arXiv subjects

Ulrik L. Andersen

Publications and source records attributed to Ulrik L. Andersen.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Ab-initio Quantum Enhanced Optical Phase Estimation Using Real-time Feedback Control

Optical phase estimation is a vital measurement primitive that is used to perform accurate measurements of various physical quantities like length, velocity and displacements. The precision of such measurements can be largely enhanced by the use of entangled or squeezed states of light as demonstrated in a variety of different optical systems. Most of these accounts however deal with the measurement of a very small shift of an already known phase, which is in stark contrast to ab-initio phase estimation where the initial phase is unknown. Here we report on the realization of a quantum enhanced and fully deterministic phase estimation protocol based on real-time feedback control. Using robust squeezed states of light combined with a real-time Bayesian estimation feedback algorithm, we demonstrate deterministic phase estimation with a precision beyond the quantum shot noise limit. The demonstrated protocol opens up new opportunities for quantum microscopy, quantum metrology and quantum information processing.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

Hybrid quantum information processing

The development of quantum information processing has traditionally followed two separate and not immediately connected lines of study. The main line has focused on the implementation of quantum bit (qubit) based protocols whereas the other line has been devoted to implementations based on high-dimensional Gaussian states (such as coherent and squeezed states). The separation has been driven by the experimental difficulty in interconnecting the standard technologies of the two lines. However, in recent years, there has been a significant experimental progress in refining and connecting the technologies of the two fields which has resulted in the development and experimental realization of numerous new hybrid protocols. In this Review, we summarize these recent efforts on hybridizing the two types of schemes based on discrete and continuous variables.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

High-rate quantum cryptography in untrusted networks

We extend the field of continuous-variable quantum cryptography to a network formulation where two honest parties connect to an untrusted relay by insecure quantum links. To generate secret correlations, they transmit coherent states to the relay where a continuous-variable Bell detection is performed and the outcome broadcast. Even though the detection could be fully corrupted and the links subject to optimal coherent attacks, the honest parties can still extract a secret key, achieving high rates when the relay is proximal to one party, as typical in public networks with access points or proxy servers. Our theory is confirmed by an experiment generating key-rates which are orders of magnitude higher than those achievable with discrete-variable protocols. Thus, using the cheapest possible quantum resources, we experimentally show the possibility of high-rate quantum key distribution in network topologies where direct links are missing between end-users and intermediate relays cannot be trusted.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

Assessments of macroscopicity for quantum optical states

With the slow but constant progress in the coherent control of quantum systems, it is now possible to create large quantum superpositions. There has therefore been an increased interest in quantifying any claims of macroscopicity. We attempt here to motivate three criteria which we believe should enter in the assessment of macroscopic quantumness: The number of quantum fluctuation photons, the purity of the states, and the ease with which the branches making up the state can be distinguished.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Gaussian error correction of quantum states in a correlated noisy channel

Noise is the main obstacle for the realization of fault tolerant quantum information processing and secure communication over long distances. In this work, we propose a communication protocol relying on simple linear optics that optimally protects quantum states from non-Markovian or corre- lated noise. We implement the protocol experimentally and demonstrate the near ideal protection of coherent and entangled states in an extremely noisy channel. Since all real-life channels are exhibit- ing pronounced non-Markovian behavior, the proposed protocol will have immediate implications in improving the performance of various quantum information protocols.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Generation of picosecond pulsed coherent state superpositions

We present the generation of approximated coherent state superpositions - referred to as Schrödinger cat states - by the process of subtracting single photons from picosecond pulsed squeezed states of light at 830 nm. The squeezed vacuum states are produced by spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) in a periodically poled KTiOPO4 crystal while the single photons are probabilistically subtracted using a beamsplitter and a single photon detector. The resulting states are fully characterized with time-resolved homodyne quantum state tomography. Varying the pump power of the SPDC, we generated different states which exhibit non-Gaussian behavior.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Coupling of single quantum emitters to plasmons propagating on mechanically etched wires

We demonstrate the coupling of a single nitrogen vacancy center in a nanodiamond to propagating plasmonic modes of mechanically etched silver nanowires. The mechanical etch is performed on single crystalline silver nanoplates by the tip of an atomic force microscope cantilever to produce wires with pre-designed lengths. We show that single plasmon propgation can be obtained in these wires, thus making these structures a platform for quantum information processing.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Heralded generation of a micro-macro entangled state

Using different optical setups based on squeezed state and photon subtraction we show how optical entanglement between a macroscopic and a microscopic state - the so-called Schrodinger cat state or micro-macro state - can be generated. The entangled state is heralded and is thus produced a priori in contrast to previous proposals. We define the macroscopicity of the macroscopic part of the state as their mean distance in phase space and the success rate in discriminating them with homodyne detection, and subsequently, based on these measures we investigate the macroscopicity of different states. Furthermore, we show that the state can be used to map a microscopic qubit onto a macroscopic one thereby linking a qubit processor with a qumode processor.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Propagation of plasmons in designed single crystalline silver nanostructures

We demonstrate propagation of plasmons in single crystalline silver nanostructures fabricated using a combination of a bottom-up and a top-down approach. Silver nanoplates of thickness around 65 nm and a surface area of about 100 μm^2 are made using a wet chemical method. Silver nanotips and nanowires are then sculptured by focused ion beam milling. The plasmons are excited by using the fluorescence from the redeposited silver clusters during the milling process. Propagation of plasmons in the nanowires is observed in the visible spectral region. We also observe a cavity effect by measuring the emission spectrum from the distal wire end.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Coupling of a Single Quantum Emitter to End-to-end Aligned Silver Nanowires

