arXiv subjects

K. G. Fedorov

Publications and source records attributed to K. G. Fedorov.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Quantum secret sharing in tripartite superconducting network

Superconducting microwave quantum networks is a rapidly developing field, enabling distributed quantum computing and holding a promise for hybrid architectures in quantum internet. Quantum secret sharing (QSS) is one of the key protocols for multipartite quantum networks and can provide an unconditionally secure way to share quantum states among $n$ players. Using microwave two-mode squeezed states as an entanglement resource, we experimentally implement a QSS protocol with $n = 3$, where a subset of at least $k = 2$ players must collaborate to faithfully reconstruct the original secret state. We demonstrate reconstructed-state fidelities that surpass the asymptotic no-cloning threshold of $F_\textrm{nc} = 2/3$ and identify a parameter regime that allows for unconditionally secure communication in the presence of an omnipotent dishonest player. Furthermore, we experimentally explore inherent connections between QSS and other important quantum information processing tasks, such as quantum dense coding and elementary quantum error correction of channel erasures. Finally, we discuss extensions of QSS and its relation to the concept of blind quantum computing.

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arXiv2025

Practical quantum teleportation with finite-energy codebooks

Quantum communication exploits non-classical correlations to achieve efficient and unconditionally secure exchange of information. In particular, the quantum teleportation protocol allows for a deterministic and secure transfer of unknown quantum states by using pre-shared quantum entanglement and classical feedforward communication. Quantum teleportation in the microwave regime provides an important tool for high-fidelity remote quantum operations, enabling distributed quantum computing with superconducting circuits and potentially facilitating short-range, open-air microwave quantum communication. In this context, we consider practical application scenarios for the microwave analog quantum teleportation protocol based on continuous-variable states. We theoretically analyze the effect of feedforward losses and noise on teleportation fidelities of coherent states and show that these imperfections can be fully corrected by an appropriate feedforward gain. Furthermore, we consider quantum teleportation with finite-size codebooks and derive modified no-cloning thresholds as a function of the codebook configuration. Finally, we analyze the security of quantum teleportation under public channel attacks and demonstrate that the corresponding secure fidelity thresholds may drastically differ from the conventional no-cloning values. Our results contribute to the general development of quantum communication protocols and, in particular, illustrate the feasibility of using quantum teleportation in realistic microwave networks for robust and unconditionally secure communication.

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arXiv2025

Probing an electron spin ensemble with squeezed microwave signals

The efficient transfer of quantum states into a long-lived storage unit such as solid-state spin ensembles is widely recognized as a critical challenge with significant implications for quantum communication, sensing and computing applications. Here, we experimentally investigate the interaction of propagating squeezed microwaves with an electron spin resonance transition in order to evaluate the use of spin ensembles as quantum memories for GHz signals. We generate continuous variable microwave states with a squeezing of up to 5dB below the vacuum level and let this signal interrogate a spin ensemble, which is inductively coupled to a lumped element superconducting microwave resonator with a cooperativity of C=0.3. Analyzing this signal using Wigner tomography, we observe a transfer efficiency of around 61% between the squeezed microwaves and the spin excitation. We successfully model our experimental results with a dedicated steady-state model based on the quantum input-output formalism and provide guidance for design parameters required to enable spin-based quantum memories.

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arXiv2025

Quantum teleportation over thermal microwave network

Quantum communication in the microwave regime is set to play an important role in distributed quantum computing and hybrid quantum networks. However, typical superconducting quantum circuits require millikelvin temperatures for operation, which poses a significant challenge for largescale microwave quantum networks. Here, we present a solution to this challenge by demonstrating the successful quantum teleportation of microwave coherent states between two spatially-separated dilution refrigerators over a thermal microwave channel in the temperature range up to $4$ K. We distribute two-mode squeezed states over this noisy channel and employ the resulting quantum entanglement for quantum teleportation of coherent states with fidelities of $72.3 \pm 0.5 ~\%$ at $1$ K and $59.9 \pm 2.5 \%$ at $4$ K, exceeding the no-cloning and classical communication thresholds, respectively. We successfully model the teleportation protocol using a Gaussian operator formalism that includes losses and noise. Our analysis shows that the teleportation infidelity mainly stems from a parasitic heating of the cold quantum nodes due to the hot network connection. These results demonstrate the experimental feasibility of distributed superconducting architectures and motivate further investigations of noisy quantum networks in various frequency regimes.

