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Experimental implementation of a quantum pulse gate for multi-mode quantum networks

Benjamin Brecht, A. Eckstein, Christine Silberhorn

Published Jan 1, 2013• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

We implemented a single-mode Quantum Pulse Gate (QPG), which singles out specific ultrafast time-frequency (TF) modes from multi-mode quantum pulses by transferring them to another wavelength. We directly measured the TF mode structure of our QPG and demonstrate a high degree of control over these modes. In addition, we prove the single-mode operation by monitoring a sharp drop in the conversion efficiencies for orthogonal TF mode combinations. Our QPG constitutes an important building block for future multi-mode quantum communication and information applications.

DOI
10.1364/cleo_qels.2013.qtu1c.2

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We implemented a single-mode Quantum Pulse Gate (QPG), which singles out specific ultrafast time-frequency (TF) modes from multi-mode quantum pulses by transferring them to another wavelength. We directly measured the TF mode structure of our QPG and demonstrate a high degree of control over these modes. In addition, we prove the single-mode operation by monitoring a sharp drop in the conversion efficiencies for orthogonal TF mode combinations. Our QPG constitutes an important building block for future multi-mode quantum communication and information applications.
Time-frequency Schmidt (TFS) modes of ultrafast quantum states are naturally compatible with high-bit-rate integrated quantum communication networks. Thus they offer an attractive alternative for the realization of high-dimensional quantum optics. Here, we present a quantum pulse gate based on dispersion-engineered ultrafast frequency conversion in a nonlinear optical waveguide, which is a key element for harnessing the potential of TFS modes. We experimentally retrieve the modal spectral-temporal structure of our device and demonstrate a single-mode operation fidelity of 80%, which is limited by experimental shortcomings. In addition, we retrieve a conversion efficiency of 87.7% with a high signal-to-noise ratio of 8.8 when operating the quantum pulse gate at the single-photon level.
Full control over the spatiotemporal structure of quantum states of light is an important goal in quantum optics, to generate, for instance, single-mode quantum pulses or to encode information on multiple modes, enhancing channel capacities. Quantum light pulses feature an inherent, rich spectral broadband-mode structure. In recent years, exploring the use of integrated optics as well as source engineering has led to a deep understanding of the pulse-mode structure of guided quantum states of light. In addition, several groups have started to investigate the manipulation of quantum states by means of single-photon frequency conversion. In this paper, we explore new routes towards complete control of the inherent pulse-modes of ultrafast pulsed quantum states by employing specifically designed nonlinear waveguides with adapted dispersion properties. Starting from our recently proposed quantum pulse gate (QPG), we further generalize the concept of spatiospectral engineering for arbitrary χ (2) -based quantum processes. We analyse the sum-frequency generation-based QPG and introduce the difference-frequency generation-based quantum pulse shaper (QPS). Together, these versatile and robust integrated optical devices allow for arbitrary manipulations of the pulse-mode structure of ultrafast pulsed quantum states. The QPG can be utilized to select an arbitrary pulse mode from a multimode input state, whereas the QPS enables the generation of specific pulse modes from an input wavepacket with a Gaussian-shaped spectrum.
We introduce the concept of a quantum pulse gate (QPG), a method for accessing the intrinsic broadband spectral mode structure of ultrafast quantum states of light. This mode structure can now be harnessed for applications in quantum information processing. We propose an implementation in a PPLN waveguide, based on spectrally engineered sum frequency generation (SFG). It allows us to pick well-defined spectral broadband modes from an ultrafast multi-mode state for interconversion to a broadband mode at another frequency. By pulse-shaping the bright SFG pump beam, different orthogonal broadband modes can be addressed individually and extracted with high fidelity.
We introduce the concept of a quantum pulse gate (QPG), a method for accessing the intrinsic broadband spectral mode structure of ultrafast quantum states of light. This mode structure can now be harnessed for applications in quantum information processing. We propose an implementation in a PPLN waveguide, based on spectrally engineered sum frequency generation (SFG). It allows us to pick well-defined spectral broadband modes from an ultrafast multi-mode state for interconversion to a broadband mode at another frequency. By pulse-shaping the bright SFG pump beam, different orthogonal broadband modes can be addressed individually and extracted with high fidelity. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America
Encoding quantum information in the photon temporal mode (TM) offers a robust platform for high-dimensional quantum protocols. The main practical challenge, however, is to design a device that operates on single photons in specific TMs and all coherent superpositions. The quantum pulse gate (QPG) is a mode-selective sum-frequency generation designed for this task. Here, we perform a full modal characterization of a QPG using weak coherent states in well-defined TMs. We reconstruct a full set of measurement operators, which show an average fidelity of 0.85 to a theoretically ideal device when operating on a seven-dimensional space. Then we use these characterized measurement operators of the QPG to calibrate the device. Using the calibrated device and a tomographically complete set of measurements, we show that the QPG can perform high-dimensional TM state tomography with 0.99 fidelity.
Photonic temporal modes (TMs) form a field-orthogonal basis set representing a continuous-variable degree of freedom that is in principle infinite dimensional, and create a promising resource for quantum information science and technology. The ideal quantum pulse gate (QPG) is a device that multiplexes and demultiplexes temporally orthogonal optical pulses that have the same carrier frequency, spatial mode, and polarization. The QPG is the chief enabling technology for usage of orthogonal temporal modes as a basis for high-dimensional quantum information storage and processing. The greatest hurdle for QPG implementation using nonlinear-optical, parametric processes with time-varying pump or control fields is the limitation on achievable temporal mode selectivity, defined as perfect TM discrimination combined with unity efficiency. We propose the use of pulsed nonlinear frequency conversion in an optical cavity having greatly different finesses for different frequencies to implement a nearly perfectly TM-selective QPG in a low-loss integrated-optics platform.