High-dimensional quantum units of information, or qudits, can carry more than one quantum bit of information in a single degree of freedom and can, therefore, be used to boost the performance of quantum communication and quantum computation protocols. A photon in a superposition of 2N time bins—a time-bin qudit—contains as much information as N qubits. Here, we show that N-qubit states encoded in a single time-bin qudit can be arbitrarily and deterministically generated, manipulated, and measured using a number of linear optics elements that scale linearly with N, as opposed to prior proposals of single-qudit implementation of N-qubit logic, which typically requires O(2N) elements. The simple and cost-effective implementation we propose can be used as a small-scale quantum processor. We then demonstrate a path toward scalability by interfacing distinct qudit processors to a matter qubit (atom or quantum dot spin) in an optical resonator. Such a cavity quantum electrodynamics system allows for more advanced functionalities, such as single-qubit nondemolition measurement and two-qubit gates between distinct qudits. It could also enable quantum interfaces with other matter quantum nodes in the context of quantum networks and distributed quantum computing.
High-dimensional quantum units of information, or qudits, can carry more than one quantum bit of information in a single degree of freedom and can, therefore, be used to boost the performance of quantum communication and quantum computation protocols. A photon in a superposition of 2N time bins—a time-bin qudit—contains as much information as N qubits. Here, we show that N-qubit states encoded in a single time-bin qudit can be arbitrarily and deterministically generated, manipulated, and measured using a number of linear optics elements that scale linearly with N, as opposed to prior proposals of single-qudit implementation of N-qubit logic, which typically requires O(2N) elements. The simple and cost-effective implementation we propose can be used as a small-scale quantum processor. We then demonstrate a path toward scalability by interfacing distinct qudit processors to a matter qubit (atom or quantum dot spin) in an optical resonator. Such a cavity quantum electrodynamics system allows for more advanced functionalities, such as single-qubit nondemolition measurement and two-qubit gates between distinct qudits. It could also enable quantum interfaces with other matter quantum nodes in the context of quantum networks and distributed quantum computing.
Compared with other physical platforms for Quantum Information Processing (QIP), photons have the unique advantages of travelling over free-space links or optical fiber with relatively low decoherence and of propagating with minimal coupling to the environment, while also being easily coupled to existing telecommunications technology. The R&D of various single photon and entangled photon generation technologies and the linear-optical implementations of quantum computation and communication are now surveyed and analyzed in a structured manner. We discuss photonic qubit degrees of freedom (polarization, time-bin, path, frequency and Orbital angular momentum), determine sources such as deterministic quantum-dot based sources and probabilistic sources based on spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC), and review architectures for Linear Optical Quantum Computation (LOQC), such as the Knill–Laflamme–Milburn (KLM) protocol and measurement-based quantum computation. Building on the density-matrix treatment of biexciton–exciton coherent dynamics in semiconductor quantum dots, we recapitulate the development of two-pulse coherent control schemes for generation and readout of photonic qubits in these systems and how they have been stretched towards optical control of logic gates. A comparative performance framework is established along the lines of source brightness, entanglement fidelity, photon indistinguishability, channel loss and scalability, which is illustrated by simulated performance plots and tabulated against literature numbers. Remaining hurdles in the field regarding issues of photon loss, scalable multiplexing, deterministic two-qubit interaction, and its integration with a quantum memory are highlighted and a perspective is provided on hybrid photonic–matter architectures for fault-tolerant quantum networks.
Implementing quantum logic gates with linear optical elements is a key approach in photon-based quantum information processing (QIP) due to its operational convenience and experimental flexibility. The adoption of high-dimensional (H-D) quantum computing with qudit encoding over conventional 2-D qubit encoding offers higher information encoding capability. In this paper, we present a linear-optics-based two-qudit 4×4-D (16-D) controlled-SUM (CSUM) gate for photon systems, where the polarization degrees of freedom (DoFs) of two photons encode the 4-D control qudit and the polarization and spatial DoFs of another single photon encode the 4-D target qudit. The 16-D CSUM gate demonstrates an efficiency of 1/243 and a theoretical average fidelity of 0.98395. Additionally, the H-D CSUM gate neither requires ancillary photons and pre-shared entanglement nor presents complex quantum circuits, thus significantly reducing the experimental overhead and enhancing its feasibility with current technology.
