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Journal of Modern Optics

Non-unitary transformations in quantum mechanics: An optical realization

János A. Bergou, Mark S. Hillery, Yuqing Sun

Published Feb 1, 2000• 27 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We show how to construct devices which implement non-unitary transformations on quantum systems with a certain probability of success. The first transforms two specified non-orthogonal states to orthogonal ones while the second can be used to enhance the entanglement of quantum states. The states themselves are composed of qubits which are realized as photons in the dual-rail representation, and these photons serve as the inputs to a six-port. One of the outputs is measured, and if a null result is obtained, the desired non-unitary transformation has been carried out. The transformation which takes non-orthogonal to orthogonal states is an optical realization of an optimal quantum measurement for distinguishing the two non-orthogonal states.

DOI
10.1080/09500340008244054

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We show how to construct devices which implement non-unitary transformations on quantum systems with a certain probability of success. The first transforms two specified non-orthogonal states to orthogonal ones while the second can be used to enhance the entanglement of quantum states. The states themselves are composed of qubits which are realized as photons in the dual-rail representation, and these photons serve as the inputs to a six-port. One of the outputs is measured, and if a null result is obtained, the desired non-unitary transformation has been carried out. The transformation which takes non-orthogonal to orthogonal states is an optical realization of an optimal quantum measurement for distinguishing the two non-orthogonal states.
Unambiguously distinguishing between nonorthogonal but linearly independent quantum states is a challenging problem in quantum information processing. In principle, the problem can be solved by mapping the set of nonorthogonal quantum states onto a set of orthogonal ones, which then can be distinguished without error. Such nonunitary transformations can be performed conditionally on quantum systems; a unitary transformation is carried out on a larger system of which the system of interest is a subsytem, a measurement is performed, and if the proper result is obtained the desired nonunitary transformation has been performed on the subsystem. We show how to construct generalized interferometers (multiports), which when combined with measurements on some of the output ports, implement nonunitary transformations of this type. The input states are single-photon states in which the photon is divided among several modes. A number of explicit examples of distinguishing among three nonorthogonal states are discussed, and the networks that optimally distinguish among these states are presented.
Since the state of a quantum system is not an observable, it cannot be determined completely, in principle, if no a priori information is available. In this case, one needs to resort to various estimation strategies. The situation is completely different if a priori knowledge is available. Even unambigous discrimination is possible if the system is always prepared in a state that is selected from a known set of quantum states that are not orthogonal but linearly independent. This type of discrimination strategy has a higher probability of success by using generalised measurements than by using standard von Neumann measurements. We discuss here possible optical realizations, via generalized interferometers and single photon states, for the implementation of strategies that maximize the success rate. The implementations are based on exact analytical results. We also discuss possible applications for entanglement enhancement and quantum communication protocols.
The main topic of this thesis is linear optics and the implementation of quantum operations (measurements, quantum channels, and unitary rotations) on optical systems. \nIn the opening chapter the basic notions needed to understand the rest of the thesis will be explained. \nThese notions include defining a quantum state, measurement, quantum channel and the linear optics tool set. \n \nThe work in this thesis takes both fundamental and practical approaches to studying linear optical networks. \nFor instance in the first chapter a proof is provided that shows that any unitary on a single mode Fock state can be realised with linear optics. \nThe proof is constructive, however the approach to realising the unitary is not suitable for experimental implementation \nbecause it requires complicated ancilla states. \nAs in the KLM proposal the procedure works only stochastically however by allowing the size of the ancilla to grow \nthe probability of failure can be made arbitrarly small. \n \nFurthermore we investigate the realisation of arbitrary channels in a specific encoding that we call a ddd-rail encoding. \nThe only ancilla state that we allow is a vacuum ancilliary state and further restrictions were considered (e.g. photon counting). \nA proof