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Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)

Controlling quantum correlations in massively multichannel optical networks

Ravitej Uppu, Tom A. W. Wolterink, Willem L. Vos, Klaus J. Boller, Pepijn W. H. Pinkse

Published Jun 1, 2017• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Summary form only given. Quantum optics experiments require ultimate control over the propagation of light in linear optical networks to realize programmable photon correlations [1]. Integrated optics provides a robust and low-loss platform for implementing such linear optical networks. However, to achieve ultimate control on the quantum state of light, it is necessary to program the network [2]. Tuning the network for controlled multiphoton correlations involves optimization algorithms which scale inefficiently with the network size and photon number. Therefore, it is challenging to scale up this approach to massively multichannel networks, which are required for large-scale implementations of quantum information processing and quantum communication.Here, we propose a novel method to achieve ultimate control on quantum light propagation through the adaptive control of phases at input channels of a massively multichannel network. We utilize an on-chip array of 3300 nearest-neighbor coupled silicon nitride waveguides as the network. We employ complex wavefront shaping methods, which enabled the creation of programmable linear optical networks in opaque scattering media [3,4], to realize a network with programmable quantum correlations in a fixed network [5]. Using a high brightness photon-pair source, we demonstrate programmable Hong-Ou-Mandel-like bunching or antibunching of photons in a fully tunable multichannel network as predicted by our theoretical work [6]. These results enable programmable photon correlations on fixed massively multichannel optical networks with the potential for large-scale implementation of quantum simulators and quantum logic gates. We will report on the progress of this project.

