Resolving photon number states in a superconducting circuit

Electromagnetic signals are always composed of photons, although in the circuit domain those signals are carried as voltages and currents on wires, and the discreteness of the photon's energy is usually not evident. However, by coupling a superconducting quantum bit (qubit) to signals on a microwave transmission line, it is possible to construct an integrated circuit in which the presence or absence of even a single photon can have a dramatic effect. Such a system can be described by circuit quantum electrodynamics (QED)-the circuit equivalent of cavity QED, where photons interact with atoms or quantum dots. Previously, circuit QED devices were shown to reach the resonant strong coupling regime, where a single qubit could absorb and re-emit a single photon many times. Here we report a circuit QED experiment in the strong dispersive limit, a new regime where a single photon has a large effect on the qubit without ever being absorbed. The hallmark of this strong dispersive regime is that the qubit transition energy can be resolved into a separate spectral line for each photon number state of the microwave field. The strength of each line is a measure of the probability of finding the corresponding photon number in the cavity. This effect is used to distinguish between coherent and thermal fields, and could be used to create a photon statistics analyser. As no photons are absorbed by this process, it should be possible to generate non-classical states of light by measurement and perform qubit-photon conditional logic, the basis of a logic bus for a quantum computer.     

Impossibility of deleting an unknown quantum state

A photon in an arbitrary polarization state cannot be cloned perfectly. But suppose that at our disposal we have several copies of a photon in an unknown state. Is it possible to delete the information content of one or more of these photons by a physical process? Specifically, if two photons are in the same initial polarization state, is there a mechanism that produces one photon in the same initial state and the other in some standard polarization state? If this could be done, then one would create a standard blank state onto which one could copy an unknown state approximately, by deterministic cloning or exactly, by probabilistic cloning. This could in principle be useful in quantum computation, where one could store new information in an already computed state by deleting the old information. Here we show, however, that the linearity of quantum theory does not allow us to delete a copy of an arbitrary quantum state perfectly. Though in a classical computer information can be deleted (reversibly) against a copy, the analogous task cannot be accomplished, even irreversibly, with quantum information.     

任意多光子Dicke态的制备

量子Dicke态对于多粒子量子纠缠结构和性质的研究,以及量子网络的构建有着重要的意义.基于线性光学和交叉相位调制技术,利用三个基本量子门,给出了四光子Dicke态制备、任意系数W态制备以及任意系数和光子数的Dicke态制备方案.这些方案的确定性、任意性、高效性将为研究量子纠缠结构性质以及量子网络提供一定的便利.     

Single photons on demand from a single molecule at room temperature

The generation of non-classical states of light is of fundamental scientific and technological interest. For example, 'squeezed' states enable measurements to be performed at lower noise levels than possible using classical light. Deterministic (or triggered) single-photon sources exhibit non-classical behaviour in that they emit, with a high degree of certainty, just one photon at a user-specified time. (In contrast, a classical source such as an attenuated pulsed laser emits photons according to Poisson statistics.) A deterministic source of single photons could find applications in quantum information processing, quantum cryptography and certain quantum computation problems. Here we realize a controllable source of single photons using optical pumping of a single molecule in a solid. Triggered single photons are produced at a high rate, whereas the probability of simultaneous emission of two photons is nearly zero--a useful property for secure quantum cryptography. Our approach is characterized by simplicity, room temperature operation and improved performance compared to other triggered sources of single photons.     

一个基于腔衰减的四原子纠缠态制备方案

基于A型三能级原子与腔场及经典场的相互作用理论,利用单光子探测器对从光腔中泄漏出来的光子进行符合测量,提出了一个四原子纠缠态的制备方案,四个分别处于不同光腔中的原子将以一定的概率处于GHZ态。     

非对称偏振三维纠缠态的预警制备

在量子信息处理过程中,量子纠缠态扮演着极为重要的角色,其特殊的物理性质,使得量子信息具有经典信息所没有的许多新的特征,为信息传输和信息处理提供了新的物理资源.针对非对称偏振三维纠缠态的制备,基于交叉相位调制技术,以纠缠光子对和两个单光子比特作为初态,通过单光子与相干光的相互作用以及双光子干涉来实现.如果通过三个非计数单光子探测器来预警制备三维最大纠缠态,其概率为3/64.而如果采用特殊的分段式光子探测器,其概率可以提高到3/8,达到理论极限值.该方案在理论上是可行的,效率相对较高,而且预警式的制备为其后续在量子信息过程中的使用提供了很大的灵活性.     

