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Quantum Computing, Communication, and Simulation

Zero-photon subtraction: a useful tool for quantum communication

T. B. Pittman

Published Mar 9, 2022• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The process of single-photon subtraction --essentially an implementation of the annihilation operator-- is known to be a useful tool for manipulating quantum optical states. Somewhat surprisingly, subtracting zero photons can also alter the properties of certain quantum states, and forms the bases of a noiseless attenuation process that is useful for quantum communication. Here we review our recent experimental work in this area, which uses parametric down-conversion sources and heralding signals based on the active detection of zero photons.

DOI
10.1117/12.2615433

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The process of single-photon subtraction --essentially an implementation of the annihilation operator-- is known to be a useful tool for manipulating quantum optical states. Somewhat surprisingly, subtracting zero photons can also alter the properties of certain quantum states, and forms the bases of a noiseless attenuation process that is useful for quantum communication. Here we review our recent experimental work in this area, which uses parametric down-conversion sources and heralding signals based on the active detection of zero photons.
Single-photon subtraction (SPS) is useful for engineering optical quantum states and can be accomplished experimentally by heralding on the detection of one photon in the output port of a beamsplitter. Alternatively, conditioning on zero reflected photons modifies states by “zero-photon subtraction” (ZPS). Here we experimentally demonstrate that ZPS reduces the mean photon number of superpositions/mixtures of Fock states. The observed trends in attenuation show a dependence on the Mandel Q parameter for various input states, resulting in complementary behavior between SPS and ZPS. Theoretical results also show higher-order effects on the photon number distribution, beyond reduction in mean photon number.
Although heralding signals in quantum optics experiments are typically based on the detection of exactly one photon, it has recently been theoretically shown that heralding based on the detection of zero photons can be useful in a number of quantum information applications. Here we experimentally investigate a technique for ``heralding on zero photons'' using conventional single-photon detectors. We illustrate how detector efficiency and dark count rates play a counterintuitive role in the ability to accurately detect zero photons, and we use a variant of the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer to study the deleterious effects of limited detector efficiency when heralding on zero.