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Generating and verifying entangled-itinerant microwave fields

Hsiang‐Sheng Ku

Published Jan 1, 2015• 1 citation

Abstract

This thesis presents the experimental achievements of (1) generating entangled-microwave fields propagating on two physically separate transmission lines and (2) verifying the entangled states with efficient measurements. Shared entanglement between two parties is an essential resource for quantum information processing and quantum communication protocols. Experimentally, entangled pairs of electromagnetic fields can be realized by distributing a squeezed vacuum over two separated modes. As a result, entanglement is revealed by the strong cross-correlations between specific quadratures of the two modes. Although it is possible to verify the presence of entanglement with low-efficiency quadrature measurements, higher detection efficiencies are desired for performing protocols that exploit entanglement with high fidelity.\nIn the microwave regime, Josephson parametric amplifiers (JPAs) fulfill the two major tasks mentioned above: JPAs prepare the required squeezed states to generate entanglement and enable us to perform efficient quadrature measurements. Therefore, for the purposes of entanglement generation and verification, ultralow-noise--frequency-tunable JPAs have been developed. Additionally, to increase the efficiency of entanglement generation, we integrate JPAs with two on-chip microwave passive components, a directional coupler and a quadrature hybrid, to form an entangler circuit. The two-mode entangled states are created at the two output modes of the entangler and are measured with a two-channel measurement apparatus where each of the two channels incorporates a JPA as a single-quadrature preamplifier. By employing this measurement scheme, the two measured quadratures of the two output modes can be chosen independently of each other, enabling a full characterization of the two-mode state. To definitively demonstrate the two-mode entanglement, I prove that the measured quadrature variances satisfy the inseparability criterion.

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This thesis presents the experimental achievements of (1) generating entangled-microwave fields propagating on two physically separate transmission lines and (2) verifying the entangled states with efficient measurements. Shared entanglement between two parties is an essential resource for quantum information processing and quantum communication protocols. Experimentally, entangled pairs of electromagnetic fields can be realized by distributing a squeezed vacuum over two separated modes. As a result, entanglement is revealed by the strong cross-correlations between specific quadratures of the two modes. Although it is possible to verify the presence of entanglement with low-efficiency quadrature measurements, higher detection efficiencies are desired for performing protocols that exploit entanglement with high fidelity.\nIn the microwave regime, Josephson parametric amplifiers (JPAs) fulfill the two major tasks mentioned above: JPAs prepare the required squeezed states to generate entanglement and enable us to perform efficient quadrature measurements. Therefore, for the purposes of entanglement generation and verification, ultralow-noise--frequency-tunable JPAs have been developed. Additionally, to increase the efficiency of entanglement generation, we integrate JPAs with two on-chip microwave passive components, a directional coupler and a quadrature hybrid, to form an entangler circuit. The two-mode entangled states are created at the two output modes of the entangler and are measured with a two-channel measurement apparatus where each of the two channels incorporates a JPA as a single-quadrature preamplifier. By employing this measurement scheme, the two measured quadratures of the two output modes can be chosen independently of each other, enabling a full characterization of the two-mode state. To definitively demonstrate the two-mode entanglement, I prove that the measured quadrature variances satisfy the inseparability criterion.

By combining a squeezed propagating microwave field and an unsqueezed vacuum field on a hybrid (microwave beam splitter), we generate entanglement between the two output modes. We verify that we have generated entangled states by making independent and efficient single-quadrature measurements of the two output modes. We observe the entanglement witness ${E}_{\mathrm{W}}=\ensuremath{-}0.{263}_{\ensuremath{-}0.036}^{+0.001}$ and the negativity $N=0.{0824}_{\ensuremath{-}0.0004}^{+0.01}$ with measurement efficiencies at least $26\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1%$ and $41\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2%$ for channels 1 and 2, respectively. These measurements show that the output two-mode state violates the separability criterion and therefore demonstrates entanglement. This shared entanglement between propagating microwaves provides an important resource for building quantum networks with superconducting microwave systems.

