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Pérola Milman

Publications and source records attributed to Pérola Milman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Phase-space representation of classical simulability for arbitrary bosonic encodings

Phase-space representations can be used to reveal resources for quantum computational advantage. In odd-dimensional qudit systems, states and operations admitting non-negative quasi-probability representations are efficiently classically simulable, and analogous conclusions hold for bosonic systems, usually represented in quadrature phase space. However, when quantum information is encoded in bosonic systems, the link between physical phase-space representations and computational resources becomes nontrivial: large negativities may arise in the physical space even when the encoded model remains efficiently simulable. We establish a general framework connecting physical phase spaces of bosonic systems to the effective computational phase spaces associated with arbitrary encodings. We show that bosonic Hilbert spaces with finitely many modes can always be exactly encoded on a quantum computer, without truncation or approximations, and that for any encoding there exists an adapted physical phase-space representation in which all provably classically simulable states and protocols are non-negative. Conversely, negativity can always persist in physical representations for arbitrary encodings. Our results formalize the operational meaning of phase-space negativity in bosonic quantum information and its relation with computational resources.

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Non-Gaussianity from superselection rules

The quantum theory of the electromagnetic field enables the description of multiphoton states exhibiting nonclassical statistical properties, often reflected in non-Gaussian phase-space distributions. While non-Gaussianity alone does not fully characterize quantum states, several classifications have been proposed to hierarchize non-Gaussian states according to physically or informationally relevant resources. Here, we provide a physical interpretation of non-Gaussianity and connect it to a computational perspective by showing how a prominent classification-the stellar rank-emerges as a limiting case of the roots of polynomials that univocally represent bosonic states defined with a quantized phase reference, namely the Majorana polynomials. A direct consequence of our results is a revised interpretation of both the stellar rank and non-Gaussianity itself: when superselection rules are properly taken into account, quadrature non-Gaussianity - and nonzero stellar rank - act as witnesses of particle entanglement, rather than being linked with photon addition to Gaussian states as previously assumed. In addition, we show that because the stellar rank depends on a specific choice of coherent states, its relation to computational resources and potential quantum advantage is inherently basis-dependent, being naturally tied to quadrature eigenstates as the computational basis. Motivated by this observation, we generalize the notion of stellar rank to arbitrary computational bases, thereby establishing it as a genuine witness of bosonic resources that may enable quantum advantage.

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Universality from Quadratic Angular-Momentum Operations: Exact Dynamical Lie Algebras and the Role of the Casimir Obstruction

Universality relies on combining operators with different algebraic properties, which depend on the physical structure of the Hilbert space encoding the information. Systems of identical symmetric particles---including bosons and symmetric collections of spin-$1/2$ particles---can be mapped to angular-momentum systems, where rotations supplemented by quadratic, spin-squeezing interactions provide universal control. We revisit universality in this framework and confirm that such linear and quadratic operations provide universal control on every fixed-particle-number subspace. At the abstract level, however, we show that the dynamical Lie algebra generated by all degree-at-most-two elements does not exhaust the full universal enveloping algebra of $\mathfrak{su}_{\mathbb{R}}(2)$, contrary to a stronger claim made previously: higher powers of the quadratic Casimir element cannot be generated by commutators and linear combinations. This obstruction does not conflict with fixed-sector universality because, under a fixed irreducible spin-$n/2$ representation, all powers of the Casimir element act as scalar multiples of the identity. We determine the resulting abstract dynamical Lie algebras exactly and show that the central-free and full degree-at-most-two algebras map, respectively, onto $\mathfrak{su}_{\mathbb{R}}(n+1)$ and $\mathfrak{u}_{\mathbb{R}}(n+1)$, establishing special-unitary and full-unitary universality. We further derive a practical degree-two universality criterion and discuss finite-dimensional SSRC universality.

