arXiv subjects

W. J. Munro

Publications and source records attributed to W. J. Munro.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Equilibration of Non-interacting Photons and Quantum Signatures of Chaos

Equilibration plays a fundamental role in our understanding of statistical mechanics and the long-time dynamics of many-body systems. In quantum systems, the route to equilibration is intimately related to level repulsion and quantum signatures of chaos that are encoded in their unitary evolution. Chaotic quantum systems exhibit the level statistics characteristic of ensembles of random matrices. In this work, we demonstrate that single-particle chaos leads to equilibration of many non-interacting photons. We show that the underlying mechanisms for equilibration are operator spreading and quantum interference. More specifically, we demonstrate that the unitary dynamics of a general Floquet system implemented using single-mode phase shifters and multiport beamsplitters leads to equilibration of photons. We propose a realistic photonic implementation of the multiparticle kicked rotor, which is a Floquet system that we use as a concrete example of our general approach.

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arXiv2023

Quantum Signal Processing with the one-dimensional quantum Ising model

Quantum Signal Processing (QSP) has emerged as a promising framework to manipulate and determine properties of quantum systems. QSP not only unifies most existing quantum algorithms but also provides tools to discover new ones. Quantum signal processing is applicable to single- or multi-qubit systems that can be qubitized so one can exploit the SU$(2)$ structure of system evolution within special invariant two-dimensional subspaces. In the context of quantum algorithms, this SU$(2)$ structure is artificially imposed on the system through highly nonlocal evolution operators that are difficult to implement on near-term quantum devices. In this work, we propose QSP protocols for the infinite-dimensional Onsager Lie Algebra, which is relevant to the physical dynamics of quantum devices that can simulate the transverse field Ising model. To this end, we consider QSP sequences in the Heisenberg picture, allowing us to exploit the emergent SU$(2)$ structure in momentum space and synthesize QSP sequences for the Onsager algebra. Our results demonstrate a concrete connection between QSP techniques and Noisy Intermediate Scale quantum protocols. We provide examples and applications of our approach in diverse fields ranging from space-time dual quantum circuits and quantum simulation, to quantum control.

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arXiv2022

Quantum Neuronal Sensing of Quantum Many-Body States on a 61-Qubit Programmable Superconducting Processor

Classifying many-body quantum states with distinct properties and phases of matter is one of the most fundamental tasks in quantum many-body physics. However, due to the exponential complexity that emerges from the enormous numbers of interacting particles, classifying large-scale quantum states has been extremely challenging for classical approaches. Here, we propose a new approach called quantum neuronal sensing. Utilizing a 61 qubit superconducting quantum processor, we show that our scheme can efficiently classify two different types of many-body phenomena: namely the ergodic and localized phases of matter. Our quantum neuronal sensing process allows us to extract the necessary information coming from the statistical characteristics of the eigenspectrum to distinguish these phases of matter by measuring only one qubit. Our work demonstrates the feasibility and scalability of quantum neuronal sensing for near-term quantum processors and opens new avenues for exploring quantum many-body phenomena in larger-scale systems.

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arXiv2022

Fractional resonances and prethermal states in Floquet systems

In periodically-driven quantum systems, resonances can induce exotic nonequilibrium behavior and new phases of matter without static analog. We report on the emergence of fractional and integer resonances in a broad class of many-body Hamiltonians with a modulated hopping with a frequency that is either a fraction or an integer of the on-site interaction. We contend that there is a fundamental difference between these resonances when interactions bring the system to a Floquet prethermal state. Second-order processes dominate the dynamics in the fractional resonance case, leading to less entanglement and more localized quantum states than in the integer resonance case dominated by first-order processes. We demonstrate the dominating emergence of fractional resonances using the Magnus expansion of the effective Hamiltonian and quantify their effects on the many-body dynamics via quantum states' von Neumann entropy and Loschmidt echo. Our findings reveal novel features of the nonequilibrium quantum many-body system, such as the coexistence of Floquet prethermalization and localization, that may allow to development of quantum memories for quantum technologies and quantum information processing.

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arXiv2021

Visualising multiqubit correlatons using the Wigner function

Quantum engineering now allows to design and construct multi-qubit states in a range of physical systems. These states are typically quite complex in nature, with disparate, but relevant properties that include both single and multi-qubit coherences and even entanglement. All these properties can be assessed by reconstructing the density matrix of those states - but the large parameter space can mean physical insight of the nature of those states and their coherence can be hard to achieve. Here we explore how the Wigner function of a multipartite system and its visualization provides rich information on the nature of the state, not only at illustrative level but also at the quantitative level. We test our tools in a photonic architecture making use of the multiple degrees of freedom of two photons.

