Abstract Observables of quantum systems can possess either a discrete or a continuous spectrum. For example, upon measurements of the photon number of a light state, discrete outcomes will result whereas measurements of the light's quadrature amplitudes result in continuous outcomes. If one uses the continuous degree of freedom of a quantum system for encoding, processing or detecting information, one enters the field of continuous‐variable (CV) quantum information processing. In this paper we review the basic principles of CV quantum information processing with main focus on recent developments in the field. We will be addressing the three main stages of a quantum information system; the preparation stage where quantum information is encoded into CVs of coherent states and single‐photon states, the processing stage where CV information is manipulated to carry out a specified protocol and a detection stage where CV information is measured using homodyne detection or photon counting.
Abstract Observables of quantum systems can possess either a discrete or a continuous spectrum. For example, upon measurements of the photon number of a light state, discrete outcomes will result whereas measurements of the light's quadrature amplitudes result in continuous outcomes. If one uses the continuous degree of freedom of a quantum system for encoding, processing or detecting information, one enters the field of continuous‐variable (CV) quantum information processing. In this paper we review the basic principles of CV quantum information processing with main focus on recent developments in the field. We will be addressing the three main stages of a quantum information system; the preparation stage where quantum information is encoded into CVs of coherent states and single‐photon states, the processing stage where CV information is manipulated to carry out a specified protocol and a detection stage where CV information is measured using homodyne detection or photon counting.
Observables of quantum systems can posses either a discrete or a continuous spectrum. For example, upon measurements of the photon number of a light state, discrete outcomes will result whereas measurements of the light's quadrature amplitudes result in continuous outcomes. If one uses the continuous degree of freedom of a quantum system either for encoding, processing or detecting information, one enters the field of continuous variable (CV) quantum information processing. In this paper we review the basic principles of CV quantum information processing with main focus on recent developments in the field. We will be addressing the three main stages of a quantum informational system; the preparation stage where quantum information is encoded into CVs of coherent states and single photon states, the processing stage where CV information is manipulated to carry out a specified protocol and a detection stage where CV information is measured using homodyne detection or photon counting.
Quantum optics is central to emerging quantum technologies such as quantum metrology and quantum information. The continuous variable (CV) approach to encoding information in a physical system, for example the electromagnetic field quadratures has significant advantages over discrete variables (DV) encoding. CV offers higher density encoding in a single optical state and on-demand state preparation for example. However, techniques for CV preparation, manipulation and measurement are not as well developed as the corresponding DV approach. In this thesis we present methods to characterize quantum detectors that operate in the CV regime, and discuss their application to CV state preparation. A quantum detector is described by its positive operator valued measure (POVM) set, with one operator for each measurement outcome. We present an experimental scheme for detector tomography, that is reconstruction of the POVM set of an unknown detector by means of measurement outcomes for a set of tomographically complete input states. We use this scheme to experimentally determine the POVM set of an avalanche photodiode (APD) and a time-multiplexed-detector (TMD) and compare the results to models of the detectors. We introduce a weak-homodyne photon-number-resolving detector (PNRD) , which uses a weak local oscillator beam to set a phase reference for the detection process. We develop a theoretical description of the sensitivity regimes for this detector using the Wigner phase space picture. We also present experimental detector tomography for a weak-homodyne detector based on two APDs. In many cases it is sufficient to calibrate the efficiencies of previously characterized PNRDs. We experimentally demonstrate a scheme using correlated photons produced by spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) to determine the efficiencies of PNRDs, based on the photon number statistics of the source. The same SPDC source is also used to demonstrate preparation of photonic states in the photon number basis and for a first proof-of-principle experiment with a weak-homodyne PNRD based on a TMD.
Summary form only given. Traditionally quantum information research has centred on discrete quantum variables, particularly binary variables (qubits). However, recently much attention has focused on quantum information manipulations with continuous variables such as the amplitude and phase of the electromagnetic field. As well as offering the possibility of high data rates, continuous variables also exhibit greater versatility in realizing certain operations. For example teleportation, in which quantum information is passed intact through a classical channel with the assistance of shared entanglement, can be achieved more efficiently using continuous variable techniques. I review recent work on the characterization of teleportation and entanglement swapping and present new work on interferometric tests of teleportation. These interferometric tests are important because they allow the efficacy of teleportation to be checked without knowledge of the input quantum state. They can be applied equally to the cases of discrete and continuous variable inputs and in so doing highlight unexpected similarities. I contrast the various classical limits which emerge from the different ways of assessing teleportation. An obvious omission from the list of continuous variable quantum information manipulations is any proposal for direct analogues of 2 photon interference effects, especially those that lead to Bell inequality type tests of local realism. Bell-type correlations are the defining feature of discrete variable entanglement experimentally. I discuss new work that shows how entanglement of the Bell-type can be observed in continuous variable, homodyne measurement schemes.
Quantum key distribution is a technique in which secret key bits are encoded into quantum states which are transmitted over a quantum channel, e.g. an optical link, so that the security is guaranteed by the laws of quantum physics. Most experimental realizations to date have relied on discrete protocols, involving ideally single-photons states (or, in practice, strongly attenuated light pulses) as well as single-photon detectors. In this chapter, we present an overview of the recent continuous-variable quantum cryptosystems, which instead rely on continuously-modulated Gaussian states (e.g. coherent states) and homodyne detection. The series of security proofs of these protocols against increasingly powerful attacks will be reviewed. A particular emphasis will be put on the op-timality of Gaussian attacks in this context, which holds provided that the second-order moments of the relevant variables are monitored.
Basic concepts of quantum optics are introduced in this chapter. In the beginning, we give a review of the basic quantum mechanics. Then, we perform quantization of an electromagnetic field, which naturally introduces the concept of mode and quadrature. After that, we introduce basic quantum states of light and their phase space representation. Quantum operations in the continuous-variable system and their universality are also explained. To obtain the values of the physical quantities, we have to measure our quantum systems. In the optical continuous-variable system, homodyne measurement and photon number measurement are among the most common measurements that are also discussed here. Finally, we introduce the concept of quantum entanglement, which is one of the central concepts in quantum computation.
Very recently, we took part in a new development of quantum information, the so-called continuous variable (CV) quantum information theory. Such a further development is mainly due to the experimental and theoretical advantages offered by CV systems, i.e., quantum systems described by a set of observables, like position and momentum, which have a continuous spectrum of eigenvalues. According to this novel trend, quantum information protocols like quantum teleportation have been suitably extended to the CV framework. Here, we briefly review some mathematical tools relative to CV systems, and we consequently develop the concepts of quantum entanglement and teleportation in the CV framework by analogy with the qubit-based approach. Some connections between teleportation fidelity and entanglement properties of the underlying quantum channel are inspected. Next, we address the study of CV quantum teleportation networks where more users share a multipartite state and an arbitrary pair of them performs quantum teleportation. In this context, we show alternative protocols, and we investigate the optimal strategy that maximizes the performance of the network.