is provided that using these resources only random unitaries can be applied deterministically using linear optics. An expression for the optimal probability of success for realising \nmore general channels with these resources is also discussed. \n \nAs a final topic we also investigate the realisation of a quantum non-demolition measurement onto the dual rail qubit space. \nThe investigation is a blend of both fundamental and practical approaches. \nTo begin we employ a modified KLM-like procedure and show that the scheme can be realised perfectly but stochastically. \nThe probability that the proper measurement is made can be made arbitrarly close to one using a suitably large ancilla state. \nIn addition we consider an existing scheme \\cite{gisin10a} which uses practical sources (two single photon sources) to perform the measurement. \nThe scheme does not realise the true measurement but instead has a free parameter in it which is the transmittiviy of a beamsplitter. The measurement will project onto a space that has a vacuum component. By adjusting the transmittivity of this beamsplitter the vacuum component can be made arbitrarly small but only at the expense of the probability of success of the procedure. \nIn this thesis a modification that can be made to eliminate the vacuum component without changing the sources is introduced. The modification is surprisingly simple and only involves the addition of a single beamsplitter. In the proposal for the original amplifier it was used in simulations for DIQKD that included device imperfections. \nTo show the improvement of our modification these DIQKD simulations are reproduced using the modified amplifier and its results are compared to the results of the original amplifier.
In our work we explore the field of quantum state discrimination and quantum cloning. Recently the problem of optimal state discrimination with a Fixed Rate of Inconclusive Outcomes (FRIO strategy) has been solved for two pure quantum states and a few other highly symmetric cases. An optical implementation to FRIO for pure states is provided. The physical implementation can be carried out with the use of a six-port interferometer constructed with optical fibers beam splitters, phase shifters and mirrors. The input states are composed of qubits which are realized as photons in the dual-rail representation. The non-unitary measurements are carried out at the output for the presence or absence of a photon. The setup optimally interpolates between minimum error and unambiguous state discrimination. We also extend the FRIO strategy to two mixed states, whose eigenvectors in their spectral representation form a Jordan basis. We derive the minimum error rate PE for a fixed inconclusive rate Q and, in particular, the optimal distribution of the total Q over the Jordan subspaces. As Q is varied between the two limits, 0 < Q < Qc, a structure with multiple thresholds, Q1(th) (=0) < Q2(th) < . . . < QN(th) < Qc, emerges. We also solve the problem of state separation of two known pure states in the general case where the known states have arbitrary prior probabilities. The solution emerges from a geometric formulation of the problem. This formulation also reveals a deeper connection between cloning and state discrimination. The results are then applied in designing a scheme for hybrid cloning which interpolates between approximate and probabilistic exact cloning. It is shown that state separation and hybrid cloning are generalized schemes to well established state discrimination and cloning strategies. The connection between cloning and state separation is derived in the asymptotic limit.
We report on theoretical research in photonic cluster-state computing. Finding optimal schemes of generating non-classical photonic states is of critical importance for this field as physically implementable photon-photon entangling operations are currently limited to measurement-assisted stochastic transformations. A critical parameter for assessing the efficiency of such transformations is the success probability of a desired measurement outcome. At present there are several experimental groups which are capable of generating multi-photon cluster states carrying more than eight qubits. Separate photonic qubits or small clusters can be fused into a single cluster state by a probabilistic optical CZ gate conditioned on simultaneous detection of all photons with 1/9 success probability of each gate. This design mechanically follows the original theoretical scheme of cluster state generation proposed more than a decade ago by Raussendorf, Browne and Briegel. The optimality of the destructive CZ gate in application to linear optical cluster state generation has not been analyzed previously. Our results reveal that this method is far from the optimal one. Employing numerical optimization we have identified that maximal success probability of fusing n unentangled dual-rail optical qubits into a linear cluster state is equal to 1/2^(n-1); m-tuple of photonic Bell pair states, commonly generated via spontaneous parametric down-conversion, can be fused into a single cluster with the maximal success probability of 1/4^(m-1).