Continuous-variable quantum information processing with optical field quadrature amplitudes is advantageous in deterministic creation of Gaussian entanglement. On the other hand, non-Gaussian state preparation and operation are currently limited, but heralding schemes potentially overcome this difficulty. Here, we summarize our recent progress in continuous-variable quantum optical experiments. In particular, we have recently succeeded in creation of ultra-large-scale cluster-type entanglement with full inseparability, multiplexed in the time domain; storage and on-demand release of heralded single-photon states, which is applied to synchronization of two heralded single-photon states; real-time quadrature measurements regarding non-Gaussian single-photon states with exponentially rising wavepackets; squeezing with relatively broader bandwidth by using triangle optical parametric oscillator.
Continuous-variable quantum information processing with optical field quadrature amplitudes is advantageous in deterministic creation of Gaussian entanglement. On the other hand, non-Gaussian state preparation and operation are currently limited, but heralding schemes potentially overcome this difficulty. Here, we summarize our recent progress in continuous-variable quantum optical experiments. In particular, we have recently succeeded in creation of ultra-large-scale cluster-type entanglement with full inseparability, multiplexed in the time domain; storage and on-demand release of heralded single-photon states, which is applied to synchronization of two heralded single-photon states; real-time quadrature measurements regarding non-Gaussian single-photon states with exponentially rising wavepackets; squeezing with relatively broader bandwidth by using triangle optical parametric oscillator.
Here we report our recent experimental progresses in optical quantum information processing. In particular, the following topics are included. First, we extend the heralding scheme to multi-mode states and demonstrate heralded creation of qutrit states. Next, we demonstrate storage of single-photon states and synchronized release of them. Then, we demonstrate real-time acquisition of quadrature values of heralded states by making use of an exponentially rising shape of wave-packets. Finally, we demonstrate cluster states in an arbitrarily long chain in the longitudinal direction.
Engineering non-classical states of the electromagnetic field is a central quest for quantum optics(1,2). Beyond their fundamental significance, such states are indeed the resources for implementing various protocols, ranging from enhanced metrology to quantum communication and computing. A variety of devices can be used to generate non-classical states, such as single emitters, light-matter interfaces or non-linear systems(3). We focus here on the use of a continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator(3,4). This system is based on a non-linear χ(2) crystal inserted inside an optical cavity and it is now well-known as a very efficient source of non-classical light, such as single-mode or two-mode squeezed vacuum depending on the crystal phase matching. Squeezed vacuum is a Gaussian state as its quadrature distributions follow a Gaussian statistics. However, it has been shown that number of protocols require non-Gaussian states(5). Generating directly such states is a difficult task and would require strong χ(3) non-linearities. Another procedure, probabilistic but heralded, consists in using a measurement-induced non-linearity via a conditional preparation technique operated on Gaussian states. Here, we detail this generation protocol for two non-Gaussian states, the single-photon state and a superposition of coherent states, using two differently phase-matched parametric oscillators as primary resources. This technique enables achievement of a high fidelity with the targeted state and generation of the state in a well-controlled spatiotemporal mode.
Engineering non-classical states of the electromagnetic field is a central quest for quantum optics1,2. Beyond their fundamental significance, such states are indeed the resources for implementing various protocols, ranging from enhanced metrology to quantum communication and computing. A variety of devices can be used to generate non-classical states, such as single emitters, light-matter interfaces or non-linear systems3. We focus here on the use of a continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator3,4. This system is based on a non-linear χ2 crystal inserted inside an optical cavity and it is now well-known as a very efficient source of non-classical light, such as single-mode or two-mode squeezed vacuum depending on the crystal phase matching. Squeezed vacuum is a Gaussian state as its quadrature distributions follow a Gaussian statistics. However, it has been shown that number of protocols require non-Gaussian states5. Generating directly such states is a difficult task and would require strong χ3 non-linearities. Another procedure, probabilistic but heralded, consists in using a measurement-induced non-linearity via a conditional preparation technique operated on Gaussian states. Here, we detail this generation protocol for two non-Gaussian states, the single-photon state and a superposition of coherent states, using two differently phase-matched parametric oscillators as primary resources. This technique enables achievement of a high fidelity with the targeted state and generation of the state in a well-controlled spatiotemporal mode.
Generation of highly non-classical quantum states of light is essential for optical quantum information processing and quantum metrology. Given the lack of sufficiently strong nonlinear interactions between optical fields, the commonly employed optical quantum-state preparation schemes are conditional, based on nonlinearity induced by heralding photon number measurement on a part of a multimode squeezed Gaussian state. Development and optimization of such probabilistic quantum-state engineering schemes represents one of the central challenges in current quantum optics. As technology advances and experiments progress to detection of higher numbers of photons, the maximization of the heralding probability becomes essential to ensure sufficiently high state-preparation rates. Here, we show that for the conditional quantum state preparation schemes based on Gaussian states and photon number measurements the maximization of the heralding probability can be formulated as finding solution to a system of polynomial equations, which offers an efficient way to find the optimal configuration and allows us to apply techniques dedicated specifically to solving such systems of equations. Our approach can seamlessly incorporate bounds on the available single-mode quadrature squeezing, which is highly experimentally relevant. We mainly consider generation of finite superpositions of Fock states but show that the approach can be straightforwardly extended to generation of squeezed superpositions of Fock states. We focus on Gaussian states with vanishing coherent displacements, hence the conditionally generated states have well defined photon number parity. We illustrate our general methodology through examples of generation of single-mode states with two and three heralding modes, and generation of two-mode states with two heralding modes.
Quantum non-Gaussian gate is a missing piece to the realization of continuous-variable universal quantum operations in an optical system. In a measurement-based implementation of the cubic phase gate, a lowest-order non-Gaussian gate, non-Gaussian ancillary states that have a property we call nonlinear squeezing are required. This property, however, has never been experimentally verified. In this paper, we generate a superposition between a vacuum state and a single-photon state whose nonlinear squeezing is maximized by the optimization of the superposition coefficients. The nonlinear squeezing is observed via real-time quadrature measurements, meaning that the generated states are compatible with real-time feedforward and are suitable as ancillary states for the cubic phase gate in the time domain. Moreover, by increasing the number of photons, it is expected that nonlinear squeezing can be further improved. The idea presented here can be readily extended to higher-order phase gates [P. Marek et al., Phys. Rev. A 97, 022329 (2018)]. As such, this work presents an important step to extend continuous-variable quantum information processing from Gaussian regime to non-Gaussian regime.
Enabling large-scale and high-speed quantum computation is a key to practical quantum computation. Continuous-variable approach in optical systems offer advantages in scalability and speed by leveraging their temporal degree of freedom and inherent large carrier frequency. In this paper, we investigate the generation and manipulation of quantum entanglement through a time-domain multiplexing approach. By employing time-domain multiplexing, we generate a two-dimensional cluster state—a universal resource for large-scale quantum computation—and perform quantum operations in the time domain with cluster state. Additionally, our ongoing research focuses on the generation and measurement of broadband optical quantum entanglement through an optical parametric oscillator, which holds potential as a foundation for high-speed quantum computing surpassing limitations of existing systems. By further engineering the quantum entanglement, we have also theoretically formulated a practical teleportation-based architectures for quantum computation in time domain. These advancements form the groundwork for the development of practical optical quantum computation.