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Spatial symmetry in few-photon interference and quantum metrology

In previous work [Physical Review Letters, 136(6):060807, 2026], we developed a symmetry-based framework for generalized Hong-Ou-Mandel interference and its applications to quantum metrology. Here, we apply this framework to experimentally accessible configurations involving a few photons and explore how it sheds new light on a variety of existing results while suggesting new experimental perspectives. We first reinterpret a two-photon Mach-Zehnder interferometer as a generalized Hong-Ou-Mandel experiment and show how its photon-counting statistics and metrological performance follow from the spatial symmetry of an effective probe state. We then study two coherently pumped parametric photon-pair sources, derive their complete output distribution, and connect source indistinguishability with spatial symmetry. Finally, we extend the discussion to a three-mode interferometer and show that the same symmetry principles provide a natural description of three-photon interference in tritter configurations.

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The Role of Symmetry in Generalized Hong-Ou-Mandel Interference and Quantum Metrology

The Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer is a foundational tool in quantum optics, with both fundamental and practical significance. Earlier works identified that input-state symmetry under exchange of the two spatial modes is fundamental in the understanding of the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect. We now show that this notion of symmetry is central to generalizing this effect. In particular, this point of view enables the construction of extensions beyond the standard two single-photon case to arbitrary input states, as well as to configurations with more than two spatial modes via a natural generalization of the beam splitter to a discrete Fourier transform interferometer. Beyond its conceptual significance, this framework offers direct insights into quantum metrology, showing how symmetry properties of input states allow the computation of explicit precision bounds. By focusing on symmetry, we provide a perspective that simplifies and unifies a range of known results, while paving the way for new developments in quantum interference and sensing.

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Resources for bosonic metrology: quantum-enhanced precision from a superselection rule perspective

Bosonic systems, particularly in quantum optics and atomic physics, are leading platforms for achieving quantum enhanced precision in parameter estimation. By exploiting properties such as mode and particle entanglement, it is possible to attain precisions that surpass the shot noise limit with respect to key resources like probe number or energy. Yet the mechanisms by which these bosonic resources enable quantum enhancement remain unclear. Consequently, the design of optimal probes and evolutions often relies on case by case analyses, where continuous and discrete variable regimes are treated separately and their connection is still unclear. We develop a comprehensive framework for quantum metrology that unifies all known precision enhancement mechanisms based on bosonic systems. Our approach employs a superselection rule compliant representation of the electromagnetic field that explicitly includes the phase reference, thereby enforcing total particle number conservation and bridging the discrete and continuous limits of quantum optics and symmetric massive systems. Within this unified formalism, of which established results emerge as special cases, we identify the distinct roles of mode and particle entanglement for quantum enhanced precision. The framework further provides general measurement optimization strategies for arbitrary multimode entangled probe states and naturally incorporates noise and non-unitary dynamics, ensuring applicability to realistic experimental conditions.

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Unified framework for bosonic quantum information encoding, resources and universality from superselection rules

A convenient way to represent quantum optical states is through the quadrature basis of single-modes of the field. This framework provides intuitive definitions for quasi-classical states, their phase-space representations, and enables the definition of a universal gate set. In this widely adopted representation of quantum optics, most pure states consist of coherent superpositions of photon-number states. However, this approach neglects the particle-number superselection rule - which prohibits coherence between states of differing photon numbers - and implicitly assumes a phase reference. We adopt a representation of quantum optical states that respects the superselection rule and revisit key tools and results in quantum optics and information encoding within quantum optics. This approach preserves the intuitive aspects of the traditional quadrature representation while unifying insights from quantum optics with those from symmetric spin-like and angular momentum systems. More than just an alternative representation, we show that a superselection rule-compliant framework provides a unified formalism for all bosonic encodings, from single-photon to continuous-variable encodings. This perspective allows for a precise characterization of the roles of Gaussian and non-Gaussian resources, as well as the interplay between modes and states in quantum universality and potential computational advantage.

