Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:quant-ph/0612028 · Physical Review A

Multiphoton communication in lossy channels with photon-number entangled states

Vladyslav C. Usenko, Matteo G. A. Paris

Published Apr 20, 2007• 23 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We address binary and quaternary communication channels based on correlated multiphoton two-mode states of radiation in the presence of losses. The protocol are based on photon number correlations and realized upon choosing a shared set of thresholds to convert the outcome of a joint photon number measurement into a symbol from a discrete alphabet. In particular, we focus on channels built using feasible photon-number entangled states (PNES) as two-mode coherently-correlated (TMC) or twin-beam (TWB) states and compare their performances with that of channels built using feasible classically correlated (separable) states. We found that PNES provide larger channel capacity in the presence of loss, and that TWB-based channels may transmit a larger amount of information than TMC-based ones at fixed energy and overall loss. Optimized bit discrimination thresholds, as well as the corresponding maximized mutual information, are explicitly evaluated as a function of the beam intensity and the loss parameter. The propagation of TMC and TWB in lossy channels is analyzed and the joint photon number distribution is evaluated, showing that the beam statistics, either sub-Poissonian for TMC or super-Poissonian for TWB, is not altered by losses. Although entanglement is not strictly needed to establish the channels, which are based on photon-number correlations owned also by separable mixed states, purity of the support state is relevant to increase security. The joint requirement of correlation and purity individuates PNES as a suitable choice to build effective channels. The effects of losses on channel security are briefly discussed.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.75.043812

Related papers

Bit threshold optimization for multiphoton communication in lossy channels

Vladyslav C. Usenko, Matteo G. A. Paris

We address M -ary communication channels based on entangled two-mode states of radiation in the presence of losses. In particular we focus on channels build by two-mode coherently-correlated (TMC) or twin-beam (TWB) states. Optimized bit discrimination thresholds, as well as the corresponding maximized mutual information, are explicitly evaluated as a function of beam intensities and loss parameters for binary and quaternary alphabets. The evolution of the two entangled support states in lossy channels is analyzed and the joint photon number distribution is evaluated, showing that the beam statistics (either sub-Poissonian for TMC or super-Poissonian for TWB) is not altered by channel losses. The effects of losses on the channel security is discussed.

Optics and Spectroscopy•Jul 1, 2007•0 citations

Loss influence on the quantum channels based on the photon-number entangled beams

Vladyslav C. Usenko, Matteo G. A. Paris

Communication protocols based on quantum states of light have attracted increasing interest in the recent years, since they offer the possibility of enhancing either the communication capacity or the security by exploiting the very quantum nature of the information carriers. While first theoretical ideas and practical realizations started from discrete variables (DC) coding (practically based on the weak laser beams and SPDC-generated photon pairs), the continuous variables (CV) approach (supposing the use of coherent beams and entangled beam pairs) to the quantum information processing is aimed at the increase of the effectiveness and reliability of the quantum information protocols. Though being the subject to the environmental influence and thus performing always imperfectly, the CV-based quantum systems require the study of the effect the environment has on the quantum information processing schemes which is done by analyzing the perturbance of the corresponding quantum states. In this work we address M-ary communication channels based on photon-number continuous-variable multiphoton entangled states (PNES) in the conditions of the realistic lossy optical media.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)•Jun 1, 2007•0 citations

A four-state quantum communication protocol with mesoscopic twin beams

Stefano Carsi

Twin-beam (TWB) states generated by parametric down-conversion exhibit strong photon-number correlations that can be exploited for quantum communication. In the mesoscopic regime, these correlations can be directly investigated using photon-number-resolving detectors, such as silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). Their nonclassical nature is quantified by the noise reduction factor (NRF), which provides a witness of quantum correlations and a means of monitoring channel security. In this work, a quantum communication protocol based on TWB states, originally proposed for binary encoding, is extended to a four-state scheme capable of transmitting two bits per use. Information is encoded by combining two mean photon-number values and two mode numbers of thermal noise superimposed on one arm of the twin beam, defining four distinguishable states in the (m,R) plane. While the mean detected photon number enables the retrieval of one bit, the NRF provides discrimination of the second bit and a security check against intercept-and-resend attacks, which introduce additional noise and degrade the quantum correlations. The protocol is investigated through two experimental measurement campaigns. First, the twin-beam source is characterized in terms of photon-number statistics, NRF, and detection efficiency to establish the operating conditions of the communication channel. Subsequently, the four-state protocol is implemented and evaluated through the analysis of state distributions and their 95% confidence regions, error probability as a function of sample size, and a comparative assessment of machine learning classifiers for state discrimination. Finally, the response of the NRF to an intercept-and-resend attack is investigated to assess the protocol's ability to detect eavesdropping.

