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arXiv:1611.04360 · Physical Review A

Limits of the time-multiplexed photon-counting method

Regina Kruse, Johannes Tiedau, Tim J. Bartley, Sonja Barkhofen, Christine Silberhorn

Published Feb 8, 2017• 25 citations
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Abstract

The progress in building large quantum states and networks requires sophisticated detection techniques to verify the desired operation. To achieve this aim, a cost- and resource-efficient detection method is the time multiplexing of photonic states. This design is assumed to be efficiently scalable; however, it is restricted by inevitable losses and limited detection efficiencies. Here, we investigate the scalability of time-multiplexed detectors under the effects of fiber dispersion and losses. We use the distinguishability of Fock states up to $n=20$ after passing the time-multiplexed detector as our figure of merit and find that, for realistic setup efficiencies of $\ensuremath{\eta}=0.85$, the optimal size for time-multiplexed detectors is 256 bins.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.95.023815

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The progress in building large quantum states and networks requires sophisticated detection techniques to verify the desired operation. To achieve this aim, a cost- and resource-efficient detection method is the time multiplexing of photonic states. This design is assumed to be efficiently scalable; however, it is restricted by inevitable losses and limited detection efficiencies. Here, we investigate the scalability of time-multiplexed detectors under the effects of fiber dispersion and losses. We use the distinguishability of Fock states up to n=20n=20n=20 after passing the time-multiplexed detector as our figure of merit and find that, for realistic setup efficiencies of \ensuremathη=0.85\ensuremath{\eta}=0.85\ensuremathη=0.85, the optimal size for time-multiplexed detectors is 256 bins.
Targeting at the realization of scalable photonic quantum technologies, the generation of many photons, their propagation in large optical networks, and a subsequent detection and analysis of sophisticated quantum correlations are essential for the understanding of macroscopic quantum systems. In this experimental contribution, we explore the joint operation of all mentioned ingredients. We benchmark our time-multiplexing framework that includes a high-performance source of multiphoton states and a large multiplexing network, together with unique detectors with high photon-number resolution, readily available for distributing quantum light and measuring complex quantum correlations. Using an adaptive approach that employs flexible time bins, rather than static ones, we successfully verify high-order nonclassical correlations of many photons distributed over many modes. By exploiting the symmetry of our system and using powerful analysis tools, we can analyze correlations that would be inaccessible by classical means otherwise. In particular, we produce on the order of ten photons and distribute them over 64 modes. Nonclassicality is verified with correlation functions up to the 128th order and statistical significances of up to 20 standard deviations.
Targeting at the realization of scalable photonic quantum technologies, the generation of many photons, their propagating in large optical networks, and a subsequent detection and analysis of sophisticated quantum correlations is essential for the understanding of macroscopic quantum systems. In this experimental contribution, we explore the joint operation of all mentioned ingredients. We benchmark our time-multiplexing framework that includes a high-performance source of multi-photon states and a large multiplexing network, together with unique detectors with high photon-number resolution, readily available for distributing quantum light and measuring complex quantum correlations. Using an adaptive approach that employs flexible time bins, rather than static ones, we successfully verify high-order nonclassical correlations of many photons distributed over many modes. By exploiting the symmetry of our system and using powerful analysis tools, we can analyze correlations that would be inaccessible by classical means otherwise. In particular, we produce in the order of ten photons and distribute them over sixty-four modes. Nonclassicality is verified with correlation functions up to the one hundred and twenty-eighth order and statistical significances of up to twenty standard deviations.
The ultimate goal of quantum information science is to build a global quantum network, which enables quantum resources to be distributed and shared between remote parties. Such a quantum network can be realized using only fiber elements, thus deriving the advantages of low transmission loss, low cost, scalability, and integrability through mature fiber communication techniques such as dense wavelength division multiplexing. Hence high-quality entangled-photon sources based on fibers are in high demand. Here we report multiplexed polarization- and time-bin-entangled photon-pair sources based on the dispersion-shifted fiber operating at room temperature. The associated high quality of entanglement is characterized using interference, Bell’s inequality, and quantum state tomography. The simultaneous presence of both types of entanglement in multi-channel pairs of a 100-GHz dense wavelength division multiplexing device indicates a great capacity in distributing entangled photons over multiple users. Our design provides a versatile platform and takes a big step toward constructing an all-fiber quantum network.
Deterministic generation of single- and multiphoton states is a key requirement for large-scale optical quantum information and communication applications. While heralded single-photon sources (HSPSs) using nonlinear optical processes have enabled proof-of-principle demonstrations in this area of research, they are not scalable as their probabilistic nature severely limits their generation efficiency. We overcome this limitation by demonstrating a substantial improvement in HSPS efficiency via large-scale time multiplexing. Using an ultra-low loss, adjustable optical delay to multiplex 40 conventional HSPS photon generation processes into each operation cycle, we have observed a factor of 9.7(5) enhancement in efficiency, yielding a 66.7(24)% probability of collecting a single photon with high indistinguishability (90%) into a single-mode fiber per cycle. We also experimentally investigate the trade-off between a high single-photon probability and unwanted multiphoton emission. Upgrading our time-multiplexed source with state-of-the-art HSPS and single-photon detector technologies will enable the generation of >30 coincident photons with unprecedented efficiency.
The ultimate goal of quantum information science is to build a global quantum network, which enables quantum resources to be distributed and shared between remote parties. Such a quantum network can be realized using only fiber elements, thus deriving the advantages of low transmission loss, low cost, scalability, and integrability through mature fiber communication techniques such as dense wavelength division multiplexing. Hence high-quality entangled-photon sources based on fibers are in high demand. Here we report multiplexed polarization- and time-bin-entangled photon-pair sources based on the dispersion-shifted fiber operating at room temperature. The associated high quality of entanglement is characterized using interference, Bell's inequality, and quantum state tomography. The simultaneous presence of both types of entanglement in multichannel pairs of a 100-GHz dense wavelength division multiplexing device indicates a great capacity in distributing entangled photons over multiple users. Our design provides a versatile platform and takes a big step toward constructing an all-fiber quantum network.
Although some non-trivial photon number resolving detectors exist, it may still be convenient to discriminate photon number states with the method of multiplexed detection. Multiplexing can be performed with paths in real space, with paths in time, and in principle with any degree of freedom that has a sufficient number of eigenstates and that can be coupled to the photon number. Previous works have addressed the probabilities involved in these measurements with Monte Carlo simulations, or by restricting the number of detectors to powers of 2, or without including quantum efficiency or noise. In this work we find an analytical expression of the detection probabilities for any number of input photons and any number of on/off photon detectors with a quantum efficiency 0%≤η≤100%0\%\leqη\leq100\%0%≤η≤100% and a false count probability ε≥0\varepsilon\geq0ε≥0. This allows us to retrodict the number of photons that we had at the input in the least unbiased way possible. We conclude our work with some examples.