Two-mode squeezing is a fascinating example of quantum entanglement manifested in cross-correlations of incompatible observables between two subsystems. At the same time, these subsystems themselves may contain no quantum signatures in their self-correlations. These properties make two-mode squeezed (TMS) states an ideal resource for applications in quantum communication, quantum computation, and quantum illumination. Propagating microwave TMS states can be produced by a beam splitter distributing single mode squeezing emitted from Josephson parametric amplifiers (JPA) into two output paths. In this work, we experimentally quantify the dephasing process of quantum correlations in propagating TMS microwave states and accurately describe it with a theory model. In this way, we gain an insight into quantum entanglement limits and predict high fidelities for benchmark quantum communication protocols such as remote state preparation and quantum teleportation.

In this thesis, I demonstrate and evaluate an on-demand source of single propagating microwaves photons. Working in the context of a quantum network, nodes are connected via propagating, nonclassical states of the electromagnetic field. As such, preparing and detecting propagating quantum states is an essential task. I work with one particular node consisting of a microfabricated, effective two level system coupled to a microwave resonator and study its ability to produce propagating nonclassical states, such as single photon states. In principle, states generated by this node could be sent to other such nodes. However, I send them into a Josephson parametric amplifier (JPA) to characterize the source. In particular, I discuss how to design and couple the two components that form my source: a fixed frequency transmon qubit and a 3D superconducting waveguide cavity. I demonstrate the ability to control of the dynamics of this combined system and implement a single photon generation protocol, which utilizes a single microwave control field that is far detuned from the photon emission frequency. To characterize the generation, I perform tomography on the propagating photon state to determine its density matrix ρ. I perform repeated JPA-backed, linear measurements of the propagating state. Based on the histograms of my measurements, I infer a maximum single photon component ρ₁₁ = 0.36 ± 0.01. I characterize the imperfections of the photon generation and detection, including detection inefficiency and measurement backaction. I find that within uncertainty my measurements match my expectation.

Using a superconducting circuit, the Josephson mixer, we demonstrate the first experimental realization of spatially separated two-mode squeezed states of microwave light. Driven by a pump tone, a first Josephson mixer generates, out of quantum vacuum, a pair of entangled fields at different frequencies on separate transmission lines. A second mixer, driven by a π-phase shifted copy of the first pump tone, recombines and disentangles the two fields. The resulting output noise level is measured to be lower than for the vacuum state at the input of the second mixer, an unambiguous proof of entanglement. Moreover, the output noise level provides a direct, quantitative measure of entanglement, leading here to the demonstration of 6 Mebit · s(-1) (mega entangled bits per second) generated by the first mixer.

Two-mode squeezing is a fascinating example of quantum entanglement manifested in cross-correlations of non-commuting observables between two subsystems. At the same time, these subsystems themselves may contain no quantum signatures in their self-correlations. These properties make two-mode squeezed (TMS) states an ideal resource for applications in quantum communication. Here, we generate propagating microwave TMS states by a beam splitter distributing single mode squeezing emitted from distinct Josephson parametric amplifiers along two output paths. We experimentally study the fundamental dephasing process of quantum cross-correlations in continuous-variable propagating TMS microwave states and accurately describe it with a theory model. In this way, we gain the insight into finite-time entanglement limits and predict high fidelities for benchmark quantum communication protocols such as remote state preparation and quantum teleportation.

Two-mode squeezing is a fascinating example of quantum entanglement manifested in cross-correlations of non-commuting observables between two subsystems. At the same time, these subsystems themselves may contain no quantum signatures in their self-correlations. These properties make two-mode squeezed (TMS) states an ideal resource for applications in quantum communication. Here, we generate propagating microwave TMS states by a beam splitter distributing single mode squeezing emitted from distinct Josephson parametric amplifiers along two output paths. We experimentally study the fundamental dephasing process of quantum cross-correlations in continuous-variable propagating TMS microwave states and accurately describe it with a theory model. In this way, we gain the insight into finite-time entanglement limits and predict high fidelities for benchmark quantum communication protocols such as remote state preparation and quantum teleportation.