quant-pharXiv:2609.23818•Sep 22, 2026•0 citations

Mesoscopic Quantum Communication via Photon-Number Moments

Gabriele Cenedese, Alex Pozzoli, Luca Razzoli +1 more

Mesoscopic optical states are a promising resource for quantum communication, combining robustness against losses with the preservation of genuine quantum features. Here, we propose a quantum communication protocol in which information is encoded in the first and second moments of the photon-number distributions of classical optical states, and then decoded by photon-number-resolving detectors. Security relies on the nonclassical photon-number correlations of a twin-beam state transmitted alongside the signal in the quantum channel, providing an experimentally accessible security witness against both intercept-resend and beam-splitter attacks investigated in this work. Numerical simulations performed in experimentally accessible parameter regimes support the feasibility and security of the proposed communication protocol, yielding nonzero key generation rates under the considered eavesdropping attacks, and motivating its future experimental implementation.

quant-pharXiv:2608.03418•Aug 5, 2026•0 citations

A Digital Twin for Multimode Quantum Entanglement Transmission in Noisy and Lossy Optical Channels

Alireza Alipour, Jonathan L. Habif

We have developed a “digital twin” of the photon entanglement generation process to model the degradation of quantum entangled states produced via spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) when transmitted through lossy and noisy optical channels. These two-mode entangled states can exhibit entanglement in photon number, polarization, and spectral-temporal modes, making them valuable resources for quantum communication and information processing. Using a density matrix formalism, we perform numerical simulations to model the interaction of each mode with its environment, incorporating the effects of photon loss, incoherent noise processes, and intermodal correlations between polarization and frequency degrees of freedom. Purity and fidelity are key metrics used to quantify the mixedness and coherence of the transmitted state. The simulation results quantify the decoherence as noise and loss increase, highlighting the vulnerability of entanglement to environmental disturbances and the compounding impact of mode-dependent quantum correlations. This study provides insight into the performance limits of SPDC-based entangled photon sources and offers guidance for optimizing quantum systems operating under realistic conditions. The simulation platform serves as a predictive tool, enabling future integration with experimental control systems and benchmarking against measured entangled photon characteristics such as Hong-Ou-Mandel interference and polarization correlation visibility.

IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering (QCE)•Aug 30, 2025•0 citations

Underwater Transmission of Mesoscopic Twin-Beam States for Applications in Quantum Communication

