Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

Valerio Scarani

Publications and source records attributed to Valerio Scarani.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
arXiv2003

Energy-time entanglement of quasi-particles in solid-state devices

We present a proposal for the experimental observation of energy-time entanglement of quasi-particles in mesoscopic physics. This type of entanglement arises whenever correlated particles are produced at the same time and this time is uncertain in the sense of quantum uncertainty, as has been largely used in photonics. We discuss its feasibility for electron-hole pairs. In particular, we argue that the recently fabricated 2DEG-2DHG junctions, irradiated with a continuous laser, behave as "entanglers" for energy-time entanglement.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2003

Security bounds in Quantum Cryptography using d-level systems

We analyze the security of quantum cryptography schemes for $d$-level systems using 2 or $d+1$ maximally conjugated bases, under individual eavesdropping attacks based on cloning machines and measurement after the basis reconciliation. We consider classical advantage distillation protocols, that allow to extract a key even in situations where the mutual information between the honest parties is smaller than the eavesdropper's information. In this scenario, advantage distillation protocols are shown to be as powerful as quantum distillation: key distillation is possible using classical techniques if and only if the corresponding state in the entanglement based protocol is distillable.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2003

Bell's inequalities detect efficient entanglement

We review the status of Bell's inequalities in quantum information, stressing mainly the links with quantum key distribution and distillation of entanglement. We also prove that for all the eavesdropping attacks using one qubit, and for a family of attacks of two qubits, acting on half of a maximally entangled state of two qubits, the violation of a Bell inequality implies the possibility of an efficient secret-key extraction.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2003

Two independent photon pairs versus four-photon entangled states in parametric down conversion

We study the physics of four-photon states generated in spontaneous parametric down-conversion with a pulsed pump field. In the limit where the coherence time of the photons t_c is much shorter than the duration of the pump pulse Delta t, the four photons can be described as two independent pairs. In the opposite limit, the four photons are in a four-particle entangled state. Any intermediate case can be characterized by a single parameter chi, which is a function of t_c/Delta t. We present a direct measurement of chi through a simple experimental setup. The full theoretical analysis is also provided.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2003

Classical and quantum: some mutual clarifications

This paper presents two unconventional links between quantum and classical physics. The first link appears in the study of quantum cryptography. In the presence of a spy, the quantum correlations shared by Alice and Bob are imperfect. One can either process the quantum information, recover perfect correlations and finally measure the quantum systems; or, one can perform the measurements first and then process the classical information. These two procedures tolerate exactly the same error rate for a wide class of attacks by the spy. The m second link is drawn between the quantum notions of "no-cloning theorem" and "weak-measurements with post-selection", and simple experiments using classical polarized light and ordinary telecom devices.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2003

Optical telecom networks as weak quantum measurements with post- selection

We show that weak measurements with post-selection, proposed in the context of the quantum theory of measurement, naturally appear in the everyday physics of fiber optics telecom networks through polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) and polarization-dependent losses (PDL). Specifically, the PMD leads to a time-resolved discrimination of polarization; the post-selection is done in the most natural way: one post-selects those photons that have not been lost because of the PDL. The quantum formalism is shown to simplify the calculation of optical networks in the telecom limit of weak PMD.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2003

Coherent pulse implementations of quantum cryptography protocols resistant to photon number splitting attacks

A new class of quantum cryptography (QC) protocols that are robust against the most general photon number splitting attacks in a weak coherent pulse implementation has been recently proposed. In this article we give a quite exhaustive analysis of several eavesdropping attacks on these schemes. The eavesdropper (Eve) is supposed to have unlimited technological power while the honest parties (Alice and Bob) use present day technology, in particular an attenuated laser as an approximation of a single-photon source. They exploit the nonorthogonality of quantum states for decreasing the information accessible to Eve in the multi-photon pulses accidentally produced by the imperfect source. An implementation of some of these protocols using present day technology allow for a secure key distribution up to distances of $\sim$ 150 km. We also show that strong-pulse implementations, where a strong pulse is included as a reference, allow for key distribution robust against photon number splitting attacks.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2002

Quantum cloning with an optical fiber amplifier

It has been shown theoretically that a light amplifier working on the physical principle of stimulated emission should achieve optimal quantum cloning of the polarization state of light. We demonstrate close-to-optimal universal quantum cloning of polarization in a standard fiber amplifier for telecom wavelengths. For cloning 1 --> 2 we find a fidelity of 0.82, the optimal value being 5/6 = 0.83.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2002

