arXiv subjects

J. Fiurasek

Publications and source records attributed to J. Fiurasek.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2015

Quantum controlled-Z gate for weakly interacting qubits

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a scheme for implementation of a maximally entangling quantum controlled-Z gate between two weakly interacting systems. We conditionally enhance the interqubit coupling by quantum interference. Both before and after the interqubit interaction, one of the qubits is coherently coupled to an auxiliary quantum system, and finally it is projected back onto qubit subspace. We experimentally verify the practical feasibility of this technique by using a linear optical setup with weak interferometric coupling between single-photon qubits. Our procedure is universally applicable to a wide range of physical platforms including hybrid systems such as atomic clouds or optomechanical oscillators coupled to light.

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arXiv2014

Optimal entanglement-assisted discrimination of quantum measurements

We investigate optimal discrimination between two projective single-qubit measurements in a scenario where the measurement can be performed only once. We consider general setting involving a tunable fraction of inconclusive outcomes and we prove that the optimal discrimination strategy requires an entangled probe state for any nonzero rate of inconclusive outcomes. We experimentally implement this optimal discrimination strategy for projective measurements on polarization states of single photons. Our setup involves a real-time electrooptical feed-forward loop which allows us to fully harness the benefits of entanglement in discrimination of quantum measurements. The experimental data clearly demonstrate the advantage of entanglement-based discrimination strategy as compared to unentangled single-qubit probes.

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arXiv2014

Orthogonalization of partly unknown quantum states

A quantum analog of the fundamental classical NOT gate is a quantum gate that would transform any input qubit state onto an orthogonal state. Intriguingly, this universal NOT gate is forbidden by the laws of quantum physics. This striking phenomenon has far-reaching implications concerning quantum information processing and encoding information about directions and reference frames into quantum states. It also triggers the question under what conditions the preparation of quantum states orthogonal to input states becomes possible. Here we report on experimental demonstration of orthogonalization of partly unknown single- and two-qubit quantum states. A state orthogonal to an input state is conditionally prepared by quantum filtering, and the only required information about the input state is a mean value of a single arbitrary operator. We show that perfect orthogonalization of partly unknown two-qubit entangled states can be performed by applying the quantum filter to one of the qubits only.

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arXiv2014

Heralded noiseless amplification and attenuation of non-gaussian states of light

We examine the behavior of non-Gaussian states of light under the action of probabilistic noiseless amplification and attenuation. Surprisingly, we find that the mean field amplitude may decrease in the process of noiseless amplification -- or increase in the process of noiseless attenuation, a counterintuitive effect that Gaussian states cannot exhibit. This striking phenomenon could be tested with experimentally accessible non-Gaussian states, such as single-photon added coherent states. We propose an experimental scheme, which is robust with respect to the major experimental imperfections such as inefficient single-photon detection and imperfect photon addition. In particular, we argue that the observation of mean field amplification by noiseless attenuation should be feasible with current technology.

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arXiv2014

Process fidelity estimation of linear optical quantum CZ gate: A comparative study

We present a systematic comparison of different methods of fidelity estimation of a linear optical quantum controlled-Z gate implemented by two-photon interference on a partially polarizing beam splitter. We have utilized a linear fidelity estimator based on the Monte Carlo sampling technique as well as a non-linear estimator based on maximum likelihood reconstruction of a full quantum process matrix. In addition, we have also evaluated lower bound on quantum gate fidelity determined by average quantum state fidelities for two mutually unbiased bases. In order to probe various regimes of operation of the gate we have introduced a tunable delay line between the two photons. This allowed us to move from high-fidelity operation to a regime where the photons become distinguishable and the success probability of the scheme significantly depends on input state. We discuss in detail possible systematic effects that could influence the gate fidelity estimation.

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arXiv2012

Experimental test of strongly non-classical character of a noisy squeezed single-photon state

We experimentally verify the quantum non-Gaussian character of a conditionally generated noisy squeezed single-photon state with positive Wigner function. Employing an optimized witness based on probabilities of squeezed vacuum and squeezed single-photon states we prove that the state cannot be expressed as a mixture of Gaussian states. In our experiment, the non-Gaussian state is generated by conditional subtraction of a single photon from squeezed vacuum state. The state is probed with a homodyne detector and the witness is determined by averaging a suitable pattern function over the measured homodyne data. Our experimental results are in good agreement with a theoretical fit obtained from a simple yet realistic model of the experimental setup.

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arXiv2007

Experimental realization of linear-optical partial SWAP gates

We present a linear-optical implementation of a class of two-qubit partial SWAP gates for polarization states of photons. Different gate operations, including the SWAP and entangling square root of SWAP, can be obtained by changing a classical control parameter -- namely the path difference in the interferometer. Reconstruction of output states, full process tomography and evaluation of entanglement of formation prove very good performance of the gates.

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arXiv2007

Experimental demonstration of continuous variable purification of squeezed states

We report on the first experimental demonstration of purification of nonclassical continuous variable states. The protocol uses two copies of phase-diffused states overlapped on a beam splitter and provides Gaussified, less mixed states with the degree of squeezing improved. The protocol uses only linear optical devices such as beam splitters and homodyne detection, thereby proving these optical elements can be used for successful purification of this type of state decoherence which occurs in optical transmission channels.