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Measuring entanglement along collective operators

We introduce a framework for the study of multiparty entanglement by analyzing the behavior of collective variables. Throughout the manuscript, we explore a specific type of multiparty entanglement which can be detected through the fluctuation of a collective observable. We thoroughly analyze its properties and how it can be extended to mixed states while placing it within the context of the existing literature. The novelty of our approach also lies in the fact that we present a graphical point of view. This is done by introducing a spectral space on which the various properties of our entanglement quantifier have a direct pictorial interpretation. Notably, this approach proves particularly effective for assessing $k$-entanglement, as we show its ability to extend previously established inequalities. To enhance understanding, we also demonstrate how this framework applies to specific scenarios, encompassing both finite-dimensional cases and infinite-dimensional systems, the latter being exemplified by the time-frequency modal degree of freedom of co-propagating single photons.

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Approaching maximal precision of Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry with non-perfect visibility

In quantum mechanics, the precision achieved in parameter estimation using a quantum state as a probe is determined by the measurement strategy employed. The ultimate quantum limit of precision is bounded by a value set by the state and its dynamics. Theoretical results have revealed that in interference measurements with two possible outcomes, this limit can be reached under ideal conditions of perfect visibility and zero losses. However, in practice, this cannot be achieved, so precision {\it never} reaches the quantum limit. But how do experimental setups approach precision limits under realistic circumstances? In this work we provide a general model for precision limits in two-photon Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry for non-perfect visibility. We show that the scaling of precision with visibility depends on the effective area in time-frequency phase space occupied by the state used as a probe, and we find that an optimal scaling exists. We demonstrate our results experimentally for different states in a set-up where the visibility can be controlled and reaches up to $99.5\%$. In the optimal scenario, a ratio of $0.97$ is observed between the experimental precision and the quantum limit, establishing a new benchmark in the field.

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Superselection rules and bosonic quantum computational resources

We present a method to systematically identify and classify quantum optical non-classical states as classical/non-classical based on the resources they create on a bosonic quantum computer. This is achieved by converting arbitrary bosonic states into multiple modes, each occupied by a single photon, thereby defining qubits of a bosonic quantum computer. Starting from a bosonic classical-like state in a representation that explicitly respects particle number super-selection rules, we apply universal gates to create arbitrary superpositions of states with the same total particle number. The non-classicality of the corresponding states can then be associated to the operations they induce in the quantum computer. We also provide a correspondence between the adopted representation and the more conventional one in quantum optics, where superpositions of Fock states describe quantum optical states, and we identify how multi-mode states can lead to quantum advantage. Our work contributes to establish a seamless transition from continuous to discrete properties of quantum optics while laying the grounds for a description of non-classicality and quantum computational advantage that is applicable to spin systems as well.

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Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill encoding in continuous modal variables of single photons

GKP states, introduced by Gottesman, Kitaev, and Preskill, are continuous variable logical qubits that can be corrected for errors caused by phase space displacements. Their experimental realization is challenging, in particular using propagating fields, where quantum information is encoded in the quadratures of the electromagnetic field. However, travelling photons are essential in many applications of GKP codes involving the long-distance transmission of quantum information. We introduce a new method for encoding GKP states in propagating fields using single photons, each occupying a distinct auxiliary mode given by the propagation direction. The GKP states are defined as highly correlated states described by collective continuous modes, as time and frequency. We analyze how the error detection and correction protocol scales with the total photon number and the spectral width. We show that the obtained code can be corrected for displacements in time-frequency phase space - which correspond to dephasing, or rotations, in the quadrature phase space - and to photon losses. Most importantly, we show that generating two-photon GKP states is relatively simple, and that such states are currently produced and manipulated in several photonic platforms where frequency and time-bin biphoton entangled states can be engineered.

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Time-frequency metrology with two single-photon states: phase space picture and the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer

We use time-frequency continuous variables as the standard framework to describe states of light in the subspace of individual photons occupying distinguishable auxiliary modes. We adapt to this setting the interplay between metrological properties and the phase space picture already extensively studied for quadrature variables. We also discuss in details the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer, which was previously shown to saturate precision limits, and provide a general formula for the coincidence probability of a generalized version of this experiment. From the obtained expression, we systematically analyze the optimality of this measurement setting for arbitrary unitary transformations applied to each one of the input photons. As concrete examples, we discuss transformations which can be represented as translations and rotations in time-frequency phase space for some specific states.

