arXiv subjects

Elanor H. Huntington

Publications and source records attributed to Elanor H. Huntington.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Deterministic preparation of superpositions of vacuum plus one photon by adaptive homodyne detection: experimental considerations

The preparation stage of optical qubits is an essential task in all the experimental setups employed for the test and demonstration of Quantum Optics principles. We consider a deterministic protocol for the preparation of qubits as a superposition of vacuum and one photon number states, which has the advantage to reduce the amount of resources required via phase-sensitive measurements using a local oscillator ('dyne detection'). We investigate the performances of the protocol using different phase measurement schemes: homodyne, heterodyne, and adaptive dyne detection (involving a feedback loop). First, we define a suitable figure of merit for the prepared state and we obtain an analytical expression for that in terms of the phase measurement considered. Further, we study limitations that the phase measurement can exhibit, such as delay or limited resources in the feedback strategy. Finally, we evaluate the figure of merit of the protocol for different mode-shapes handily available in an experimental setup. We show that even in the presence of such limitations simple feedback algorithms can perform surprisingly well, outperforming the protocols when simple homodyne or heterodyne schemes are employed.

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arXiv2014

Robust Smoothing for Estimating Optical Phase Varying as a Continuous Resonant Process

Continuous phase estimation is known to be superior in accuracy as compared to static estimation. The estimation process is, however, desired to be made robust to uncertainties in the underlying parameters. Here, homodyne phase estimation of coherent and squeezed states of light, evolving continuously under the influence of a second-order resonant noise process, are made robust to parameter uncertainties using a robust fixed-interval smoother, designed for uncertain systems satisfying a certain integral quadratic constraint. We observe that such a robust smoother provides improved worst-case performance over the optimal smoother and also performs better than a robust filter for the uncertain system.

math.OC↗

arXiv2013

Limitations on the quantum non-Gaussian characteristic of Schrödinger kitten state generation

A quantitative analysis is conducted on the impacts of experimental imperfections in the input state, the detector properties, and their interactions on photon-subtracted squeezed vacuum states in terms of a quantum non-Gaussian character witness and Wigner function. Limitations of the non-classicality and quantum non-Gaussian characteristic of Schrödinger kitten states are identified and addressed. The detrimental effects of a photon-number detector on the generation of odd Schrödinger kitten state at near-infrared wavelengths ($\sim$ 860 nm) and telecommunication wavelengths ($\sim$ 1550 nm) are presented and analysed. This analysis demonstrates that the high dark count probability of telecommunication-wavelength photon-number detectors significantly undermines the negativity of the Wigner function in Schrödinger kitten state generation experiments. For a one-photon-subtracted squeezed vacuum state at $\sim$ 1550 nm, an APD-based photon-number-resolving detector provides no significant advantage over a non-photon-number-resolving detector when imperfections, such as dark count probability and inefficiency, are taken into account.

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arXiv2013

Adaptive Continuous Homodyne Phase Estimation Using Robust Fixed-Interval Smoothing

Adaptive homodyne estimation of a continuously evolving optical phase using time-symmetric quantum smoothing has been demonstrated experimentally to provide superior accuracy in the phase estimate compared to adaptive or nonadaptive estimation using filtering alone. Here, we illustrate how the mean-square error in the adaptive phase estimate may be further reduced below the standard quantum limit for the stochastic noise process considered by using a Rauch-Tung-Striebel smoother as the estimator, alongwith an optimal Kalman filter in the feedback loop. Further, the estimation using smoothing can be made robust to uncertainties in the underlying parameters of the noise process modulating the system phase to be estimated. This has been done using a robust fixed-interval smoother designed for uncertain systems satisfying a certain integral quadratic constraint.

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arXiv2013

Robust Estimation of Optical Phase Varying as a Continuous Resonant Process

It is well-known that adaptive homodyne estimation of continuously varying optical phase provides superior accuracy in the phase estimate as compared to adaptive or non-adaptive static estimation. However, most phase estimation schemes rely on precise knowledge of the underlying parameters of the system under measurement, and performance deteriorates significantly with changes in these parameters; hence it is desired to develop robust estimation techniques immune to such uncertainties. In related works, we have already shown how adaptive homodyne estimation can be made robust to uncertainty in an underlying parameter of the phase varying as a simplistic Ornstein-Uhlenbeck stochastic noise process. Here, we demonstrate robust phase estimation for a more complicated resonant noise process using a guaranteed cost robust filter.

math.OC↗

arXiv2013

Robust Phase Estimation of Squeezed State

Optimal phase estimation of a phase-squeezed quantum state of light has been recently shown to beat the coherent-state limit. Here, the estimation is made robust to uncertainties in underlying parameters using a robust fixed-interval smoother.

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arXiv2012

Robust Filtering for Adaptive Homodyne Estimation of Continuously Varying Optical Phase

Recently, it has been demonstrated experimentally that adaptive estimation of a continuously varying optical phase provides superior accuracy in the phase estimate compared to static estimation. Here, we show that the mean-square error in the adaptive phase estimate may be further reduced for the stochastic noise process considered by using an optimal Kalman filter in the feedback loop. Further, the estimation process can be made robust to fluctuations in the underlying parameters of the noise process modulating the system phase to be estimated. This has been done using a guaranteed cost robust filter.

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arXiv2012

Quantum-enhanced optical phase tracking

Tracking a randomly varying optical phase is a key task in metrology, with applications in optical communication. The best precision for optical phase tracking has till now been limited by the quantum vacuum fluctuations of coherent light. Here we surpass this coherent-state limit by using a continuous-wave beam in a phase-squeezed quantum state. Unlike in previous squeezing-enhanced metrology, restricted to phases with very small variation, the best tracking precision (for a fixed light intensity) is achieved for a finite degree of squeezing, due to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. By optimizing the squeezing we track the phase with a mean square error 15 \pm 4 % below the coherent-state limit.

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arXiv2007

Comparison of architectures for approximating number-resolving photo-detection using non-number-resolving detectors

Number-resolving photo-detection is necessary for many quantum optics experiments, especially in the application of entangled state preparation. Several schemes have been proposed for approximating number-resolving photo-detection using non-number-resolving detectors. Such techniques include multi-port detection and time-division multiplexing. We provide a detailed analysis and comparison of different number-resolving detection schemes, with a view to creating a useful reference for experimentalists. We show that the ideal architecture for projective measurements is a function of the detector's dark count and efficiency parameters. We also describe a process for selecting an appropriate topology given actual experimental component parameters.

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arXiv1998

Noiseless phase quadrature amplification via electro-optic feed-forward

Theoretical results are presented which show that noiseless phase quadrature amplification is possible, and limited experimentally only by the efficiency of the phase detection system. Experimental results obtained using a Nd:YAG laser show a signal gain of 10dB and a signal transfer ratio of T_s=0.9. This result easily exceeds the standard quantum limit for signal transfer. The results also explicitly demonstrate the phase sensitive nature of the amplification process.

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