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Defending Continuous Variable Teleportation: Why a laser is a clock, not a quantum channel

Howard M. Wiseman

Published Jan 1, 2004• 18 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

It has been argued [T. Rudolph and B.C. Sanders, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\\bf 87}, 077903 (2001)] that continuous-variable quantum teleportation at optical frequencies has not been achieved because the source used (a laser) was not `truly coherent'. Van Enk, and Fuchs [Phys. Rev. Lett, {\\bf 88}, 027902 (2002)], while arguing against Rudolph and Sanders, also accept that an `absolute phase' is achievable, even if it has not been achieved yet. I will argue to the contrary that `true coherence' or `absolute phase' is always illusory, as the concept of absolute time (at least for frequencies beyond direct human experience) is meaningless. All we can ever do is to use an agreed time standard. In this context, a laser beam is fundamentally as good a `clock' as any other. I explain in detail why this claim is true, and defend my argument against various objections. In the process I discuss super-selection rules, quantum channels, and the ultimate limits to the performance of a laser as a clock. For this last topic I use some earlier work by myself [Phys. Rev. A {\\bf 60}, 4083 (1999)] and Berry and myself [Phys. Rev. A {\\bf 65}, 043803 (2002)] to show that a Heisenberg-limited laser with a mean photon number $\\mu$ can synchronize $M$ independent clocks each with a mean-square error of $\\sqrt{M}/4\\mu$ radians$^2$.

Related papers

Defending continuous variable teleportation: why a laser is a clock, not a quantum channel

Howard M. Wiseman

It has been argued (Rudolph and Sanders 2001 Phys. Rev. Lett. 87 077903) that continuous-variable quantum teleportation at optical frequencies has not been achieved because the source used (a laser) was not 'truly coherent'. Van Enk and Fuchs (2002 Phys. Rev. Lett. 88 027902), while arguing against Rudolph and Sanders, also accept that an 'absolute phase' is achievable, even if it has not been achieved yet. I will argue to the contrary that 'true coherence' or 'absolute phase' is always illusory, as the concept of absolute time (at least for frequencies beyond direct human experience) is meaningless. All we can ever do is to use an agreed time standard. In this context, a laser beam is fundamentally as good a 'clock' as any other. I explain in detail why this claim is true, and defend my argument against various objections. In the process I discuss super-selection rules, quantum channels, and the ultimate limits to the performance of a laser as a clock. For this last topic I use some earlier work by myself (1999 Phys. Rev. A 60 4083) and Berry and myself (2002 Phys. Rev. A 65 043803) to show that a Heisenberg-limited laser with a mean photon number μ can synchronize M independent clocks each with a mean-square error of .

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Optical coherence and teleportation: why a laser is a clock, and not a quantum channel

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It has been argued that continuous-variable quantum teleportation at optical frequencies has not been achieved because the source used was not 'truly coherent'. While arguing against Rudolph and Sanders, also accept that an 'absolute phase' is achievable, even if it has not been achieved yet. I will argue to the contrary that 'true coherence' or 'absolute phase' is always illusory, as the concept of absolute time on a scale beyond direct human experience is meaningless. All we can ever do is to use an agreed time standard. in this context, laser beam is fundamentally as good a 'clock' as any other. I explain in detail why this claim is true, and defend my argument against various objections. In the process I discuss super-selection rules, quantum work by myself and Berry and myself to show that a Heisenberg-limited laser with a mean photon number μ can synchronize M independent clocks each with a mean-square error of square root M/4μ radians2.

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There is no unmet requirement of optical coherence for continuous-variable quantum teleportation

Howard M. Wiseman

It has been argued [T.Rudolph and B.C. Sanders, Phys.Rev. Lett.87, 077903 (2001)] that continuous-variable quantum teleportation at optical frequencies has not been achieved because the source used (a laser) was not 'truly coherent'.Here I show that 'true coherence' is always illusory, as the concept of absolute time on a scale beyond direct human experience is meaningless.A laser is as good a clock as any other, even in principle, and this objection to teleportation experiments is baseless.

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Comment: There is no unmet requirement of optical coherence for continuous-variable quantum teleportation

Howard M. Wiseman

It has been argued that continuous-variable quantum teleportation at optical frequencies has not been achieved because the source used (a laser) was not ‘truly coherent’. Here it is shown that ‘true coherence’ is always illusory, as the concept of absolute time on a scale beyond direct human experience is meaningless. A laser is as good a clock as any other, even in principle, and this objection to teleportation experiments is baseless.

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Comment on ``Requirement of optical coherence for continuous--variable quantum teleportation'' by Terry Rudolph and Barry C. Sanders

Howard M. Wiseman

The argument of Rudolph and Sanders, while technically correct, raises conceptual problems. In particular, if carried to its logical conclusion, it would disallow the use in our theories of any time $t$ with implied resolution beyond that of direct human experience.

arXiv:quant-ph/0104004•Apr 2, 2001•0 citations

The quantum state of a laser field

S. J. van Enk, Christopher A. Fuchs

Optical implementations of quantum communication protocols typically involve laser fields. However, the standard description of the quantum state of a laser field is surprisingly insufficient to understand the quantum nature of such implementations. In this paper, we give a quantum information-theoretic description of a propagating continuous-wave laser field and reinterpret various quantum-optical experiments in light of this. A timely example is found in a recent controversy about the quantum teleportation of continuous variables. We show that contrary to the claims of T. Rudolph and B.C. Sanders [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 87}, 077903 (2001)], a conventional laser can be used for quantum teleportation with continuous variables and for generating continuous-variable quantum entanglement. Furthermore, we show that optical coherent states do play a privileged role in the description of propagating laser fields even though they cannot be ascribed such a role for the intracavity field.