Photons can carry quantum information not only in two-level systems (qubits) but also in d-level systems known as qudits. A single photon distributed across d optical modes can encode up to log2(d) qubits of information, allowing for more efficient use of quantum resources and increased resilience to noise. This advantage, however, comes at a price: implementing quantum gates and performing measurements in high-dimensional Hilbert spaces is significantly more demanding than in the qubit case. To tackle these challenges, I will present our recent work developing new protocols and optical hardware that enable quantum communication and computation with high-dimensional qudits encoded in the temporal or spatial modes of single and entangled photons. I will discuss our experimental implementations of quantum key distribution using weak coherent pulses [Sulimany et al., NPJ Quantum Information 11, 16 (2025)], single photons from quantum dots [Halevi et al., Optica Quantum 2, 351 (2024)], and entangled photon pairs [Lib et al., Optica Quantum 3, 182 (2025)]. In the latter, we demonstrated projective measurements in two mutually unbiased bases for d=25 using a multi-plane light converter (MPLC). I will also show how the same MPLC platform can be used to perform elementary operations in measurement-based quantum computation with high-dimensional cluster states [Lib and Bromberg, Nat. Photonics 18, 1218 (2024)]. Throughout the talk, I will discuss the tradeoffs between qubit- and qudit-based approaches and highlight the regimes where high-dimensional systems offer a practical advantage.
Abstract Advances in quantum information science are closely related to our ability to prepare, manipulate, and measure the states of multiple quantum bits (qubits). To this end, quantum gates are the key components by which specific operations over individual and multiple qubits are implemented. In the context of quantum optics, qubits can be encoded in any degree of freedom of a multi-photon state, e.g. polarization, frequency or spatial configuration. The faithful reciprocal exchange of information between two qubits, a so-called SWAP, is one of the fundamental operations that underpin modern quantum architectures. Here, we present a novel method realizing multiple-qubit SWAP operations over several qubits, without relying on any other gates, in an integrated-photonic setting. In principle, our approach allows for the implementation of SWAP operations with unity efficiency regardless of the number of involved qubits. Further, we discuss how this approach can be applied to qudits. Our findings provide a powerful new functional element for the design of compact quantum-photonic circuitry.
High-dimensional photon states (qudits) are pivotal to enhance the information capacity, noise robustness, and data rates of quantum communications. Time-bin entangled qudits are promising candidates for implementing high-dimensional quantum communications over optical fiber networks with processing rates approaching those of classical telecommunications. However, their use is hindered by phase instability, timing inaccuracy, and low scalability of interferometric schemes needed for time-bin processing. As well, increasing the number of time bins per photon state typically requires decreasing the repetition rate of the system, affecting in turn the effective qudit rates. Here, we demonstrate a fiber-pigtailed, integrated photonic platform enabling the generation and processing of picosecond-spaced time-bin entangled qudits in the telecommunication C band via an on-chip interferometry system. We experimentally demonstrate the Bennett-Brassard-Mermin 1992 quantum key distribution protocol with time-bin entangled qudits and extend it over a 60 km-long optical fiber link, by showing dimensionality scaling without sacrificing the repetition rate. Our approach enables the manipulation of time-bin entangled qudits at processing speeds typical of standard telecommunications (10 s of GHz) with high quantum information capacity per single frequency channel, representing an important step towards an efficient implementation of high-data rate quantum communications in standard, multi-user optical fiber networks.
The use of higher-dimensional photonic encodings (qudits) instead of two-dimensional encodings (qubits) can improve the loss tolerance and reduce the computational resources of photonic-based quantum information processing. To harness this potential, efficient schemes for entangling operations such as the high-dimensional generalization of a linear optics Bell measurement will be required. We show how an efficient high-dimensional entangled state analyzer can be implemented with a linear optics interferometer and auxiliary photonic states. The degree of entanglement of the auxiliary state is much less than in previous protocols as quantified by an exponentially smaller Schmidt rank. In addition, the auxiliary state only occupies a single spatial mode, allowing it to be generated deterministically from a single quantum emitter coupled to a small qubit register. The reduced complexity of the auxiliary states results in a high robustness to imperfections and we show that auxiliary states with fidelities above 0.9 for qudit dimensions 4 can be generated in the presence of qubit error rates on the order of 10%. This paves the way for experimental demonstrations with current hardware.