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arXiv2021

Quantum walks on a programmable two-dimensional 62-qubit superconducting processor

Quantum walks are the quantum mechanical analogue of classical random walks and an extremely powerful tool in quantum simulations, quantum search algorithms, and even for universal quantum computing. In our work, we have designed and fabricated an 8x8 two-dimensional square superconducting qubit array composed of 62 functional qubits. We used this device to demonstrate high fidelity single and two particle quantum walks. Furthermore, with the high programmability of the quantum processor, we implemented a Mach-Zehnder interferometer where the quantum walker coherently traverses in two paths before interfering and exiting. By tuning the disorders on the evolution paths, we observed interference fringes with single and double walkers. Our work is an essential milestone in the field, brings future larger scale quantum applications closer to realization on these noisy intermediate-scale quantum processors.

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arXiv2021

Chimera Time-Crystalline order in quantum spin networks

Symmetries are well known to have had a profound role in our understanding of nature and are a critical design concept for the realization of advanced technologies. In fact, many symmetry-broken states associated with different phases of matter appear in a variety of quantum technology applications. Such symmetries are normally broken in spatial dimension, however they can also be broken temporally leading to the concept of discrete time symmetries and their associated crystals. Discrete time crystals (DTCs) are a novel state of matter emerging in periodically-driven quantum systems. Typically, they have been investigated assuming individual control operations with uniform rotation errors across the entire system. In this work we explore a new paradigm arising from non-uniform rotation errors, where two dramatically different phases of matter coexist in well defined regions of space. We consider a quantum spin network possessing long-range interactions where different driving operations act on different regions of that network. What results from its inherent symmetries is a system where one region is a DTC, while the second is ferromagnetic. We envision our work to open a new avenue of research on Chimera-like phases of matter where two different phases coexist in space.

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arXiv2020

Simulating complex quantum networks with time crystals

Crystals arise as the result of the breaking of a spatial translation symmetry. Similarly, translation symmetries can also be broken in time so that discrete time crystals appear. Here, we introduce a method to describe, characterize, and explore the physical phenomena related to this phase of matter using tools from graph theory. The analysis of the graphs allows to visualizing time-crystalline order and to analyze features of the quantum system. For example, we explore in detail the melting process of a minimal model of a period-2 discrete time crystal and describe it in terms of the evolution of the associated graph structure. We show that during the melting process, the network evolution exhibits an emergent preferential attachment mechanism, directly associated with the existence of scale-free networks. Thus, our strategy allows us to propose a previously unexplored far-reaching application of time crystals as a quantum simulator of complex quantum networks.

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arXiv2020

Fully-programmable universal quantum simulator with a one-dimensional quantum processor

Current quantum devices execute specific tasks that are hard for classical computers and have the potential to solve problems such as quantum simulation of material science and chemistry, even without error correction. For practical applications it is highly desirable to reconfigure the connectivity of the device, which for superconducting quantum processors is determined at fabrication. In addition, we require a careful design of control lines and couplings to resonators for measurements. Therefore, it is a cumbersome and slow undertaking to fabricate a new device for each problem we want to solve. Here we periodically drive a one-dimensional chain to engineer effective Hamiltonians that simulate arbitrary connectivities. We demonstrate the capability of our method by engineering driving sequences to simulate star, all-to-all, and ring connectivities. We also simulate a minimal example of the 3-SAT problem including three-body interactions, which are difficult to realize experimentally. Our results open a new paradigm to perform quantum simulation in near term quantum devices by enabling us to stroboscopically simulate arbitrary Hamiltonians with a single device and optimized driving sequences

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arXiv2020

Dissipative nonequilibrium synchronization of topological edge states via self-oscillation

The interplay of synchronization and topological band structures with symmetry protected midgap states under the influence of driving and dissipation is largely unexplored. Here we consider a trimer chain of electron shuttles, each consisting of a harmonic oscillator coupled to a quantum dot positioned between two electronic leads. Each shuttle is subject to thermal dissipation and undergoes a bifurcation towards self-oscillation with a stable limit cycle if driven by a bias voltage between the leads. By mechanically coupling the oscillators together, we observe synchronized motion at the ends of the chain, which can be explained using a linear stability analysis. Due to the inversion symmetry of the trimer chain, these synchronized states are topologically protected against local disorder. Furthermore, with current experimental feasibility, the synchronized motion can be observed by measuring the dot occupation of each shuttle. Our results open a new avenue to enhance the robustness of synchronized motion by exploiting topology.

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arXiv2020

Ergodic-localized junctions in a periodically-driven spin chain

We report the analogue simulation of an ergodiclocalized junction by using an array of 12 coupled superconducting qubits. To perform the simulation, we fabricated a superconducting quantum processor that is divided into two domains: a driven domain representing an ergodic system, while the second is localized under the effect of disorder. Due to the overlap between localized and delocalized states, for small disorder there is a proximity effect and localization is destroyed. To experimentally investigate this, we prepare a microwave excitation in the driven domain and explore how deep it can penetrate the disordered region by probing its dynamics. Furthermore, we performed an ensemble average over 50 realizations of disorder, which clearly shows the proximity effect. Our work opens a new avenue to build quantum simulators of driven-disordered systems with applications in condensed matter physics and material science

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arXiv2020

Topological pumping of quantum correlations

Topological pumping and duality transformations are paradigmatic concepts in condensed matter and statistical mechanics. In this paper, we extend the concept of topological pumping of particles to topological pumping of quantum correlations. We propose a scheme to find pumping protocols for highly-correlated states by mapping them to uncorrelated ones. We show that one way to achieve this is to use dualities, because they are non-local transformations that preserve the topological properties of the system. By using them, we demonstrate that topological pumping of kinks and cluster-like excitations can be realized. We find that the entanglement of these highly-correlated excitations is strongly modified during the pumping process and the interactions enhance the robustness against disorder. Our work paves the way to explore topological pumping beyond the notion of particles and opens a new avenue to investigate the relation between correlations and topology.