Quantum Information and Computation•Feb 1, 2002•33 citations
It has been argued [T. Rudolph and B.C. Sanders, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 87}, 077903 (2001)] that continuous-variable quantum teleportation at optical frequencies has not been achieved because the source used (a laser) was not truly coherent'. Van Enk, and Fuchs [Phys. Rev. Lett, {\\bf 88}, 027902 (2002)], while arguing against Rudolph and Sanders, also accept that an absolute phase' is achievable, even if it has not been achieved yet. I will argue to the contrary that true coherence' or absolute phase' is always illusory, as the concept of absolute time (at least for frequencies beyond direct human experience) is meaningless. All we can ever do is to use an agreed time standard. In this context, a laser beam is fundamentally as good a `clock' as any other. I explain in detail why this claim is true, and defend my argument against various objections. In the process I discuss super-selection rules, quantum channels, and the ultimate limits to the performance of a laser as a clock. For this last topic I use some earlier work by myself [Phys. Rev. A {\bf 60}, 4083 (1999)] and Berry and myself [Phys. Rev. A {\bf 65}, 043803 (2002)] to show that a Heisenberg-limited laser with a mean photon number mu\\mumu can synchronize MMM independent clocks each with a mean-square error of sqrtM/4mu\\sqrt{M}/4\\musqrtM/4mu radians2^22.
It has been argued (Rudolph and Sanders 2001 Phys. Rev. Lett. 87 077903) that continuous-variable quantum teleportation at optical frequencies has not been achieved because the source used (a laser) was not 'truly coherent'. Van Enk and Fuchs (2002 Phys. Rev. Lett. 88 027902), while arguing against Rudolph and Sanders, also accept that an 'absolute phase' is achievable, even if it has not been achieved yet. I will argue to the contrary that 'true coherence' or 'absolute phase' is always illusory, as the concept of absolute time (at least for frequencies beyond direct human experience) is meaningless. All we can ever do is to use an agreed time standard. In this context, a laser beam is fundamentally as good a 'clock' as any other. I explain in detail why this claim is true, and defend my argument against various objections. In the process I discuss super-selection rules, quantum channels, and the ultimate limits to the performance of a laser as a clock. For this last topic I use some earlier work by myself (1999 Phys. Rev. A 60 4083) and Berry and myself (2002 Phys. Rev. A 65 043803) to show that a Heisenberg-limited laser with a mean photon number μ can synchronize M independent clocks each with a mean-square error of .
It has been argued that continuous-variable quantum teleportation at optical frequencies has not been achieved because the source used was not 'truly coherent'. While arguing against Rudolph and Sanders, also accept that an 'absolute phase' is achievable, even if it has not been achieved yet. I will argue to the contrary that 'true coherence' or 'absolute phase' is always illusory, as the concept of absolute time on a scale beyond direct human experience is meaningless. All we can ever do is to use an agreed time standard. in this context, laser beam is fundamentally as good a 'clock' as any other. I explain in detail why this claim is true, and defend my argument against various objections. In the process I discuss super-selection rules, quantum work by myself and Berry and myself to show that a Heisenberg-limited laser with a mean photon number μ can synchronize M independent clocks each with a mean-square error of square root M/4μ radians2.
It has been argued [T.Rudolph and B.C. Sanders, Phys.Rev. Lett.87, 077903 (2001)] that continuous-variable quantum teleportation at optical frequencies has not been achieved because the source used (a laser) was not 'truly coherent'.Here I show that 'true coherence' is always illusory, as the concept of absolute time on a scale beyond direct human experience is meaningless.A laser is as good a clock as any other, even in principle, and this objection to teleportation experiments is baseless.
The argument of Rudolph and Sanders, while technically correct, raises conceptual problems. In particular, if carried to its logical conclusion, it would disallow the use in our theories of any time ttt with implied resolution beyond that of direct human experience.
Optical implementations of quantum communication protocols typically involve laser fields. However, the standard description of the quantum state of a laser field is surprisingly insufficient to understand the quantum nature of such implementations. In this paper, we give a quantum information-theoretic description of a propagating continuous-wave laser field and reinterpret various quantum-optical experiments in light of this. A timely example is found in a recent controversy about the quantum teleportation of continuous variables. We show that contrary to the claims of T. Rudolph and B.C. Sanders [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 87}, 077903 (2001)], a conventional laser can be used for quantum teleportation with continuous variables and for generating continuous-variable quantum entanglement. Furthermore, we show that optical coherent states do play a privileged role in the description of propagating laser fields even though they cannot be ascribed such a role for the intracavity field.