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arXiv2025

Fabrication of low-loss Josephson parametric devices

Superconducting circuits incorporating Josephson elements represent a promising hardware platform for quantum technologies. Potential applications include scalable quantum computing, microwave quantum networks, and quantum-limited amplifiers. However, progress in Josephson junction-based quantum technologies is facing the ongoing challenge of minimizing loss channels. This is also true for parametric superconducting devices based on nonlinear Josephson resonators. In this work, we report on the fabrication and characterization of low-loss Josephson parametric devices operated in the GHz frequency range, showing record internal quality factors. Specifically, we achieve internal quality factors $Q_\mathrm{int}$ significantly exceeding $10^5$ for both Josephson parametric converters and Josephson parametric amplifiers in the single-photon regime by fitting the scattering data. We confirm the extracted $Q_\mathrm{int}$ values by analyzing purity of squeezed vacuum states generated by these devices. These low-loss devices mark a significant step forward in realizing high-performance quantum circuits, enabling further advancements in superconducting quantum technologies.

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arXiv2024

Cryogenic microwave link for quantum local area networks

Scalable quantum information processing with superconducting circuits is expected to advance from individual processors located in single dilution refrigerators to more powerful distributed quantum computing systems. The realization of hardware platforms for quantum local area networks (QLANs) compatible with superconducting technology is of high importance in order to achieve a practical quantum advantage. Here, we present a fundamental prototype platform for a microwave QLAN based on a cryogenic link connecting two separate dilution cryostats over a distance of $6.6$ m with a base temperature of $52$ mK in the center. Superconducting microwave coaxial cables are employed to form a quantum communication channel between the distributed network nodes. We demonstrate the continuous-variable entanglement distribution between the remote dilution refrigerators in the form of two-mode squeezed microwave states, reaching squeezing of $2.10 \pm 0.02$ dB and negativity of $0.501 \pm 0.011$. Furthermore, we show that quantum entanglement is preserved at channel center temperatures up to $1$ K, paving the way towards microwave quantum communication at elevated temperatures. Consequently, such a QLAN system can form the backbone for future distributed quantum computing with superconducting circuits.

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arXiv2024

Two-dimensional Planck spectroscopy for microwave photon calibration

Quantum state tomography of weak microwave signals is an important part of many protocols in the field of quantum information processing with superconducting circuits. This step typically relies on an accurate $\textit{in-situ}$ estimation of signal losses in the experimental set-up and requires a careful photon number calibration. Here, we present an improved method for the microwave loss estimation inside of a closed cryogenic system. Our approach is based on Planck's law and makes use of independent temperature sweeps of individual parts of the cryogenic set-up. Using this technique, we can experimentally resolve changes in microwave losses of less than 0.1 dB in the cryogenic environment. We discuss potential applications of this approach for precise characterization of quantum-limited superconducting amplifiers and in other prominent experimental settings.

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arXiv2023

Demonstration of microwave single-shot quantum key distribution

Security of modern classical data encryption often relies on computationally hard problems, which can be trivialized with the advent of quantum computers. A potential remedy for this is quantum communication which takes advantage of the laws of quantum physics to provide secure exchange of information. Here, quantum key distribution (QKD) represents a powerful tool, allowing for unconditionally secure quantum communication between remote parties. At the same time, microwave quantum communication is set to play an important role in future quantum networks because of its natural frequency compatibility with superconducting quantum processors and modern near-distance communication standards. To this end, we present an experimental realization of a continuous-variable QKD protocol based on propagating displaced squeezed microwave states. We use superconducting parametric devices for generation and single-shot quadrature detection of these states. We demonstrate unconditional security in our experimental microwave QKD setting. We show that security performance can be improved by adding finite trusted noise to the preparation side. Our results indicate feasibility of secure microwave quantum communication with the currently available technology in both open-air (up to $\sim$ 80 m) and cryogenic (over 1000 m) conditions.

