SearcharxivSearch

arXiv subjects

Alberto Porzio

Publications and source records attributed to Alberto Porzio.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Three wave mixing vacuum squeezing generation in a SNAIL-based Traveling-Wave Parametric Amplifier with alternated flux polarity

Recent demonstrations of squeezing generation using Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifiers (TWPAs) have opened the way for the application of broadband microwave squeezing in quantum sensing, quantum-enhanced detection, and continuous-variable quantum information. Here we demonstrate vacuum squeezing generation via residual three-wave mixing (3WM) in a Josephson TWPA based on superconducting nonlinear asymmetric inductive elements (SNAILs) with alternated magnetic flux polarity. By investigating competition between four-wave mixing (4WM) and 3WM nonlinearities, we prove that vacuum squeezing generation via residual 3WM is possible when a careful choice of the operating flux point is adopted. Our study provides valuable insights on the impact of competing nonlinearities on TWPA squeezers, potentially extending the range of applications in the framework of microwave photonics.

quant-ph

On-chip microwave coherent source with in-situ control of the photon number distribution

Coherent photon sources are key elements in different applications, ranging from quantum sensing to quantum computing. The possibility of designing and engineering superconducting circuits behaving like artificial atoms supports the realization of quantum optics protocols, including microwave photons generation. Here we propose and theoretically investigate a design that allows a tunable photon injection directly on-chip. Our approach enables control of the emission via an external knob while preserving, in principle, the stability and linewidth characteristics. This is achieved by replacing the conventional capacitive link between the source and the reservoir with a tunable coupler, with the advantage of avoiding direct dynamical manipulation of the photon source dynamics, providing pulsed control of the emission. We validate the dynamical control of the generated state under the effect of an external flux threading the tunable coupler and discuss the possibility of employing this scheme also in the context of multiple bosonic reservoirs.

quant-ph

Status of the GINGER project

Large frame Ring laser gyroscopes, based on the Sagnac effect, are top sensitivity instrumentation to measure angular velocity with respect to the fixed stars. GINGER (Gyroscopes IN GEneral Relativity) project foresees the construction of an array of three large dimension ring laser gyroscopes, rigidly connected to the Earth. GINGER has the potentiality to measure general relativity effects and Lorentz Violation in the gravity sector, once a sensitivity of $10^{-9}$, or better, of the Earth rotation rate is obtained. Being attached to the Earth crust, the array will also provide useful data for geophysical investigation. For this purpose, it is at present under construction as part of the multi-components observatory called Underground Geophysics at Gran Sasso (UGSS). Sensitivity is the key point to determine the relevance of this instrument for fundamental science. The most recent progress in the sensitivity measurement, obtained on a ring laser prototype called GINGERINO, indicates that GINGER should reach the level of 1 part in $10^{11}$ of the Earth rotation rate.

gr-qc

Noise level of a ring laser gyroscope in the femto-rad/s range

Absolute angular rotation rate measurements with sensitivity better than prad/s would be beneficial for fundamental science investigations. On this regard, large frame Earth based ring laser gyroscopes are top instrumentation as far as bandwidth, long--term operation, and sensitivity are concerned. Here, we demonstrate that the GINGERINO active--ring laser upper limiting noise is close to $2 \times 10^{-15}$ rad/s for $\sim 2 \times 10^5$ s of integration time, as estimated by the Allan deviation evaluated in a differential measurement scheme. This is more than a factor 10 better than the theoretical prediction so far accounted for ideal ring lasers shot--noise with the two beams counter--propagating inside the cavity considered as two independent propagating modes. This feature is related to the peculiarity of real ring laser system dynamics that causes phase cross--talking among the two counter--propagating modes. In this context, the independent beam model is, then, not applicable and the measured noise limit falls below the expected one.

quant-ph

GINGER

In this paper, we outline the scientific objectives, the experimental layout, and the collaborations envisaged for the GINGER (Gyroscopes IN GEneral Relativity) project. The GINGER project brings together different scientific disciplines aiming at building an array of Ring Laser Gyroscopes (RLGs), exploiting the Sagnac effect, to measure continuously, with sensitivity better than picorad/ s, large bandwidth (ca. 1 kHz), and high dynamic range, the absolute angular rotation rate of the Earth. In the paper, we address the feasibility of the apparatus with respect to the ambitious specifications above, as well as prove how such an apparatus, which will be able to detect strong Earthquakes, very weak geodetic signals, as well as general relativity effects like Lense-Thirring and De Sitter, will help scientific advancements in Theoretical Physics, Geophysics, and Geodesy, among other scientific fields.