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arXiv2018

Ergodic-localized junctions in periodically-driven systems

Quantum phases of matter have many relevant applications in quantum computation and quantum information processing. Current experimental feasibilities in diverse platforms allow us to couple two or more subsystems in different phases. In this letter, we investigate the situation where one couples two domains of a periodically-driven spin chain where one of them is ergodic while the other is fully localized. By combining tools of both graph and Floquet theory, we show that the localized domain remains stable for strong disorder, but as this disorder decreases the localized domain becomes ergodic.

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arXiv2018

Testing Local Realism into the Past without Detection and Locality Loopholes

Inspired by the recent remarkable progress in the experimental test of local realism, we report here such a test that achieves an efficiency greater than (78%)^2 for entangled photon pairs separated by 183 m. Further utilizing the randomness in cosmic photons from pairs of stars on the opposite sides of the sky for the measurement setting choices, we not only close the locality and detection loopholes simultaneously, but also test the null hypothesis against local hidden variable mechanisms for events that took place 11 years ago (13 orders of magnitude longer than previous experiments). After considering the bias in measurement setting choices, we obtain an upper bound on the p value of 7.87 * 10^-4, which clearly indicates the rejection with high confidence of potential local hidden variable models. One may further push the time constraint on local hidden variable mechanisms deep into the cosmic history by taking advantage of the randomness in photon emissions from quasars with large aperture telescopes.

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arXiv2018

Device independent quantum random number generation

Randomness is critical for many information processing applications, including numerical modeling and cryptography. Device-independent quantum random number generation (DIQRNG) based on the loophole free violation of Bell inequality produces unpredictable genuine randomness without any device assumption and is therefore an ultimate goal in the field of quantum information science. However, due to formidable technical challenges, there were very few reported experimental studies of DIQRNG, which were vulnerable to the adversaries. Here we present a fully functional DIQRNG against the most general quantum adversaries. We construct a robust experimental platform that realizes Bell inequality violation with entangled photons with detection and locality loopholes closed simultaneously. This platform enables a continuous recording of a large volume of data sufficient for security analysis against the general quantum side information and without assuming independent and identical distribution. Lastly, by developing a large Toeplitz matrix (137.90 Gb $\times$ 62.469 Mb) hashing technique, we demonstrate that this DIQRNG generates $6.2469\times 10^7$ quantum-certified random bits in 96 hours (or 181 bits/s) with uniformity within $10^{-5}$. We anticipate this DIQRNG may have profound impact on the research of quantum randomness and information-secured applications.

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arXiv2018

Versatile relative entropy bounds for quantum networks

We provide a versatile upper bound on the number of maximally entangled qubits, or private bits, shared by two parties via a generic adaptive communication protocol over a quantum network when the use of classical communication is not restricted. Although our result follows the idea of Azuma et al. [Nat. Comm. 7, 13523 (2016)] of splitting the network into two parts, our approach relaxes their strong restriction, consisting of the use of a single entanglement measure in the quantification of the maximum amount of entanglement generated by the channels. In particular, in our bound the measure can be chosen on a channel-by-channel basis, in order to make it as tight as possible. This enables us to apply the relative entropy of entanglement, which often gives a state-of-the-art upper bound, on every Choi-simulable channel in the network, even when the other channels do not satisfy this property. We also develop tools to compute, or bound, the max-relative entropy of entanglement for channels that are invariant under phase rotations. In particular, we present an analytical formula for the max-relative entropy of entanglement of the qubit amplitude damping channel.

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arXiv2017

Taming an Optical Schroedinger's cat - A quantum non-demolition approach

An interferometric experiment is described that characterizes an optical cat state in a cavity mode. Our method describes how to measure the amplitude and phase of the different coherent states that make up the cat states. We show that using a recently proposed quantum nondemolition measurement technique, we can circumvent the problem of decoherence inherent in measurement involving superposition of coherent states.

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arXiv2016

Some implications of superconducting quantum interference to the application of master equations in engineering quantum technologies

In this paper we consider the modelling and simulation of open quantum systems from a device engineering perspective. We derive master equations at different levels of approximation for a Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) ring coupled to an ohmic bath. We demonstrate that the master equations we consider produce decoherences that are qualitatively and quantitativly dependent on both the level of approximation and the ring's external flux bias. We discuss the issues raised when seeking to obtain Lindbladian dissipation and show, in this case, that the external flux (which may be considered to be a control variable in some applications) is not confined to the Hamiltonian, as often assumed in quantum control, but also appears in the Lindblad terms.

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