Ts>1\mathcal{T}_s > 1Ts​>1 with no statistical distortion of the output state. By partially relaxing the demand of output Gaussianity, we can obtain further improvement to achieve a Ts=2.55±0.08\mathcal{T}_s = 2.55 \pm 0.08Ts​=2.55±0.08. Our amplification scheme only relies on linear optics and post-selection algorithm. We discuss the potential of using this amplifier as a building block in extending the distance of quantum communication.