gr-qc

Constraining Theories of Gravity by GINGER experiment

The debate on gravity theories to extend or modify General Relativity is very active today because of the issues related to ultra-violet and infra-red behavior of Einstein's theory. In the first case, we have to address the Quantum Gravity problem. In the latter, dark matter and dark energy, governing the large scale structure and the cosmological evolution, seem to escape from any final fundamental theory and detection. The state of art is that, up to now, no final theory, capable of explaining gravitational interaction at any scale, has been formulated. In this perspective, many research efforts are devoted to test theories of gravity by space-based experiments. Here we propose straightforward tests by the GINGER experiment, which, being Earth based, requires little modeling of external perturbation, allowing a thorough analysis of the systematics, crucial for experiments where sensitivity breakthrough is required. Specifically, we want to show that it is possible to constrain parameters of gravity theories, like scalar-tensor or Horava-Lifshitz gravity, by considering their post-Newtonian limits matched with experimental data. In particular, we use the Lense-Thirring measurements provided by GINGER to find out relations among the parameters of theories and finally compare the results with those provided by LARES and Gravity Probe-B satellites.

gr-qc

Effects of temperature variations in high sensitivity Sagnac gyroscope

GINGERINO is one of the most sensitive Sagnac laser-gyroscope based on an heterolithic mechanical structure. It is a prototype for GINGER, the laser gyroscopes array proposed to reconstruct the Earth rotation vector and in this way to measure General Relativity effects. Many factors affect the final sensitivity of laser gyroscopes, in particular, when they are used in long term measurements, slow varying environmental parameters come into play. To understand the role of different terms allows to design more effective mechanical as well as optical layouts, while a proper model of the dynamics affecting long term (low frequency) signals would increase the effectiveness of the data analysis for improving the overall sensitivity. In this contribution we focus our concerns on the effects of room temperature and pressure aiming at further improving mechanical design and long term stability of the apparatus. Our data are compatible with a local orientation changes of the Gran Sasso site below $μ$rad as predicted by geodetic models. This value is, consistent with the requirements for GINGER and the installation of an high sensitivity Sagnac gyroscope oriented at the maximum signal, \textit{i.e.} along the Earth rotation axes.

gr-qc

Reaching the sensitivity limit of a Sagnac gyroscope through linear regression analysis

The sensitivity to angular rotation of the top class Sagnac gyroscope GINGERINO is carefully investigated with standard statistical means, using 103 days of continuous operation and the available geodesic measurements of the Earth angular rotation rate. All features of the Earth rotation rate are correctly reproduced. The sensitivity of fractions of frad/s is attained for long term runs. This excellent sensitivity and stability put Sagnac gyroscopes at the forefront for fundamental physics, in particular for tests of general relativity and Lorentz violation, where the sensitivity plays the key role to provide reliable data for deeper theoretical investigations. The achieved sensitivity overcomes the conventionally expected one for Sagnac ring laser gyroscopes.

gr-qc

An underground Sagnac gyroscope with sub-prad/s rotation rate sensitivity: toward General Relativity tests on Earth

Measuring in a single location on Earth its angular rotation rate with respect to the celestial frame, with a sensitivity enabling access to the tiny Lense-Thirring effect is an extremely challenging task. GINGERINO is a large frame ring laser gyroscope, operating free running and unattended inside the underground laboratory of the Gran Sasso, Italy. The main geodetic signals, i.e., Annual and Chandler wobbles, daily polar motion and Length of the Day, are recovered from GINGERINO data using standard linear regression methods, demonstrating a sensitivity better than 1 prad/s, therefore close to the requirements for an Earth-based Lense-Thirring test.