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arXiv2007

Several experimental realizations of symmetric phase-covariant quantum cloner of single-photon qubits

We compare several optical implementations of phase-covariant cloning machines. The experiments are based on copying of the polarization state of a single photon in bulk optics by special unbalanced beam splitter or by balanced beam splitter accompanied by a state filtering. Also the all-fiber based setup is discussed, where the information is encoded into spatial modes, i.e., the photon can propagate through two optical fibers. Each of the four implementations possesses some advantages and disadvantages that are discussed.

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arXiv2006

Experimental phase-covariant cloning of polarization states of single photons

The experimental realization of optimal symmetric phase-covariant 1->2 cloning of qubit states is presented. The qubits are represented by polarization states of photons generated by spontaneous parametric down-conversion. The experiment is based on the interference of two photons on a custom-made beam splitter with different splitting ratios for vertical and horizontal polarization components. From the measured data we have estimated the implemented cloning transformation using the maximum-likelihood method. The result shows that the realized transformation is very close to the ideal one and the map fidelity reaches 94%.

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arXiv2005

Single-passage read-out of atomic quantum memory

A scheme for retrieving quantum information stored in collective atomic spin systems onto optical pulses is presented. Two off-resonant light pulses cross the atomic medium in two orthogonal directions and are interferometrically recombined in such a way that one of the outputs carries most of the information stored in the medium. In contrast to previous schemes our approach requires neither multiple passes through the medium nor feedback on the light after passing the sample which makes the scheme very efficient. The price for that is some added noise which is however small enough for the method to beat the classical limits.

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arXiv2005

Light Qubit Storage and Retrieval using Macroscopic Atomic Ensembles

We present an experimentally feasible protocol for the complete storage and retrieval of arbitrary light states in an atomic quantum memory using the well-established Faraday interaction between light and matter. Our protocol relies on multiple passages of a single light pulse through the atomic ensemble without the impractical requirement of kilometer long delay lines between the passages. Furthermore, we introduce a time dependent interaction strength which enables storage and retrieval of states with arbitrary pulse shapes. The fidelity approaches unity exponentially without squeezed or entangled initial states, as illustrated by explicit calculations for a photonic qubit.

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arXiv2005

Separating the classical and quantum information via quantum cloning

An application of quantum cloning to optimally interface a quantum system with a classical observer is presented, in particular we describe a procedure to perform a minimal disturbance measurement on a single qubit by adopting a 1->2 cloning machine followed by a generalized measurement on a single clone and the anti-clone or on the two clones. Such scheme has been applied to enhance the transmission fidelity over a lossy quantum channel.

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arXiv2005

Enhancing the capacity and performance of collective atomic quantum memory

Present schemes involving the quantum non-demolition interaction between atomic samples and off-resonant light pulses allow us to store quantum information corresponding to a single harmonic oscillator (mode) in one multiatomic system. We discuss the possibility to involve several coherences of each atom so that the atomic sample can store information contained in several quantum modes. This is achieved by the coupling of different magnetic sublevels of the relevant hyperfine level by additional Raman pulses. This technique allows us to design not only the quantum non-demolition coupling, but also beam splitterlike and two-mode squeezerlike interactions between light and collective atomic spin.

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arXiv2004

Multipartite Asymmetric Quantum Cloning

We investigate the optimal distribution of quantum information over multipartite systems in asymmetric settings. We introduce cloning transformations that take $N$ identical replicas of a pure state in any dimension as input, and yield a collection of clones with non-identical fidelities. As an example, if the clones are partitioned into a set of $M_A$ clones with fidelity $F^A$ and another set of $M_B$ clones with fidelity $F^B$, the trade-off between these fidelities is analyzed, and particular cases of optimal $N \to M_A+M_B$ cloning machines are exhibited. We also present an optimal $1 \to 1+1+1$ cloning machine, which is the first known example of a tripartite fully asymmetric cloner. Finally, it is shown how these cloning machines can be optically realized.

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arXiv2004

Loophole-free test of quantum non-locality using high-efficiency homodyne detectors

We provide a detailed analysis of the recently proposed setup for a loophole-free test of Bell inequality using conditionally generated non-Gaussian states of light and balanced homodyning. In the proposed scheme, a two-mode squeezed vacuum state is de-gaussified by subtracting a single photon from each mode with the use of an unbalanced beam splitter and a standard low-efficiency single-photon detector. We thoroughly discuss the dependence of the achievable Bell violation on the various relevant experimental parameters such as the detector efficiencies, the electronic noise and the mixedness of the initial Gaussian state. We also consider several alternative schemes involving squeezed states, linear optical elements, conditional photon subtraction and homodyne detection.

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arXiv2004

Pulsed squeezed vacuum characterization without homodyning

Direct photon detection is experimentally implemented to measure the squeezing and purity of a single-mode squeezed vacuum state without an interferometric homodyne detection. Following a recent theoretical proposal [arXiv quant-ph/0311119], the setup only requires a tunable beamsplitter and a single-photon detector to fully characterize the generated Gaussian states. The experimental implementation of this procedure is discussed and compared with other reference methods.

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arXiv2004

Proposal for a loophole-free Bell test using homodyne detection

We propose a feasible optical setup allowing for a loophole-free Bell test with efficient homodyne detection. A non-gaussian entangled state is generated from a two-mode squeezed vacuum by subtracting a single photon from each mode, using beamsplitters and standard low-efficiency single-photon detectors. A Bell violation exceeding 1% is achievable with 6-dB squeezed light and an homodyne efficiency around 95%. A detailed feasibility analysis, based upon the recent generation of single-mode non-gaussian states, confirms that this method opens a promising avenue towards a complete experimental Bell test.

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