Bell inequalities and distillability in N-quantum-bit systems

The relation between Bell inequalities with two two-outcome measurements per site and distillability is analyzed in systems of an arbitrary number of quantum bits. We observe that the violation of any of these inequalities by a quantum state implies that pure-state entanglement can be distilled from it. The corresponding distillation protocol may require that some of the parties join into several groups. We show that there exists a link between the amount of the Bell inequality violation and the size of the groups they have to form for distillation. Thus, a strong violation is always sufficient for full N-partite distillability. This result also allows for a security proof of multi-partite quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2002

Femtosecond Time-Bin Entangled Qubits for Quantum Communication

We create pairs of non-degenerate time-bin entangled photons at telecom wavelengths with ultra-short pump pulses. Entanglement is shown by performing Bell kind tests of the Franson type with visibilities of up to 91%. As time-bin entanglement can easily be protected from decoherence as encountered in optical fibers, this experiment opens the road for complex quantum communication protocols over long distances. We also investigate the creation of more than one photon pair in a laser pulse and present a simple tool to quantify the probability of such events to happen.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2002

Superluminal influences, hidden variables, and signaling

We consider alternative models to quantum mechanics, that have been proposed in the recent years in order to explain the EPR correlations between two particles. These models allow in principle local hidden variables produced at the source, and some superluminal "hidden communication" (or "influences") to reproduce the non-local correlations. Moving to the case of three particles, we show that these alternative models lead to signaling when "hidden communication" alone is considered as the origin of the correlations.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2002

Thermalizing Quantum Machines: Dissipation and Entanglement

We study the relaxation of a quantum system towards the thermal equilibrium using tools developed within the context of quantum information theory. We consider a model in which the system is a qubit, and reaches equilibrium after several successive two-qubit interactions (thermalizing machines) with qubits of a reservoir. We characterize completely the family of thermalizing machines. The model shows a tight link between dissipation, fluctuations, and the maximal entanglement that can be generated by the machines. The interplay of quantum and classical information processes that give rise to practical irreversibility is discussed.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2002

Bell-type inequalities to detect true n-body non-separability

We analyze the structure of correlations among more than two quantum systems. We introduce a classification of correlations based on the concept of non-separability, which is different {\em a priori} from the concept of entanglement. Generalizing a result of Svetlichny [Phys. Rev. D {\bf 35} (1987) 3066] on 3-particle correlations, we find an inequality for $n$-particle correlations that holds under the most general separability condition and that is violated by some quantum-mechanical states.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2001

Quantum Communication between N partners and Bell's inequalities

We consider a family of quantum communication protocols involving $N$ partners. We demonstrate the existence of a link between the security of these protocols against individual attacks by the eavesdropper, and the violation of some Bell's inequalities, generalizing the link that was noticed some years ago for two-partners quantum cryptography. The arguments are independent of the local hidden variable debate.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2001

Quantum Key Distribution between N partners: optimal eavesdropping and Bell's inequalities

Quantum secret-sharing protocols involving N partners (NQSS) are key distribution protocols in which Alice encodes her key into $N-1$ qubits, in such a way that all the other partners must cooperate in order to retrieve the key. On these protocols, several eavesdropping scenarios are possible: some partners may want to reconstruct the key without the help of the other ones, and consequently collaborate with an Eve that eavesdrops on the other partners' channels. For each of these scenarios, we give the optimal individual attack that the Eve can perform. In case of such an optimal attack, the authorized partners have a higher information on the key than the unauthorized ones if and only if they can violate a Bell's inequality.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2001

Spectral decomposition of Bell's operators for qubits

The spectral decomposition is given for the N-qubit Bell operators with two observables per qubit. It is found that the eigenstates (when non-degenerate) are N-qubit GHZ states even for those operators that do not allow the maximal violation of the corresponding inequality. We present two applications of this analysis. In particular, we discuss the existence of pure entangled states that do not violate any Mermin-Klyshko inequality for $N\geq 3$.

quant-ph↗
arXiv1998

Quantum Computing

The main features of quantum computing are described in the framework of spin resonance methods. Stress is put on the fact that quantum computing is in itself nothing but a re-interpretation (fruitful indeed) of well-known concepts. The role of the two basic operations, one-spin rotation and controlled-NOT gates, is analyzed, and some exercises are proposed.

quant-ph↗