Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1702.05209 · Physical Review A

Generating entanglement with linear optics

Stasja Stanisic, Noah Linden, Ashley Montanaro, Peter S. Turner

Published Oct 26, 2017• 21 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Entanglement is the basic building block of linear optical quantum computation, and as such understanding how to generate it in detail is of great importance for optical architectures. We prove that Bell states cannot be generated using only three photons in the dual-rail encoding, and give strong numerical evidence for the optimality of the existing four photon schemes. In a setup with a single photon in each input mode, we find a fundamental limit on the possible entanglement between a single mode Alice and arbitrary Bob. We investigate and compare other setups aimed at characterizing entanglement in settings more general than dual-rail encoding. The results draw attention to the trade-off between the entanglement a state has and the probability of postselecting that state, which can give surprising constant bounds on entanglement even with increasing numbers of photons.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.96.043861

Related papers

Compact linear optical scheme for Bell state generation

Suren A. Fldzhyan, M. Yu. Saygin, S. P. Kulik

The capability of linear optics to generate entangled states is exploited in photonic quantum information processing, however, it is challenging to obtain entangled logical qubit states. We report, to the best of our knowledge, the most compact scheme producing the dual-rail-encoded Bell states out of four single photons. Our scheme requires a five-mode interferometer and a single photon detector, while the previously known schemes use six-mode interferometers and two photon detectors. Using computer optimization, we have found a decomposition of the five-mode interferometer with a minimum number of beam splitters and phase-shift elements. Besides compactness, our scheme also offers a success probability of $1/9$, which is higher than $2/27$ provided by the six-mode counterparts. The analysis suggests that the elevated success probability is connected to a higher order of photon interference realized by our scheme, in particular, four-photon interference is implemented in our scheme, while three-photon interference was implemented in previous counterparts.

arXiv:2105.06306•Physical Review Research•Oct 13, 2021•20 citations

Creation of Entangled Photonic States Using Linear Optics

Sara Bartolucci, Patrick M. Birchall, Mercedes Gimeno-Segovia +7 more

Using only linear optical elements, the creation of dual-rail photonic entangled states is inherently probabilistic. Known entanglement generation schemes have low success probabilities, requiring large-scale multiplexing to achieve near-deterministic operation of quantum information processing protocols. In this paper, we introduce multiple techniques and methods to generate photonic entangled states with high probability, which have the potential to reduce the footprint of Linear Optical Quantum Computing (LOQC) architectures drastically. Most notably, we are showing how to improve Bell state preparation from four single photons to up to p=2/3, boost Type-I fusion to 75% with a dual-rail Bell state ancilla and improve Type-II fusion beyond the limits of Bell state discrimination.

arXiv:2106.13825•Jun 25, 2021•18 citations

Flexible entangled-state generation in linear optics

Brendan Pankovich, Alex Neville, Angus Kan +3 more

Entangled dual-rail photonic qubit states are important resource states for measurement-based and fusion-based quantum computing. However, their generation is highly challenging due to the probabilistic nature of entangling operations. Here, the authors introduce a formalism using ZX diagrams to design linear optical systems that can generate entangled multiqubit states of dual-rail photonic qubits. This formalism makes it easier to compare methods for creating a desired photonic state and to find the most optimal one.

arXiv:2310.06832•Physical Review A•Sep 4, 2024•10 citations

No-go theorem for passive single-rail linear optical quantum computing

Lian-Ao Wu, Philip John Walther, Daniel A. Lidar

Photonic quantum systems are among the most promising architectures for quantum computers. It is well known that for dual-rail photons effective non-linearities and near-deterministic non-trivial two-qubit gates can be achieved via the measurement process and by introducing ancillary photons. While in principle this opens a legitimate path to scalable linear optical quantum computing, the technical requirements are still very challenging and thus other optical encodings are being actively investigated. One of the alternatives is to use single-rail encoded photons, where entangled states can be deterministically generated. Here we prove that even for such systems universal optical quantum computing using only passive optical elements such as beam splitters and phase shifters is not possible. This no-go theorem proves that photon bunching cannot be passively suppressed even when extra ancilla modes and arbitrary number of photons are used. Our result provides useful guidance for the design of optical quantum computers.

arXiv:1107.4646•Jul 23, 2011•0 citations

No-go theorem for passive single-rail linear optical quantum computing

Lian-Ao Wu, Philip John Walther, Daniel A. Lidar

Photonic quantum systems are among the most promising architectures for quantum computers. It is well known that for dual-rail photons effective non-linearities and near-deterministic non-trivial two-qubit gates can be achieved via the measurement process and by introducing ancillary photons. While in principle this opens a legitimate path to scalable linear optical quantum computing, the technical requirements are still very challenging and thus other optical encodings are being actively investigated. One of the alternatives is to use single-rail encoded photons, where entangled states can be deterministically generated. Here we prove that even for such systems universal optical quantum computing using only passive optical elements such as beam splitters and phase shifters is not possible. This no-go theorem proves that photon bunching cannot be passively suppressed even when extra ancilla modes and arbitrary number of photons are used. Our result provides useful guidance for the design of optical quantum computers.