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Reconstructing the full modal structure of photonic states by stimulated emission tomography

Stimulated emission tomography is a powerful and successful technique to both improve the resolution and experimentally simplify the task of determining the modal properties of biphotons. In the present manuscript we provide a theoretical description of SET valid for any quadratic coupling regime between a non-linear medium and pump fields generating photons by pairs. We use our results to obtain not only information about the associated modal function modulus but also its phase, for any mode, and we discuss the specific case of time-frequency variables as well as the quantities and limitations involved in the measurement resolution.

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The Hong-Ou-Mandel experiment: from photon indistinguishability to continuous variables quantum computing

We extensively discuss the Hong-Ou-Mandel experiment taking an original phase-space-based perspective. For this, we analyze time and frequency variables as quantum continuous variables in perfect analogy with position and momentum of massive particles or with the electromagnetic field's quadratures. We discuss how this experiment can be used to directly measure the time-frequency Wigner function and implement logical gates in these variables. We also briefly discuss the quantum/classical aspects of this experiment providing a general expression for intensity correlations that explicit the differences between a classical Hong-Ou-Mandel like dip and a quantum one. Throughout the manuscript, we will often focus and refer to a particular system based on AlGaAs waveguides emitting photon pairs via spontaneous parametric down-conversion, but our results can be extended to other analogous experimental systems and to different degrees of freedom.

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Time-frequency as quantum continuous variables

We present a second quantization description of frequency-based continuous variables quantum computation in the subspace of single photons. For this, we define frequency and time operators using the free field Hamiltonian and its Fourier transform, and show that these observables, when restricted to the one photon per mode subspace, reproduce the canonical position-momentum commutation relations. As a consequence, frequency and time operators can be used to define a universal set of gates in this particular subspace. We discuss the physical implementation of these gates as well as their effect on single photon states, and show that frequency and time variables can also be used to implement continuous variables quantum information protocols, in the same way than polarization is currently used as a two-dimensional quantum variable.

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Generalized spin squeezing inequalities for particles number with quantum fluctuations

Particle number fluctuations, no matter how small, are present in experimental set-ups. One should rigorously take these fluctuations into account, especially, for entanglement detection. In this context, we generalize the spin squeezing inequalities introduced by Tóth et al. in Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 250405 (2007). These new inequalities are fulfilled by all separable states even when the number of particle is not constant, and may present quantum fluctuations. These inequalities are useful for detecting entanglement in many-body systems when the super-selection rule does not apply, or when only a subspace of the total systems Hilbert space is considered. We also define general dichotomic observables for which we obtain a coordinate independent form of the generalized spin squeezing inequalities. We give an example where our generalized coordinate independent spin squeezing inequalities present a clear advantage over the original ones.

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A general dichotomization procedure to provide qudits entanglement criteria

We present a general strategy to derive entanglement criteria which consists in performing a mapping from qudits to qubits that preserves the separability of the parties and SU(2) rotational invariance. Consequently, it is possible to apply the well known positive partial transpose criterion to reveal the existence of quantum correlations between qudits. We discuss some examples of entangled states that are detected using the proposed strategy. Finally, we demonstrate, using our scheme, how some variance-based entanglement witnesses can be generalized from qubits to higher dimensional spin systems.

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Coupling a single Nitrogen-Vacancy center to a superconducting flux qubit in the far off resonance regime

We present a theoretical proposal to couple a single Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) center to a superconducting flux qubit (FQ) in the regime where both systems are off resonance. The coupling between both quantum devices is achieved through the strong driving of the flux qubit by a classical microwave field that creates dressed states with an experimentally controlled characteristic frequency. We discuss several applications such as controlling the NV center's state by manipulation of the flux qubit, performing the NV center full tomography and using the NV center as a quantum memory. The effect of decoherence and its consequences to the proposed applications are also analyzed. Our results provide a theoretical framework describing a promising hybrid system for quantum information processing, which combines the advantages of fast manipulation and long coherence times.

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