We report on the observation of coupling a single nitrogen vacancy (NV) center in a nanodiamond crystal to a propagating plasmonic mode of silver nanowires. The nanocrystal is placed either near to the apex of a single silver nanowire or in the gap between two end-to-end aligned silver nanowires. We observe an enhancement of the NV-centers' decay rate in both cases as a result of the coupling to the plasmons. The devices are nano-assembled with a scanning probe technique. Through simulations, we show that end-to-end aligned silver nanowires can be used as a controllable splitter for emission from a dipole emitter.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Amplification of realistic cat-like states by homodyne heralding

We present a scheme for the amplification of Schrodinger cats that collapses two smaller states onto their constructive interference via a homodyne projection. We analyze the performance of the amplification in terms of fidelity and success rate when the input consists of either exact coherent state superpositions or of photon-subtracted squeezed vacua. The impact of imprecise homodyne detection and of impure squeezing is quantified. We also assess the scalability of iterated amplifications.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Displacement-enhanced entanglement distillation of single-mode-squeezed entangled states

It has been shown that entanglement distillation of Gaussian entangled states by means of local photon subtraction can be improved by local Gaussian transformations. Here we show that a similar effect can be expected for the distillation of an asymmetric Gaussian entangled state that is produced by a single squeezed beam. We show that for low initial entanglement, our largely simplified protocol generates more entanglement than previous proposed protocols. Furthermore, we show that the distillation scheme also works efficiently on decohered entangled states as well as with a practical photon subtraction setup.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Quantum-enhanced micro-mechanical displacement sensitivity

We report on a hitherto unexplored application of squeezed light: for quantum-enhancement of mechanical transduction sensitivity in microcavity optomechanics. Using a toroidal silica microcavity, we experimentally demonstrate measurement of the transduced phase modulation signal with a sensitivity $-0.72(\pm 0.01)$\,dB below the shot noise level. This is achieved for resonant probing in the highly under-coupled regime, by preparing the probe in a weak coherent state with phase squeezed vacuum states at sideband frequencies.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Deterministic Super Resolution with Coherent States at the Shot Noise Limit

Interference of light fields plays an important role in various high-precision measurement schemes. It has been shown that super resolving phase measurements beyond the standard coherent state limit can be obtained either by using maximally entangled multi-particle states of light or using complex detection approaches. Here we show that super resolving phase measurements at the shot noise limit can be achieved without resorting to non-classical optical states or to low-efficiency detection processes. Using robust coherent states of light, high-efficiency homodyne detection and a deterministic binarization processing technique, we show a narrowing of the interference fringes that scales with 1/Sqrt{N} where N is the mean number of photons of the coherent state. Experimentally we demonstrate a 12-fold narrowing at the shot noise limit.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Continuous variable quantum key distribution with two-mode squeezed states

Quantum key distribution (QKD) enables two remote parties to grow a shared key which they can use for unconditionally secure communication [1]. The applicable distance of a QKD protocol depends on the loss and the excess noise of the connecting quantum channel [2-10]. Several QKD schemes based on coherent states and continuous variable (CV) measurements are resilient to high loss in the channel, but strongly affected by small amounts of channel excess noise [2-6]. Here we propose and experimentally address a CV QKD protocol which uses fragile squeezed states combined with a large coherent modulation to greatly enhance the robustness to channel noise. As a proof of principle we experimentally demonstrate that the resulting QKD protocol can tolerate more noise than the benchmark set by the ideal CV coherent state protocol. Our scheme represents a very promising avenue for extending the distance for which secure communication is possible.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Continuous-wave spatial quantum correlations of light induced by multiple scattering

We present theoretical and experimental results on spatial quantum correlations induced by multiple scattering of nonclassical light. A continuous mode quantum theory is derived that enables determining the spatial quantum correlation function from the fluctuations of the total transmittance and reflectance. Utilizing frequency-resolved quantum noise measurements, we observe that the strength of the spatial quantum correlation function can be controlled by changing the quantum state of an incident bright squeezed-light source. Our results are found to be in excellent agreement with the developed theory and form a basis for future research on, e.g., quantum interference of multiple quantum states in a multiple scattering medium.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

QPSK coherent state discrimination via a hybrid receiver

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a near-optimal discrimination scheme for the quadrature phase shift keying protocol (QPSK). We show in theory that the performance of our hybrid scheme is superior to the standard scheme - heterodyne detection - for all signal amplitudes and underpin the predictions with our experimental results. Furthermore, our scheme provides the hitherto best performance in the domain of highly attenuated signals. The discrimination is composed of a quadrature measurement, a conditional displacement and a threshold detector.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Experimental Investigation of the Evolution of Gaussian Quantum Discord in an Open System

Gaussian quantum discord is a measure of quantum correlations in Gaussian systems. Using Gaussian discord we quantify the quantum correlations of a bipartite entangled state and a separable two-mode mixture of coherent states. We experimentally analyze the effect of noise addition and dissipation on Gaussian discord and show that the former noise degrades the discord while the latter noise for some states leads to an increase of the discord. In particular, we experimentally demonstrate the near-death of discord by noisy evolution and its revival through dissipation.

quant-ph↗