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Ole Steuernagel

Publications and source records attributed to Ole Steuernagel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Normalizing Flow-Based Bayesian Parameter Estimation for Noisy Quantum States

To extract complete information about experimental noisy quantum states, as well as correlations among different physical parameters, we develop an efficient machine learning-assisted framework with the normalizing flow based Bayesian parameter estimation (BPE). By embedding a physically interpretable parameter vector, ${s}$, into the quantum state ansatzes, $ρ({s})$, the corresponding parameter distribution $p({s}|D)$ is induced from BPE, based on the available experimental data $D$. The BPE allows us to perform parameter correlation analyses, providing powerful insights about how experimental parameters and related noise sources affect quantum features of the system. As an example, the flexibility of our framework is demonstrated using two different physical ansatzes on the optical cat state experiments, where a noisy single-photon state is added to impure squeezed state. With correlations among the Wigner function negativity, photon-addition fraction, noisy fraction, and pump powers, our framework gives interpretations for complicated experimental mechanisms in generating noisy non-Gaussian states. By leveraging normalizing flow-based neural networks and Bayesian uncertainty estimation, along with physical and experimental constraints incorporated naturally, the valuable information inferred in the posterior learning provides guidelines for experimentalists, as well as theorists, in identifying promising parameters to enhance desirable features.

quant-ph

A Sensitive Nonclassicality Certification Functional for Continuous-Variable Systems

If the phase space-based Glauber-Sudarshan distribution, $P_{\varrho}$, has negative values the quantum state, $\varrho$, it describes is nonclassical. Due to $P$'s singular behaviour this simple criterion is impractical to use. Recent work [Bohmann and Agudelo, Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 133601 (2020)] presented a general, sensitive, and noise-tolerant certification functional, $ξ[P]$, for the detection of non\-classical behaviour of quantum states $P_{\varrho}$. There, it was shown that when this functional takes on negative values somewhere in phase space, $ξ[P](x,p) < 0$, this is \emph{sufficient} to certify the nonclassicality of a state. Here we give examples where this certification fails. We investigate states which are known to be nonclassical but the certification function is non-negative, $ξ(x,p) \geq 0$, everywhere in phase space. We generalize $ξ$, giving it an appealing form, ${\cal S}$, which allows for slight improvements in certification, but ${\cal S}$ also fails for mixed very weakly nonclassical states. More important than a slight improvement in sensitivity of ${\cal S}$ over $ξ$ is that we showed how very sensitive $ξ$ and ${\cal S}$ are, and more important still is our simple derivation of ${\cal S}$ allowing us to generalize $ξ$ and ${\cal S}$ to multiple modes.

quant-ph

Monitoring Beam Splitter Entanglement using Quantumness

We report on an experiment in which two independent squeezed vacuum states get entangled by mixing them with a balanced beam splitter. We follow standard practice and use an inseparability criterion to quantify their entanglement. However, this only allows us to witness the entanglement, but not to determine the deleterious effects of experimental imperfections due to the beam splitter mixing and the associated mode-mismatch and detection imperfections. We therefore introduce an alternative framework suitable for continuous variable systems using the states' quantumness, $Ξ$. We show that, under ideal circumstances, $Ξ$ is a conserved quantity under beam mixing. This allows us to benchmark the experiment's performance by comparing the states' quantumness $Ξ$ after the beam splitter mixing with $Ξ$ before. Such a comparison is not possible with entanglement witnesses, as the input states are unentangled. This highlights the main strength of our approach: its ability to generally quantify the quantumness of multi-mode continuous variable states and use this to probe different stages in an experiment.

quant-ph

Wigner's Phase Space Current for Variable Beam Splitters -- Phase Space Rotations and Newtonian Trajectories

Beam splitters allow us to superpose two continuous single mode quantum systems. To study the behaviour of beam splitters' strongly mode mixing dynamics we consider variable beam splitters acting on Wigner's phase space distribution, W , the evolution of which is governed by the continuity-equation {\partial τ} W = - {\nabla} J. We derive the form of the corresponding Wigner current, J. J's form allows us to use a classical trajectories-approach to analyze the influence of the two modes on each other. We show that the dynamics for variable beam splitters amounts to a rotation confined within the plane of the two positions together with the same simultaneous rotation confined within the plane of the two momenta. In this way explicit and very transparent expressions for the rotated Wigner distributions and Wigner currents can be given in terms of classical trajectories. This helps us to gain deeper insights and perform geometrical analyses of the mixing of modes at beam splitters.

quant-ph

Symplectic Split-Operator Propagators from Tridiagonalized Multi-Mode Bosonic Hilbert Spaces for Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonians

In this methods paper, we show how to tridia\-go\-nalize two families of bosonic multimode systems: optomechanical and Bose-Hubbard hamiltonians. Using tools from number theory, we devise a rendering of these systems in the form of exact $D \times D$ tridiagonal symmetric matrices with real-valued entries. Such matrices can subsequently be exactly diagonalized using specialized sparse-matrix algorithms that need on the order of $D \ln(D)$ steps. This makes it possible to describe systems with much larger numbers of basis states than available to date. It also allows for efficient diagonal representation of large, accurate, symplectic split-operator propagators for which we moreover show that the required basis changes can be implemented by simple re-indexing, at marginal computational cost.