DOI
10.1109/cleoe-eqec.2017.8087350

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Summary form only given. Quantum optics experiments require ultimate control over the propagation of light in linear optical networks to realize programmable photon correlations [1]. Integrated optics provides a robust and low-loss platform for implementing such linear optical networks. However, to achieve ultimate control on the quantum state of light, it is necessary to program the network [2]. Tuning the network for controlled multiphoton correlations involves optimization algorithms which scale inefficiently with the network size and photon number. Therefore, it is challenging to scale up this approach to massively multichannel networks, which are required for large-scale implementations of quantum information processing and quantum communication.Here, we propose a novel method to achieve ultimate control on quantum light propagation through the adaptive control of phases at input channels of a massively multichannel network. We utilize an on-chip array of 3300 nearest-neighbor coupled silicon nitride waveguides as the network. We employ complex wavefront shaping methods, which enabled the creation of programmable linear optical networks in opaque scattering media [3,4], to realize a network with programmable quantum correlations in a fixed network [5]. Using a high brightness photon-pair source, we demonstrate programmable Hong-Ou-Mandel-like bunching or antibunching of photons in a fully tunable multichannel network as predicted by our theoretical work [6]. These results enable programmable photon correlations on fixed massively multichannel optical networks with the potential for large-scale implementation of quantum simulators and quantum logic gates. We will report on the progress of this project.
Multiphoton quantum correlations are crucial for quantum information processing and quantum communication protocols in linear optical networks. For large-scale implementation of quantum information processing, such as quantum simulators, boson sampling or programmable quantum logic gates, a programmable functionality of a large multichannel network is required. In this thesis, we describe and demonstrate programmable quantum interference between multiple single-photon states in massively multichannel networks. Using a theoretical analysis we first show that losses in optical networks, which are unavoidable in experiments, introduce new freedom, in that the functionality of the network, and thus also quantum interference in there, is programmable to an extent not possible with lossless networks. We introduce a method to program the functionality of general multichannel linear optical networks by phase modulation of incident wavefronts, which we apply to opaque scattering media as well as integrated optics. To demonstrate quantum interference in massively multichannel networks we require a source of multiple indistinguishable single-photon states. Therefore, we have constructed and characterized a versatile quantum light source based on spontaneous parametric down-conversion. For the first time, we demonstrate two-photon quantum interference in a massively multichannel linear optical network realized in an opaque scattering medium. Using adaptive phase-modulation of the incident photons, the scattering medium is transformed to behave as a fully programmable beam splitter that is freely tunable in functionality. Exploiting this freedom, we not only show the well-known Hong-Ou-Mandel bunching of photons, but also demonstrate that this bunching can be made to vanish, or be transformed into antibunching. Our results establish opaque scattering media as a platform for massively multichannel linear optical networks with programmable quantum correlations. Finally, the high number of available channels offered by opaque scattering media can directly be employed for authentication of secure communication. We present an authenticated protocol for quantum key distribution that removes the need of an initial shared secret for authentication. Moreover, we introduce and demonstrate the first protocol for authenticated and asymmetric quantum communication, based on the quantum-secure readout of a physical unclonable function.
Light transport in opaque scattering media mixes the light across the large number of modes in the system. The mixing results in the scrambling of information encoded on the incident light, which is generally detrimental. However, the multimodal transport hints at the possibility of utilizing them as complex optical networks if the transport could be controlled. In recent years, wavefront shaping through adaptive phase control has been used to create multiport optical devices in opaque scattering media. We study the programmability of one such device created in opaque scattering medium, a two-port beam splitter which is a primitive for any complex linear optical network. Here, I will discuss our latest results on the quantum interference between single photons from an ultrabright quantum source at the two-port beam splitter. The novel feature of the realized beam splitter is the programmability of quantum interference between single photons, creating either bunched or anti-bunched light at the outputs. Our demonstration is a first step towards realizing complex optical networks with programmable quantum correlations using opaque scattering media.
Wavefront shaping allows for ultimate control of light propagation in multiple-scattering media by adaptive manipulation of incident waves. We have demonstrated a method to program general multiport linear optical circuits in multiple-scattering materials by phase modulation of incident wavefronts. Applying this method to quantum light makes it possible to use these optical circuits for adaptive quantum optical experiments, with high flexibility in the control of quantum interference between multiple optical modes. To this end we have constructed a bright single-photon source, producing heralded single-photon states with a measured production rate of > 106 s−1. We have demonstrated that we are able to control the propagation of these single-photon states in random-scattering media, and we are currently investigating Hong-Ou-Mandel interference in these circuits.
We study the random walk of multiple photons in a massively multichannel system. The network consists of 3300 nearest-neighbour coupled silicon nitride waveguides embedded in silica. The photon correlations arising from the quantum interference between multiple single photons is measured using an intensified CCD at the output of the network. We further aim to control the multiphoton correlations in the network by structuring the incident states of quantum light. This procedure enables a versatile platform for studying quantum correlations, such as multiphoton boson sampling, without modifying the physical system. We will report on the latest progress in this experiment.
The development of large-scale optical quantum information processing circuits ground on the stability and reconfigurability enabled by integrated photonics. We demonstrate a reconfigurable 8×8 integrated linear optical network based on silicon nitride waveguides for quantum information processing. Our processor implements a novel optical architecture enabling any arbitrary linear transformation and constitutes the largest programmable circuit reported so far on this platform. We validate a variety of photonic quantum information processing primitives, in the form of Hong-Ou-Mandel interference, bosonic coalescence/anti-coalescence and high-dimensional single-photon quantum gates. We achieve fidelities that clearly demonstrate the promising future for large-scale photonic quantum information processing using low-loss silicon nitride.
This thesis focuses on optical quantum information processing in two parts. The first part focuses on photonic hardware. Large-scale photonic experiments require the generation of many indistinguishable single photons simultaneously. Traditionally, such photons are generated by spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC). However, the suitability of such sources to generate many photons. We have identified the maximum limits of how many photons SPDC sources can be made. A second requirement of large-scale quantum photonics is having a network with many optical modes while maintaining low optical loss. Such networks are currently lacking. Therefore we introduce the possibility to use a rough surface scatterer for a quantum advantage experiment. Although such a network is far from universal, it has many modes and low loss. Another approach is to use integrated quantum photonics, which is fully reconfigurable and is a promising way of scaling up to large systems in an industrial setting. We have characterized a programmable low-loss 12-mode silicon nitride (SiN). In the second part of the thesis, various proof-of-principle quantum experiments were performed on a 12 mode SiN integrated photonic chip. Firstly, it was shown that these networks can be used to simulate wave propagation through disordered networks. This unconventional approach allows for full experimental access and control to the physical process, which is essential for such experiments. Secondly, we introduced a semi-device independent witness protocol that can in-situ verify the indistinguishability of photons on the chip, which is an essential tool to have when the system size increases and can no longer be efficiently simulated classically. The last experiment is a quantum simulation where we show how a pure quantum state locally thermalizes in a closed system.