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arXiv:2602.01272

Discord-Enabled Teleportation-Inspired Optical Imaging at a Distance

Zilin Chen, Weiqian Shu, Xiaodong Qiu, Yangjian Cai, Lixiang Chen

Published Feb 1, 2026• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

In quantum teleportation, a pair of entangled photons are prerequisite to serve as the quantum channel for quantum state transfer distantly. Here, we report a new strategy of quantum-teleportation-inspired classical optical imaging, which also works non-locally at a distance; however, only a classically correlated light source is used instead of entanglement. In our experiment, we explore the pseudo-thermal light source to offer the teleportation-like channel and employ the sum-frequency generation to perform the Bell-like state measurement. We successfully demonstrate the teleportation-inspired optical imaging of simple characters, Taiji diagram, and the superposition of orbital angular momentum modes. Moreover, we experimentally observe that a better coherence of pseudo-thermal light will result in a lower contrast of the formed images, and thus revealing that non-zero quantum discord offered by pseudo-thermal light, regardless of zero entanglement, plays the pivotal role in sustaining the teleportation-like channel for imaging at a distance.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2602.01272

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In quantum teleportation, a pair of entangled photons are prerequisite to serve as the quantum channel for quantum state transfer distantly. Here, we report a new strategy of quantum-teleportation-inspired classical optical imaging, which also works non-locally at a distance; however, only a classically correlated light source is used instead of entanglement. In our experiment, we explore the pseudo-thermal light source to offer the teleportation-like channel and employ the sum-frequency generation to perform the Bell-like state measurement. We successfully demonstrate the teleportation-inspired optical imaging of simple characters, Taiji diagram, and the superposition of orbital angular momentum modes. Moreover, we experimentally observe that a better coherence of pseudo-thermal light will result in a lower contrast of the formed images, and thus revealing that non-zero quantum discord offered by pseudo-thermal light, regardless of zero entanglement, plays the pivotal role in sustaining the teleportation-like channel for imaging at a distance.
We formulate a density matrix to fully describe two-photon state within a thermal light source in the photon orbital angular momentum (OAM) Hilbert space. We prove the separability, i.e., zero entanglement of the thermal two-photon state. Still, we reveal the hidden quantum correlations in terms of geometric measures of discord. By mimicking the original protocol of quantum teleportation, we demonstrate that the non-zero quantum discord can be utilized to transmit a high-dimensional OAM state at the single-photon level. It is found that albeit the low fidelity of teleportation due to the inherent component of maximally mixed state, the information of all parameters that characterize the original state can still be extracted from the teleported one. Besides, we demonstrate that the multiple repetitions of the protocol, enable the transmission of a complex-amplitude light field, e.g., an optical image, regardless of being accompanied with a featureless background. We also distinguish our scheme of optical image transmission from that of ghost imaging.
Quantum teleportation, lying at the heart of a variety of quantum technologies, has inspired a widespread of research activities, most of which focused on 2-dimensional qubit states. Multilevel systems, qudits, promise to upgrade and inspire new technical developments in high-dimensional Hilbert space. Whereas, for high-dimensional teleportation, it routinely necessitates several ancillary photons in linear optical schemes. A fundamental open challenge remains as to whether we can teleport qudit states with bipartite entanglement only. Here we demonstrate such a high-dimensional teleportation using photonic orbital angular momentum (OAM). The so-called "perfect vortices" are exploited both for conducting the prerequisite entanglement concentration to prepare high-dimensional yet maximal OAM entanglement, and for performing faithful high-dimensional Bell sate measurements (HDBSM) based on sum-frequency generation. We experimentally achieve the average teleportation fidelity 0.8788$\pm$0.048 for a complete set of 3-dimensional mutually unbiased bases, for instance, conditional on three specific HDBSM results. More importantly, we succeed in realizing the first quantum teleportation of optical images by exploring full transverse spatial entanglement. From the multi-pixel field of view in the teleported images recorded by the ICCD camera, we estimate the effective channel capacity up to \k{appa} > 100. Our scheme holds promise for future high-volume quantum image transmission.
Abstract Quantum teleportation lies at the heart of a variety of quantum technologies, most of which, however, focused on 2-dimensional qubit states only. A fundamental open challenge remains as to whether we can teleport multilevel qudit states with bipartite entanglement. Here, we demonstrate such a high-dimensional teleportation using photonic orbital angular momentum (OAM). We exploit “perfect vortices” for preparing high-dimensional yet maximal OAM entanglement and for performing faithful high-dimensional Bell sate measurements (HDBSM) based on sum-frequency generation. We experimentally achieve the average teleportation fidelity 0.8788±0.048 for a complete set of 3-dimensional mutually unbiased bases. More importantly, we succeed in realizing the first quantum teleportation of optical images, with the effective channel capacity κ > 100. Our scheme holds promise for future high-volume quantum image transmission.
There has been an intense debate on the quantum versus classical origin of ghost imaging with a thermal light source over the last two decades. A lot of distinguished work has contributed to this topic, both theoretically and experimentally, however, to this day this quantum-classical dilemma still persists. Here we formulate for the first time a density matrix in the photon orbital angular momentum (OAM) Hilbert space to fully characterize the two-arm ghost imaging system with the basic definition of thermal light sources. Our formulation offers a mathematically precise method to describe the formation of a ghost image in a nonlocal fashion. More importantly, it provides a more physically intuitive picture to reveal the quantumness hidden in the thermal ghost imaging, and therefore, presenting a sound resolution to the ongoing quantum-classical dilemma, which distinguishes the quantum correlations beyond entanglement in terms of geometric measure of discord. Our work also suggests further studies of using thermal multi-photon OAM states directly to implement some quantum information tasks.
Optical intensity correlation is a fundamental property of light and an essential resource for numerous optical applications. In this work, we introduce the concept of classical correlation swapping, a classical analogue of quantum entanglement swapping, to generate all-purpose spatial correlations between two independent thermal light sources. Using a spatially unresolved Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a medium variable, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of the correlator with two distinct schemes for independent pseudo-thermal light beams. Notably, the resulting photon correlations can be readily tailored to exhibit either bunching (peak) or anti-correlated (dip) characteristics, with a significantly reduced number of post-selection measurements. Leveraging this classical correlator, we further demonstrate the first classical ghost imaging experiment using uncorrelated or unknown light. Numerical simulations also confirm that the correlator can not only operate well in other spatial degrees of freedom (e.g., orbital angular momentum) but also be used to establish specific spatial correlations between pseudo-thermal light sources possessing distinct correlation properties. This work opens a new avenue for harnessing uncorrelated classical light in correlation-based optical applications.
The efficient transport and engineering of photonic orbital angular momentum (OAM) lie at the heart of various related classical and quantum applications. Here, by leveraging the spatial-mode-engineered frequency conversion, we realize the remote transport of high-dimensional orbital angular momentum (OAM) states between two distant parties without direct transmission of information carriers. We exploit perfect vortices for preparing high-dimensional yet maximal O AM entanglement. Based on nonlinear sum-frequency generation working with a strong coherent wave packet and a single photon, we conduct the Bell-like state measurements for high-dimensional perfect vortices. We experimentally achieve an average transport fidelity 0.879 ± 0.048 and 0.796 ± 0.066 for a complete set of 3-dimensional and 5-dimensional OAM mutually unbiased bases, respectively. Furthermore, by exploring the full transverse entanglement, we construct another strategy of quantum imaging with interaction-free light. It is expected that, with the future advances in nonlinear frequency conversion, our scheme will pave the way for realizing truly secure high-dimensional quantum teleportation in the upcoming quantum network.