quant-ph

A Sensitive Quantumness Measure for One-Dimensional Continuous-Variable Systems

For one-dimensional continuous-variable quantum systems such as single-mode quantum optical systems, we give a quantification of the quantumness of such a system's state, ρ, by introducing the measure of quantumness, Ξ, which works for all states, pure or mixed. Ξ is a measure which is universal, sensitive, monotonic, and unbounded. Ξ[ρ] yields a single positive value to quantify how nonclassical ρ is. Ξ employs phase space distributions to represent ρ and is a fixed function, Ξ[.], independent of the system, its environment or the type of state.

quant-ph

Machine Learning for Quantum State Tomography: Robust Covariance Matrix Estimation for Squeezed Vacuum States with Thermal Noise

We present a supervised machine learning-based method using convolutional neural networks to estimate the covariance matrix of Gaussian quantum states in the presence of thermal noise. Unlike computationally intensive density matrix reconstructions, our machine learning-based method allows for the reconstruction of impure squeezed vacuum states using sparse measurements of quadrature sequences based on a model employing a two-component state mixed together from thermal and squeezed thermal states. The method achieves high fidelity and precision, notably also at high squeezing levels, while offering an effective characterization of physical quantities and accurately estimating the covariance matrix. We benchmark our machine against experimental data of single-mode squeezed vacuum states, demonstrating its accuracy and capability to quantify experimental degradation to squeezing and purity. We experimentally verify that our covariance matrix estimation exhibits robustness to state degradation induced by thermal state admixtures. We provide a method for lightweight, compact, and complete representation of lab-generated Gaussian states and lay the foundation for extending real-time quantum state tomography for thermal multi-component Gaussian states to multi-mode systems.

quant-ph

Lindblad Superoperators from Wigner's Phase Space Continuity Equation

For a simple quantum system weakly interacting with the environment Wigner's 1932 formulation of quantum physics can be used to derive coupling to the environment using simple algebra. We show that the correct expressions, using coupling terms of `Lindblad form', are forced upon us. This is remarkable given that it took several decades before Lindblad's result was found in 1976.

quant-ph

Machine Learning Enhanced Quantum State Tomography on FPGA

Machine learning techniques have opened new avenues for real-time quantum state tomography (QST). In this work, we demonstrate the deployment of machine learning-based QST onto edge devices, specifically utilizing field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). This implementation is realized using the {\it Vitis AI Integrated Development Environment} provided by AMD\textsuperscript \textregistered~Inc. Compared to the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)-based machine learning QST, our FPGA-based one reduces the average inference time by an order of magnitude, from 38 ms to 2.94 ms, but only sacrifices the average fidelity about $1\% $ reduction (from 0.99 to 0.98). The FPGA-based QST offers a highly efficient and precise tool for diagnosing quantum states, marking a significant advancement in the practical applications for quantum information processing and quantum sensing.

quant-ph

Wigner's Phase Space Current for Variable Beam Splitters -Seeing Beam Splitters in a New Light-

Beam splitters allow us to superpose two continuous single mode quantum systems. To study the behaviour of their strongly mode mixing dynamics we consider variable beam splitters and their dynamics using Wigner's phase space distribution, W, the evolution of which is governed by the continuity-equation $ \frac{\partial}{\partial τ} W = - {\nabla } \cdot {J}$. We derive the form of the corresponding Wigner current, J, of each outgoing mode after tracing out the other. The influence of the modes on each other is analyzed and visualized using their respective Wigner distributions and Wigner currents. This allows us to perform geometrical analyses of the mode interactions, casting new light on beam splitter behaviour. Several of the presented results should be immediately testable in experiments.

quant-ph

Adding or Subtracting a single Photon is the same for Pure Squeezed Vacuum States

The addition of a single photon to a light field can lead to exactly the same \emph{outcome} as the subtraction of a single photon. We prove that this \cterm is true for pure squeezed vacuum states of light, and in some sense only for those. We show that mixed states can show this \cterm for addition or subtraction of a photon if they are generated from incoherent sums of pure squeezed vacuum states with the same squeezing. We point out that our results give a reinterpretation to the fact that pure squeezed vacuum states, with squeezing $e^{-z}$, are formally annihilated by Bogoliubov-transformed annihilation operators: $\hat a_z = \hat a \cosh(z) - \hat a^\dagger \sinh(z) $.

quant-ph

Neural Network Enhanced Single-Photon Fock State Tomography

Even though heralded single-photon sources have been generated routinely through the spontaneous parametric down conversion, vacuum and multiple photon states are unavoidably involved. With machine-learning, we report the experimental implementation of single-photon quantum state tomography by directly estimating target parameters. Compared to the Hanbury Brown and Twiss (HBT) measurements only with clicked events recorded, our neural network enhanced quantum state tomography characterizes the photon number distribution for all possible photon number states from the balanced homodyne detectors. By using the histogram-based architecture, a direct parameter estimation on the negativity in Wigner's quasi-probability phase space is demonstrated. Such a fast, robust, and precise quantum state tomography provides us a crucial diagnostic toolbox for the applications with single-photon Fock states and other non-Gaussisan quantum states.