astro-ph.IM

First Results of GINGERino, a deep underground ringlaser

Large ring-laser gyroscopes are capable of measuring angular rotations with a precision well below fractions of $prad/s$, not far from $10^{-14}$ $rad/s$, the accuracy required for General Relativity tests, this is what the GINGER (Gyroscope-IN-GEneral-Relativity) experiment is aiming for. These features do not guarantee the possibility of measuring the General Relativity Lense--Thirring effect, that manifests itself as a tiny ($\approx 10^{-9} \times Ω_E$) perturbation of the Earth rotation rate. An underground location being in principle less affected by external local disturbances represents a good candidate for housing such a challenging experiment. GINGERino is a test apparatus to investigate the residual local disturbances in the most inner part of the underground international laboratory of the GranSasso (LNGS). It consists of a square ring laser with a $3.6$ m side. The instrument has been tailored to be the larger allowed by the particular location inside the laboratory. Its main objective is to measure the very low frequency rotational motions, in order to prove that LNGS is a suitable location for very low noise measurements and, possibly, General Relativity tests. Aside this main goal, GINGERino will provide unique data for geodesy and geophysics. Its installation has been completed during 2015. Since then, several long set of data have been collected, and the apparatus has been continuously running unattended for more than one week. The typical power spectrum sensitivity was a few $ 10^{-10} rad/s/\sqrt(Hz)$, with integration time not longer than tens of seconds. Improvements of the apparatus are ongoing in order to improve the integration time.

physics.ins-det

Inconstant Planck's constant

Motivated by the Dirac idea that fundamental constant are dynamical variables and by conjectures on quantum structure of spacetime at small distances, we consider the possibility that Planck constant $\hbar$ is a time depending quantity, undergoing random gaussian fluctuations around its measured constant mean value, with variance $σ^2$ and a typical correlation timescale $Δt$. We consider the case of propagation of a free particle and a one--dimensional harmonic oscillator coherent state, and show that the time evolution in both cases is different from the standard behaviour. Finally, we discuss how interferometric experiments or exploiting coherent electromagnetic fields in a cavity may put effective bounds on the value of $τ= σ^2 Δt$.

quant-ph

An experimental proposal for a Gaussian amendable quantum channel

We propose a quantum optics experiment where a single two-mode Gaussian entangled state is used for realizing the paradigm of an amendable Gaussian channel recently presented in Phys. Rev. A, \textbf{87}, 062307 (2013). Depending on the choice of the experimental parameters the entanglement of the probe state is preserved or not and the relative map belongs or not to the class of entanglement breaking channels. The scheme has been optimized to be as simple as possible: it requires only a single active non-linear operation followed by four passive beam-splitters. The effects of losses, detection inefficiencies and statistical errors are also taken into account, proving the feasibility of the experiment with current realistic resources.

quant-ph

Non-Gaussian states produced by close-to-threshold optical parametric oscillators: role of classical and quantum fluctuations

Quantum states with non-Gaussian statistics generated by optical parametric oscillators (OPO) with fluctuating parameters are studied by means of the Kurtosis excess of the external field quadratures. The field generated is viewed as the response of a nonlinear device to the fluctuations of laser pump amplitude and frequency, crystal temperature and cavity detuning, in addition to quantum noise sources. The Kurtosis excess has been evaluated perturbatively up to the third order in the strength of the crystal nonlinear coupling factor and the second order in the classical fluctuating parameters. Applied to the device described in Opt. Expr. 13, 948-956 (2005) the model has given values of the Kurtosi excess in good agreement with the measured ones.

quant-ph

Characterization of bipartite states using a single homodyne detector

We suggest a scheme to reconstruct the covariance matrix of a two-mode state using a single homodyne detector plus a polarizing beam splitter and a polarization rotator. It can be used to fully characterize bipartite Gaussian states and to extract relevant informations on generic states.

quant-ph

Quantum tomography as a tool for the characterization of optical devices

We describe a novel tool for the quantum characterization of optical devices. The experimental setup involves a stable reference state that undergoes an unknown quantum transformation and is then revealed by balanced homodyne detection. Through tomographic analysis on the homodyne data we are able to characterize the signal and to estimate parameters of the interaction, such as the loss of an optical component, or the gain of an amplifier. We present experimental results for coherent signals, with application to the estimation of losses introduced by simple optical components, and show how these results can be extended to the characterization of more general optical devices.

quant-ph