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arXiv2023

Imperfect photon detection in quantum illumination

In quantum illumination, various detection schemes have been proposed for harnessing remaining quantum correlations of the entanglement-based resource state. To this date, the only successful implementation in the microwave domain relies on a specific mixing operation of the respective return and idler modes, followed by single-photon counting in one of the two mixer outputs. We investigate the performance of this scheme for realistic detection parameters in terms of detection efficiency, dark count probability, and photon number resolution. Furthermore, we take into account the second mixer output and investigate the advantage of correlated photon counting (CPC) for a varying thermal background and optimum post-processing weighting in CPC. We find that the requirements for photon number resolution in the two mixer outputs are highly asymmetric due to different associated photon number expectation values.

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arXiv2023

Quantum microwave parametric interferometer

Classical interferometers are indispensable tools for the precise determination of various physical quantities. Their accuracy is bound by the standard quantum limit. This limit can be overcome by using quantum states or nonlinear quantum elements. Here, we present the experimental study of a nonlinear Josephson interferometer operating in the microwave regime. Our quantum microwave parametric interferometer (QUMPI) is based on superconducting flux-driven Josephson parametric amplifiers combined with linear microwave elements. We perform a systematic analysis of the implemented QUMPI. We find that its Gaussian interferometric power exceeds the shot-noise limit and observe sub-Poissonian photon statistics in the output modes. Furthermore, we identify a low-gain operation regime of the QUMPI which is essential for optimal quantum measurements in quantum illumination protocols.

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arXiv2022

Flow of quantum correlations in noisy two-mode squeezed microwave states

We study nonclassical correlations in propagating two-mode squeezed microwave states in the presence of noise. We focus on two different types of correlations, namely, quantum entanglement and quantum discord. Quantum discord has various intriguing fundamental properties which require experimental verification, such as the asymptotic robustness to environmental noise. Here, we experimentally investigate quantum discord in propagating two-mode squeezed microwave states generated via superconducting Josephson parametric amplifiers. By exploiting an asymmetric noise injection into these entangled states, we demonstrate the robustness of quantum discord against thermal noise while verifying the sudden death of entanglement. Furthermore, we investigate the difference between quantum discord and entanglement of formation, which can be directly related to the flow of locally inaccessible information between the environment and the bipartite subsystem. We observe a crossover behavior between quantum discord and entanglement for low noise photon numbers, which is a result of the tripartite nature of noise injection. We demonstrate that the difference between entanglement and quantum discord can be related to the security of certain quantum key distribution protocols.

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arXiv2021

Experimental quantum teleportation of propagating microwaves

The modern field of quantum communication thrives on promise to deliver efficient and unconditionally secure ways to exchange information by exploiting quantum laws of physics. Here, quantum teleportation stands out as an exemplary protocol allowing for the disembodied and safe transfer of unknown quantum states using quantum entanglement and classical communication as resources. The experimental feasibility of quantum teleportation with propagating waves, relevant to communication scenarios, has been demonstrated in various physical settings. However, an analogous implementation of quantum teleportation in the microwave domain was missing so far. At the same time, recent breakthroughs in quantum computation with superconducting circuits have triggered a demand for quantum communication between spatially separated superconducting processors operated at microwave frequencies. Here, we demonstrate a realization of deterministic quantum teleportation of coherent microwave states by exploiting two-mode squeezing and analog feedforward over macroscopic distances $d = 42\,$cm. We achieve teleportation fidelities $F = 0.689 \pm 0.004$ exceeding the no-cloning $F_\mathrm{nc} = 2/3$ threshold for coherent states with an average photon number of up to $n_\mathrm{d} = 1.1$. Our results provide a key ingredient for the teleportation-based quantum gate for modular quantum computing with superconducting circuits and establish a solid foundation for future microwave quantum local area networks.

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arXiv2020

Beyond the standard quantum limit of parametric amplification

The low-noise amplification of weak microwave signals is crucial for countless protocols in quantum information processing. Quantum mechanics sets an ultimate lower limit of half a photon to the added input noise for phase-preserving amplification of narrowband signals, also known as the standard quantum limit (SQL). This limit, which is equivalent to a maximum quantum efficiency of $0.5$, can be overcome by employing nondegenerate parametric amplification of broadband signals. We show that, in principle, a maximum quantum efficiency of 1 can be reached. Experimentally, we find a quantum efficiency of $0.69 \pm 0.02$, well beyond the SQL, by employing a flux-driven Josephson parametric amplifier and broadband thermal signals. We expect that our results allow for fundamental improvements in the detection of ultraweak microwave signals.

