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arXiv:2109.06823 · Optica

Quantum violation of local causality in an urban network using hybrid photonic technologies

Gonzalo Carvacho, Emanuele Roccia, Mauro Valeri, Francesco Basso Basset, Davide Poderini, Claudio Pardo, Emanuele Polino, Lorenzo Carosini, Michele B. Rota, Julia Neuwirth, Saimon Filipe Covre da Silva, Armando Rastelli, Nicolò Spagnolo, Rafael Chaves, Rinaldo Trotta, Fabio Sciarrino

Published Apr 7, 2022• 15 citations
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Abstract

Quantum networks play a crucial role in distributed quantum information processing, enabling the establishment of entanglement and quantum communication among distant nodes. Fundamentally, networks with independent sources allow for new forms of nonlocality, beyond the paradigmatic Bell’s theorem. Here we implement the simplest of such networks—the bilocality scenario—in an urban network connecting different buildings with a fully scalable and hybrid approach. Two independent sources using different technologies—a quantum dot and a nonlinear crystal—are used to share a photonic entangled state among three nodes connected through a 270 m free-space channel and fiber links. By violating a suitable nonlinear Bell inequality, we demonstrate the nonlocal behavior of the correlations among the nodes of the network. Our results pave the way towards the realization of more complex networks and the implementation of quantum communication protocols in an urban environment, leveraging the capabilities of hybrid photonic technologies.

DOI
10.1364/optica.451523

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Quantum networks play a crucial role in distributed quantum information processing, enabling the establishment of entanglement and quantum communication among distant nodes. Fundamentally, networks with independent sources allow for new forms of nonlocality, beyond the paradigmatic Bell’s theorem. Here we implement the simplest of such networks—the bilocality scenario—in an urban network connecting different buildings with a fully scalable and hybrid approach. Two independent sources using different technologies—a quantum dot and a nonlinear crystal—are used to share a photonic entangled state among three nodes connected through a 270 m free-space channel and fiber links. By violating a suitable nonlinear Bell inequality, we demonstrate the nonlocal behavior of the correlations among the nodes of the network. Our results pave the way towards the realization of more complex networks and the implementation of quantum communication protocols in an urban environment, leveraging the capabilities of hybrid photonic technologies.
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The prospect of quantum networks is pushing technical advances in entangled photon generation, and different solutions have now the potential to coexist. After reviewing the development that led to implement entanglement-based quantum key distribution using a quantum dot—a technology motivated by the goal of on-demand operation—in an urban free-space optical link, we present its extension to a three-node quantum network including a source based on spontaneous parametric down conversion. Using separable measurements, we combine intrinsically independent sources to demonstrate a significant violation of a Bell-like inequality associated to nonlocal correlations in a tripartite hybrid network.
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Bell nonlocality refers to correlations between two distant, entangled particles that challenge classical notions of local causality. Beyond its foundational significance, nonlocality is crucial for device-independent technologies like quantum key distribution and randomness generation. Nonlocality quickly deteriorates in the presence of noise, and restoring nonlocal correlations requires additional resources. These often come in the form of many instances of the input state and joint measurements, incurring a significant resource overhead. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that single copies of Bell-local states, incapable of violating any standard Bell inequality, can give rise to nonlocality after being embedded into a quantum network of multiple parties. We subject the initial entangled state to a quantum channel that broadcasts part of the state to two independent receivers and certify the nonlocality in the resulting network by violating a tailored Bell-like inequality. We obtain these results without making any assumptions about the prepared states, the quantum channel, or the validity of quantum theory. Our findings have fundamental implications for nonlocality and enable the practical use of nonlocal correlations in real-world applications, even in scenarios dominated by noise.
Nonlocal correlation plays an important role in device independent quantum information processing. The standard Bell nonlocality has been well studied with single local hidden variables, however the nonlocal correlations in general networks with several independent quantum sources and distant observers have been far less explored. Here, by using three independent entangled photon sources and recently constructed nonlinear Bell inequalities, we experimentally test the nonlocal correlations in the network scenario with different topologies. The violation of the inequalities can be obtained simply with separate measurements, which is much more favourable from the practical point of view. Our experiment results show a violation as 0.7779±0.0093 for the star network, and 0.7303±0.0024 for the chain network. Furthermore, we demonstrate that more measurement settings for each observer can bound more information against an eavesdropper.