quant-ph

Generation of heralded optical `Schroedinger cat' states by photon-addition

Optical "Schrödinger cat" states, the non-classical superposition of two quasi-classical coherent states, serve as a basis for gedanken experiments testing quantum physics on mesoscopic scales and are increasingly recognized as a resource for quantum information processing. Here, we report the first experimental realization of optical "Schrödinger cats" by adding a photon to a squeezed vacuum state, so far only photon-subtraction protocols have been realized. Photon-addition gives us the advantage of using heralded signal photons as experimental triggers, and we can generate "Schrödinger cats" at rates exceeding $8.5 \times 10^4$ counts per second; at least one order of magnitude higher than all previously reported realizations. Wigner distributions with pronounced negative parts are demonstrated at down to -8.89 dB squeezing, even when the initial squeezed vacuum input state has low purity. Benchmarking against such a degraded squeezed input state we report a maximum fidelity of more than 80% with a maximum cat amplitude of $|α| \approx 1.66$. Our experiment uses photon-addition from pairs, one of those photons is used for monitoring, giving us enhanced control; moreover the pair production rates are high and should allow for repeated application of photon-addition via repeat-stages.

quant-ph

Exponential unitary integrators for nonseparable quantum Hamiltonians

Quantum Hamiltonians containing nonseparable products of non-commuting operators, such as $\hat{\bf x}^m \hat{\bf p}^n$, are problematic for numerical studies using split-operator techniques since such products cannot be represented as a sum of separable terms, such as $T(\hat{\bf p}) + V(\hat{\bf x})$. In the case of classical physics, Chin [Phys. Rev. E $\bf 80$, 037701 (2009)] developed a procedure to approximately represent nonseparable terms in terms of separable ones. We extend Chin's idea to quantum systems. We demonstrate our findings by numerically evolving the Wigner distribution of a Kerr-type oscillator whose Hamiltonian contains the nonseparable term $\hat{\bf x}^2 \hat{\bf p}^2 + \hat{\bf p}^2 \hat{\bf x}^2$. The general applicability of Chin's approach to any Hamiltonian of polynomial form is proven.

quant-ph

Experimental Demonstration of Topological Charge Protection in Wigner Current

We experimentally reconstruct Wigner's current of quantum phase space dynamics for the first time. We reveal the ``push-and-pull" associated with damping and diffusion due to the coupling of a squeezed vacuum state to its environment. In contrast to classical dynamics, where (at zero temperature) dissipation only ``pulls" the system toward the origin of phase space, we also observe an outward ``push" because our system has to obey Heisenberg's uncertainty relations. With squeezed vacuum states generated by an optical parametric oscillator at variable pumping levels, we identify the pure squeezing dynamics and its central stagnation point with a topological charge of `$-1$'. We experimentally verify that this charge is protected for weakly as well as strongly decohering conditions. This work demonstrates high resolving power and establishes an experimental paradigm for measuring quantumness and non-classicality of the dynamics of open quantum systems.

quant-ph

On the Formation of Lines in Quantum Phase Space

We study the formation of lines in phase space in Wigner's distribution $W.$ Whereas lines in phase space do not form in classical systems, unless special initial states are chosen, we find, for large classes of systems and initial states of quantum systems that $W$ tends to form straight line patterns crisscrossing phase space. These arise from the states' coherences. Some of those lines have astonishing extent, reaching across the entire state. We show that the formation of such straight line patterns is due to the formation of 'randomized grid states'. We establish their stability to perturbations, and that they are tied to interference phenomena in configuration space. We additionally identify generic higher-order `eye' patterns in phase space which occur less often since they require the formation of more specific regular grid states; and we show that the randomization of eye patterns tends to deform them into lines.

nlin.PS

Isospectral mapping for quantum systems with energy point spectra to polynomial quantum harmonic oscillators

We show that a polynomial H(N) of degree N of a harmonic oscillator hamiltonian allows us to devise a fully solvable continuous quantum system for which the first N discrete energy eigenvalues can be chosen at will. In general such a choice leads to a re-ordering of the associated energy eigenfunctions of H such that the number of their nodes does not increase monotonically with increasing level number. Systems H have certain universal features, we study their basic behaviours.

quant-ph

Quantum Kerr oscillators' evolution in phase space: Wigner current, symmetries, shear suppression and special states

The creation of quantum coherences requires a system to be anharmonic. The simplest such continuous 1D quantum system is the Kerr oscillator. It has a number of interesting symmetries we derive. Its quantum dynamics is best studied in phase space, using Wigner's distribution W and the associated Wigner phase space current J. Expressions for the continuity equation governing its time evolution are derived in terms of J and it is shown that J for Kerr oscillators follows circles in phase space. Using J we also show that the evolution's classical shear in phase space is quantum suppressed by an effective `viscosity'. Quantifying this shear suppression provides measures to contrast classical with quantum evolution and allows us to identify special quantum states.

quant-ph