Alessia Allevi, Marco Lamperti, Maria Bondani

Quantum resources can improve the security of information transmission between two parties. So far, Quantum Communication protocols have been implemented at the single-photon level by means of entangled states [1]. In contrast to this domain, where the presence of losses can reduce the transmission rate of information [2], in the mesoscopic one the optical pulses contain sizeable numbers of photons, thus resulting more robust against any kind of external degradation [3]. In a recent work of ours, we have demonstrated that the transmission of one arm of a twin-beam (TWB) state through a lossy and noisy channel does not prevent the observation of nonclassical correlations between the two parties [4]. Based on these successful results, here we consider a more realistic scenario, in which a portion of TWB produced in a$\beta$-Barium Borate (BBO) crystal is sent through water-filled tubes, while the other one undergoes free-space propagation [5]. We investigate the role played by the length of the tubes, the number of optical elements (OE), and the divergence of the beams through the different media. We demonstrate that, by properly acting on the light beams, we can still observe nonclassical correlations at moderate distances by using the noise reduction factor,$R$, as a criterion for nonclassicality. The experimental implementations involve commercial photon-number-resolving (PNR) detectors. In particular, hybrid photodetectors and Silicon Photomultipliers have been used and compared.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)•Jun 26, 2023•1 citation
We address binary and quaternary communication channels based on correlated multiphoton two-mode states of radiation in the presence of losses. The protocol are based on photon number correlations and realized upon choosing a shared set of thresholds to convert the outcome of a joint photon number measurement into a symbol from a discrete alphabet. In particular, we focus on channels built using feasible photon-number entangled states (PNES) as two-mode coherently-correlated (TMC) or twin-beam (TWB) states and compare their performances with that of channels built using feasible classically correlated (separable) states. We found that PNES provide larger channel capacity in the presence of loss, and that TWB-based channels may transmit a larger amount of information than TMC-based ones at fixed energy and overall loss. Optimized bit discrimination thresholds, as well as the corresponding maximized mutual information, are explicitly evaluated as a function of the beam intensity and the loss parameter. The propagation of TMC and TWB in lossy channels is analyzed and the joint photon number distribution is evaluated, showing that the beam statistics, either sub-Poissonian for TMC or super-Poissonian for TWB, is not altered by losses. Although entanglement is not strictly needed to establish the channels, which are based on photon-number correlations owned also by separable mixed states, purity of the support state is relevant to increase security. The joint requirement of correlation and purity individuates PNES as a suitable choice to build effective channels. The effects of losses on channel security are briefly discussed.
We address M -ary communication channels based on entangled two-mode states of radiation in the presence of losses. In particular we focus on channels build by two-mode coherently-correlated (TMC) or twin-beam (TWB) states. Optimized bit discrimination thresholds, as well as the corresponding maximized mutual information, are explicitly evaluated as a function of beam intensities and loss parameters for binary and quaternary alphabets. The evolution of the two entangled support states in lossy channels is analyzed and the joint photon number distribution is evaluated, showing that the beam statistics (either sub-Poissonian for TMC or super-Poissonian for TWB) is not altered by channel losses. The effects of losses on the channel security is discussed.
Communication protocols based on quantum states of light have attracted increasing interest in the recent years, since they offer the possibility of enhancing either the communication capacity or the security by exploiting the very quantum nature of the information carriers. While first theoretical ideas and practical realizations started from discrete variables (DC) coding (practically based on the weak laser beams and SPDC-generated photon pairs), the continuous variables (CV) approach (supposing the use of coherent beams and entangled beam pairs) to the quantum information processing is aimed at the increase of the effectiveness and reliability of the quantum information protocols. Though being the subject to the environmental influence and thus performing always imperfectly, the CV-based quantum systems require the study of the effect the environment has on the quantum information processing schemes which is done by analyzing the perturbance of the corresponding quantum states. In this work we address M-ary communication channels based on photon-number continuous-variable multiphoton entangled states (PNES) in the conditions of the realistic lossy optical media.
Twin-beam (TWB) states generated by parametric down-conversion exhibit strong photon-number correlations that can be exploited for quantum communication. In the mesoscopic regime, these correlations can be directly investigated using photon-number-resolving detectors, such as silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). Their nonclassical nature is quantified by the noise reduction factor (NRF), which provides a witness of quantum correlations and a means of monitoring channel security. In this work, a quantum communication protocol based on TWB states, originally proposed for binary encoding, is extended to a four-state scheme capable of transmitting two bits per use. Information is encoded by combining two mean photon-number values and two mode numbers of thermal noise superimposed on one arm of the twin beam, defining four distinguishable states in the (m,R) plane. While the mean detected photon number enables the retrieval of one bit, the NRF provides discrimination of the second bit and a security check against intercept-and-resend attacks, which introduce additional noise and degrade the quantum correlations. The protocol is investigated through two experimental measurement campaigns. First, the twin-beam source is characterized in terms of photon-number statistics, NRF, and detection efficiency to establish the operating conditions of the communication channel. Subsequently, the four-state protocol is implemented and evaluated through the analysis of state distributions and their 95% confidence regions, error probability as a function of sample size, and a comparative assessment of machine learning classifiers for state discrimination. Finally, the response of the NRF to an intercept-and-resend attack is investigated to assess the protocol's ability to detect eavesdropping.
Mesoscopic optical states are a promising resource for quantum communication, combining robustness against losses with the preservation of genuine quantum features. Here, we propose a quantum communication protocol in which information is encoded in the first and second moments of the photon-number distributions of classical optical states, and then decoded by photon-number-resolving detectors. Security relies on the nonclassical photon-number correlations of a twin-beam state transmitted alongside the signal in the quantum channel, providing an experimentally accessible security witness against both intercept-resend and beam-splitter attacks investigated in this work. Numerical simulations performed in experimentally accessible parameter regimes support the feasibility and security of the proposed communication protocol, yielding nonzero key generation rates under the considered eavesdropping attacks, and motivating its future experimental implementation.
We have developed a “digital twin” of the photon entanglement generation process to model the degradation of quantum entangled states produced via spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) when transmitted through lossy and noisy optical channels. These two-mode entangled states can exhibit entanglement in photon number, polarization, and spectral-temporal modes, making them valuable resources for quantum communication and information processing. Using a density matrix formalism, we perform numerical simulations to model the interaction of each mode with its environment, incorporating the effects of photon loss, incoherent noise processes, and intermodal correlations between polarization and frequency degrees of freedom. Purity and fidelity are key metrics used to quantify the mixedness and coherence of the transmitted state. The simulation results quantify the decoherence as noise and loss increase, highlighting the vulnerability of entanglement to environmental disturbances and the compounding impact of mode-dependent quantum correlations. This study provides insight into the performance limits of SPDC-based entangled photon sources and offers guidance for optimizing quantum systems operating under realistic conditions. The simulation platform serves as a predictive tool, enabling future integration with experimental control systems and benchmarking against measured entangled photon characteristics such as Hong-Ou-Mandel interference and polarization correlation visibility.
Quantum resources can improve the security of information transmission between two parties. So far, Quantum Communication protocols have been implemented at the single-photon level by means of entangled states [1]. In contrast to this domain, where the presence of losses can reduce the transmission rate of information [2], in the mesoscopic one the optical pulses contain sizeable numbers of photons, thus resulting more robust against any kind of external degradation [3]. In a recent work of ours, we have demonstrated that the transmission of one arm of a twin-beam (TWB) state through a lossy and noisy channel does not prevent the observation of nonclassical correlations between the two parties [4]. Based on these successful results, here we consider a more realistic scenario, in which a portion of TWB produced in aβ\betaβ-Barium Borate (BBO) crystal is sent through water-filled tubes, while the other one undergoes free-space propagation [5]. We investigate the role played by the length of the tubes, the number of optical elements (OE), and the divergence of the beams through the different media. We demonstrate that, by properly acting on the light beams, we can still observe nonclassical correlations at moderate distances by using the noise reduction factor,RRR, as a criterion for nonclassicality. The experimental implementations involve commercial photon-number-resolving (PNR) detectors. In particular, hybrid photodetectors and Silicon Photomultipliers have been used and compared.