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arXiv2020

Quantum illumination reveals phase-shift inducing cloaking

In quantum illumination entangled light is employed to enhance the detection accuracy of an object when compared with the best classical protocol. On the other hand, cloaking is a stealth technology based on covering a target with a material deflecting the light around the object to avoid its detection. Here, we propose a quantum illumination protocol especially adapted to quantum microwave technology. This protocol seizes the phase-shift induced by some cloaking techniques, such as scattering reduction, allowing for a $3$ dB improvement in the detection of a cloaked target. The method can also be employed for the detection of a phase-shift in bright environments in different frequency regimes. Finally, we study the minimal efficiency required by the photocounter for which the quantum illumination protocol still shows a gain with respect to the classical protocol.

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arXiv2019

Secure quantum remote state preparation of squeezed microwave states

Quantum communication protocols based on nonclassical correlations can be more efficient than known classical methods and offer intrinsic security over direct state transfer. In particular, remote state preparation aims at the creation of a desired and known quantum state at a remote location using classical communication and quantum entanglement. We present an experimental realization of deterministic continuous-variable remote state preparation in the microwave regime over a distance of 35 cm. By employing propagating two-mode squeezed microwave states and feedforward, we achieve the remote preparation of squeezed states with up to 1.6 dB of squeezing below the vacuum level. We quantify security in our implementation using the concept of the one-time pad. Our results represent a significant step towards microwave quantum networks between superconducting circuits.

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arXiv2018

Quantum probe of an on-chip broadband interferometer for quantum microwave photonics

Quantum microwave photonics aims at generating, routing, and manipulating propagating quantum microwave fields in the spirit of optical photonics. To this end, the strong nonlinearities of superconducting quantum circuits can be used to either improve or move beyond the implementation of concepts from the optical domain. In this context, the design of a well-controlled broadband environment for the superconducting quantum circuits is a central task. In this work, we place a superconducting transmon qubit in one arm of an on-chip Mach-Zehnder interferometer composed of two superconducting microwave beam splitters. By measuring its relaxation and dephasing rates we use the qubit as a sensitive spectrometer at the quantum level to probe the broadband electromagnetic environment. At high frequencies, this environment can be well described by an ensemble of harmonic oscillators coupled to the transmon qubit. At low frequencies, we find experimental evidence for colored quasi-static Gaussian noise with a high spectral weight, as it is typical for ensembles of two-level fluctuators. Our work paves the way towards possible applications of propagating microwave photons, such as emulating quantum impurity models or a novel architecture for quantum information processing.

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arXiv2017

Second-order decoherence mechanisms of a transmon qubit probed with thermal microwave states

Thermal microwave states are omnipresent noise sources in superconducting quantum circuits covering all relevant frequency regimes. We use them as a probe to identify three second-order decoherence mechanisms of a superconducting transmon. First, we quantify the efficiency of a resonator filter in the dispersive Jaynes-Cummings regime and find evidence for parasitic loss channels. Second, we probe second-order noise in the low-frequency regime and demonstrate the expected $T^{3}$ temperature dependence of the qubit dephasing rate. Finally, we show that qubit parameter fluctuations due to two-level states are enhanced under the influence of thermal microwave states. In particular, we experimentally confirm the $T^{2}$-dependence of the fluctuation spectrum expected for noninteracting two-level states.

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arXiv2017

Photon Statistics of Propagating Thermal Microwaves

In experiments with superconducting quantum circuits, characterizing the photon statistics of propagating microwave fields is a fundamental task. We quantify the $n^{2}\,{+}\,n$ photon number variance of thermal microwave photons emitted from a black-body radiator for mean photon numbers $0.05\,{\lesssim}\,n\,{\lesssim}\,1.5$. We probe the fields using either correlation measurements or a transmon qubit coupled to a microwave resonator. Our experiments provide a precise quantitative characterization of weak microwave states and information on the noise emitted by a Josephson parametric amplifier.

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