Scientific Reports•Mar 6, 2013•16 citations

Generation and evaluation of entanglement between two multi-photon systems using single photon sources and linear optics

Jun-Yi Wu, Holger Friedrich Hofmann

Single photon sources can be used to generate and control highly non-classical states of light. Here, we consider the possibility of generating bi-partite entanglement between two separate multi-photon states by splitting the input modes of the single photon sources into a mode distributed to $A$ and a mode distributed to $B$. If multiple photons are combined at $A$ and at $B$, the large variety of photon patterns observed after linear optics transformations of the local multi-mode systems can be used to characterize the non-classical correlation of this entangled state. However, the transformation between different photon number states in linear optics is a complicated problem, and further analysis is needed to understand the possible applications of this scalable quantum system. To obtain maximal complementarity between two measurements, we consider the unbiased interference of all input modes represented by a discrete Fourier transform of the multi-mode field. We identify characteristic patterns that can be used to identify non-classical correlations between the two multi-photon systems at $A$ and $B$ and derive a quantitative criterion for entanglement verification. Our results indicate that the large scale quantum operations can be achieved by a comparatively simple quantum network interfering the outputs of multiple single photons, where the size of the system mainly depends on the number of available single photon sources.

•Sep 8, 2016•0 citations
Entanglement is the basic building block of linear optical quantum computation, and as such understanding how to generate it in detail is of great importance for optical architectures. We prove that Bell states cannot be generated using only three photons in the dual-rail encoding, and give strong numerical evidence for the optimality of the existing four photon schemes. In a setup with a single photon in each input mode, we find a fundamental limit on the possible entanglement between a single mode Alice and arbitrary Bob. We investigate and compare other setups aimed at characterizing entanglement in settings more general than dual-rail encoding. The results draw attention to the trade-off between the entanglement a state has and the probability of postselecting that state, which can give surprising constant bounds on entanglement even with increasing numbers of photons.
The capability of linear optics to generate entangled states is exploited in photonic quantum information processing, however, it is challenging to obtain entangled logical qubit states. We report, to the best of our knowledge, the most compact scheme producing the dual-rail-encoded Bell states out of four single photons. Our scheme requires a five-mode interferometer and a single photon detector, while the previously known schemes use six-mode interferometers and two photon detectors. Using computer optimization, we have found a decomposition of the five-mode interferometer with a minimum number of beam splitters and phase-shift elements. Besides compactness, our scheme also offers a success probability of 1/91/91/9, which is higher than 2/272/272/27 provided by the six-mode counterparts. The analysis suggests that the elevated success probability is connected to a higher order of photon interference realized by our scheme, in particular, four-photon interference is implemented in our scheme, while three-photon interference was implemented in previous counterparts.
Using only linear optical elements, the creation of dual-rail photonic entangled states is inherently probabilistic. Known entanglement generation schemes have low success probabilities, requiring large-scale multiplexing to achieve near-deterministic operation of quantum information processing protocols. In this paper, we introduce multiple techniques and methods to generate photonic entangled states with high probability, which have the potential to reduce the footprint of Linear Optical Quantum Computing (LOQC) architectures drastically. Most notably, we are showing how to improve Bell state preparation from four single photons to up to p=2/3, boost Type-I fusion to 75% with a dual-rail Bell state ancilla and improve Type-II fusion beyond the limits of Bell state discrimination.
Entangled dual-rail photonic qubit states are important resource states for measurement-based and fusion-based quantum computing. However, their generation is highly challenging due to the probabilistic nature of entangling operations. Here, the authors introduce a formalism using ZX diagrams to design linear optical systems that can generate entangled multiqubit states of dual-rail photonic qubits. This formalism makes it easier to compare methods for creating a desired photonic state and to find the most optimal one.
Photonic quantum systems are among the most promising architectures for quantum computers. It is well known that for dual-rail photons effective non-linearities and near-deterministic non-trivial two-qubit gates can be achieved via the measurement process and by introducing ancillary photons. While in principle this opens a legitimate path to scalable linear optical quantum computing, the technical requirements are still very challenging and thus other optical encodings are being actively investigated. One of the alternatives is to use single-rail encoded photons, where entangled states can be deterministically generated. Here we prove that even for such systems universal optical quantum computing using only passive optical elements such as beam splitters and phase shifters is not possible. This no-go theorem proves that photon bunching cannot be passively suppressed even when extra ancilla modes and arbitrary number of photons are used. Our result provides useful guidance for the design of optical quantum computers.
Photonic quantum systems are among the most promising architectures for quantum computers. It is well known that for dual-rail photons effective non-linearities and near-deterministic non-trivial two-qubit gates can be achieved via the measurement process and by introducing ancillary photons. While in principle this opens a legitimate path to scalable linear optical quantum computing, the technical requirements are still very challenging and thus other optical encodings are being actively investigated. One of the alternatives is to use single-rail encoded photons, where entangled states can be deterministically generated. Here we prove that even for such systems universal optical quantum computing using only passive optical elements such as beam splitters and phase shifters is not possible. This no-go theorem proves that photon bunching cannot be passively suppressed even when extra ancilla modes and arbitrary number of photons are used. Our result provides useful guidance for the design of optical quantum computers.
Single photon sources can be used to generate and control highly non-classical states of light. Here, we consider the possibility of generating bi-partite entanglement between two separate multi-photon states by splitting the input modes of the single photon sources into a mode distributed to AAA and a mode distributed to BBB. If multiple photons are combined at AAA and at BBB, the large variety of photon patterns observed after linear optics transformations of the local multi-mode systems can be used to characterize the non-classical correlation of this entangled state. However, the transformation between different photon number states in linear optics is a complicated problem, and further analysis is needed to understand the possible applications of this scalable quantum system. To obtain maximal complementarity between two measurements, we consider the unbiased interference of all input modes represented by a discrete Fourier transform of the multi-mode field. We identify characteristic patterns that can be used to identify non-classical correlations between the two multi-photon systems at AAA and BBB and derive a quantitative criterion for entanglement verification. Our results indicate that the large scale quantum operations can be achieved by a comparatively simple quantum network interfering the outputs of multiple single photons, where the size of the system mainly depends on the number of available single photon sources.