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arXiv:quant-ph/0608183

Deterministic unitary operations on time-bin qudits for quantum communication

Félix Bussières, Yasaman Soudagar, Guido Berlín, S. Lacroix, Nicolas Godbout

Published Aug 23, 2006• 1 citation
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Abstract

We show for the first time how deterministic unitary operations on time-bin qubits encoded in single photon pulses can be realized using fiber optics components that are available with current technology. We also generalize this result to operations on time-bin qudits, i.e. $d$-level systems, and show that this can be done efficiently using 2$\times$2 beamsplitters and phase modulators. Important benefits for experimental quantum communication are highlighted. This work shows how to bridge the gap between current proof-of-principle demonstrations and complete, deterministic experiments.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.quant-ph/0608183

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We show for the first time how deterministic unitary operations on time-bin qubits encoded in single photon pulses can be realized using fiber optics components that are available with current technology. We also generalize this result to operations on time-bin qudits, i.e. ddd-level systems, and show that this can be done efficiently using 2×\times×2 beamsplitters and phase modulators. Important benefits for experimental quantum communication are highlighted. This work shows how to bridge the gap between current proof-of-principle demonstrations and complete, deterministic experiments.
High-dimensional photon states (qudits) are pivotal to enhance the information capacity, noise robustness, and data rates of quantum communications. Time-bin entangled qudits are promising candidates for implementing high-dimensional quantum communications over optical fiber networks with processing rates approaching those of classical telecommunications. However, their use is hindered by phase instability, timing inaccuracy, and low scalability of interferometric schemes needed for time-bin processing. As well, increasing the number of time bins per photon state typically requires decreasing the repetition rate of the system, affecting in turn the effective qudit rates. Here, we demonstrate a fiber-pigtailed, integrated photonic platform enabling the generation and processing of picosecond-spaced time-bin entangled qudits in the telecommunication C band via an on-chip interferometry system. We experimentally demonstrate the Bennett-Brassard-Mermin 1992 quantum key distribution protocol with time-bin entangled qudits and extend it over a 60 km-long optical fiber link, by showing dimensionality scaling without sacrificing the repetition rate. Our approach enables the manipulation of time-bin entangled qudits at processing speeds typical of standard telecommunications (10 s of GHz) with high quantum information capacity per single frequency channel, representing an important step towards an efficient implementation of high-data rate quantum communications in standard, multi-user optical fiber networks.
The development of integrated photonic systems, both on-chip and fiber-based, has transformed quantum photonics by replacing bulky, fragile free-space optical setups with compact, efficient, and robust circuits. Photonic platforms incorporating fiber-connected sources of correlated and entangled photon pairs offer practical advantages, such as operation at room temperature, efficient integration with telecom infrastructure, and compatibility with mature and efficient semiconductor fabrication processes for cost-effective and large-scale optical circuits. The stability and scalability of integrated quantum photonics platforms have facilitated the generation and processing of quantum information in the temporal domain within a single spatial mode. Time-bin encoded states, known for their robustness against decoherence and compatibility with existing fiber-optic infrastructure, have shown to be an efficient paradigm for advanced applications like quantum secure communication, information processing, spectroscopy, imaging, and sensing. This review examines recent advancements in fiber- and chip-based platforms for generating non-classical states and their applications as quantum state processors in the time domain. We discuss the generation of pulsed quantum frequency combs using microring resonators and intra-cavity mode-locked laser schemes, enabling co- and cross-polarized quantum photonic states. Additionally, the versatility of these resonator chips for entanglement generation is emphasized, including two- and multi-photon time-bin entangled schemes. We highlight the development of time-bin entanglement analyzers in fiber architectures, featuring ultrahigh stability and post-selection-free capabilities, which enable precise and efficient characterization of two- and higher-dimensional time-bin entanglement. We also review scalable on-chip schemes for quantum key distribution, demonstrating low quantum bit error rates and compatibility with higher-dimensional quantum communication protocols. Further, methods for enhancing temporal resolution in detection schemes, crucial for time-bin encoding, are presented, such as the time-stretch sampling technique using electro-optic modulation. These innovations, relying on readily available, telecom-based fiber-optic components, provide practical, scalable, and cost-effective solutions for advancing quantum photonic technologies. Looking forward, time-bin encoding is expected to play a pivotal role in the advancement of quantum repeaters, distributed quantum networks, and hybrid light-matter systems, advancing the realization of globally scalable quantum technologies.
Encoding quantum information into time-bin entangled photons offers a physics-rich framework for both fundamental and applied quantum science. Here, we present two frameworks enabling the generation and manipulation of time-bin entangled photonic qudits for both fundamental and applied quantum information processing. The first framework consists of a scalable synthetic temporal photonic lattice implemented on a coupled fiber-loop system that is employed to explore and dynamically control the evolution of the discrete-time quantum walk of time-bin entangled photon states. The other framework consists of a modular, fiber-pigtailed, integrated photonic platform enabling the generation and processing of time-bin entangled qudits that were used to demonstrate the first Bennett-Brassard-Mermin 1992 QKD protocol extended to qudits. We operate the entangled qudits at processing speeds typical of standard telecommunication systems at 10s of GBaud.
In a quantum network involving multiple communicating parties, an important goal is to establish high-quality pairwise entanglement among the users without introducing multiple entangled-photon sources which would necessarily complicate the overall network setup. Moreover, it is preferable that the pairwise entanglement of photons is in the time-bin degree of freedom as the photonic time-bin qubit is ideally suited for fiber-optic distribution. Here, we report an experimental demonstration of a field-deployable quantum communication network involving multiple users, all of whom share pairwise entanglement in the time-bin degree of freedom of photons. In particular, by utilizing a single spontaneous-parametric down-conversion source which produces a broadband pair of photons and the wavelength-division demultiplexing/multiplexing technology, all the communicating parties within the network are always simultaneously ready for quantum communication. To further demonstrate the practical feasibility of a quantum network with time-bin entanglement over a wavelength-multiplexed fiber network, we demonstrate entangled-photon quantum key distribution with three users, each separated by 60 km of optical fibers.