Quantum jumps of light recording the birth and death of a photon in a cavity

A microscopic quantum system under continuous observation exhibits at random times sudden jumps between its states. The detection of this quantum feature requires a quantum non-demolition (QND) measurement repeated many times during the system's evolution. Whereas quantum jumps of trapped massive particles (electrons, ions or molecules) have been observed, this has proved more challenging for light quanta. Standard photodetectors absorb light and are thus unable to detect the same photon twice. It is therefore necessary to use a transparent counter that can 'see' photons without destroying them. Moreover, the light needs to be stored for durations much longer than the QND detection time. Here we report an experiment in which we fulfil these challenging conditions and observe quantum jumps in the photon number. Microwave photons are stored in a superconducting cavity for times up to half a second, and are repeatedly probed by a stream of non-absorbing atoms. An atom interferometer measures the atomic dipole phase shift induced by the non-resonant cavity field, so that the final atom state reveals directly the presence of a single photon in the cavity. Sequences of hundreds of atoms, highly correlated in the same state, are interrupted by sudden state switchings. These telegraphic signals record the birth, life and death of individual photons. Applying a similar QND procedure to mesoscopic fields with tens of photons should open new perspectives for the exploration of the quantum-to-classical boundary.     

Experimental demonstration of a BDCZ quantum repeater node

Quantum communication is a method that offers efficient and secure ways for the exchange of information in a network. Large-scale quantum communication (of the order of 100 km) has been achieved; however, serious problems occur beyond this distance scale, mainly due to inevitable photon loss in the transmission channel. Quantum communication eventually fails when the probability of a dark count in the photon detectors becomes comparable to the probability that a photon is correctly detected. To overcome this problem, Briegel, Dür, Cirac and Zoller (BDCZ) introduced the concept of quantum repeaters, combining entanglement swapping and quantum memory to efficiently extend the achievable distances. Although entanglement swapping has been experimentally demonstrated, the implementation of BDCZ quantum repeaters has proved challenging owing to the difficulty of integrating a quantum memory. Here we realize entanglement swapping with storage and retrieval of light, a building block of the BDCZ quantum repeater. We follow a scheme that incorporates the strategy of BDCZ with atomic quantum memories. Two atomic ensembles, each originally entangled with a single emitted photon, are projected into an entangled state by performing a joint Bell state measurement on the two single photons after they have passed through a 300-m fibre-based communication channel. The entanglement is stored in the atomic ensembles and later verified by converting the atomic excitations into photons. Our method is intrinsically phase insensitive and establishes the essential element needed to realize quantum repeaters with stationary atomic qubits as quantum memories and flying photonic qubits as quantum messengers.     

Generation of ultraviolet entangled photons in a semiconductor

Entanglement is one of the key features of quantum information and communications technology. The method that has been used most frequently to generate highly entangled pairs of photons is parametric down-conversion. Short-wavelength entangled photons are desirable for generating further entanglement between three or four photons, but it is difficult to use parametric down-conversion to generate suitably energetic entangled photon pairs. One method that is expected to be applicable for the generation of such photons is resonant hyper-parametric scattering (RHPS): a pair of entangled photons is generated in a semiconductor via an electronically resonant third-order nonlinear optical process. Semiconductor-based sources of entangled photons would also be advantageous for practical quantum technologies, but attempts to generate entangled photons in semiconductors have not yet been successful. Here we report experimental evidence for the generation of ultraviolet entangled photon pairs by means of biexciton resonant RHPS in a single crystal of the semiconductor CuCl. We anticipate that our results will open the way to the generation of entangled photons by current injection, analogous to current-driven single photon sources.     

原子腔场系统中弱相干态的几率传送

提出了一个用原子与腔场纠缠态作为量子信道,非贝尔态测量和腔量子电动力学技术实现弱相干态的隐形传送的方案,分析了平均光子数对传送相干态的影响,发现平均光子数在0.25附近时效果最佳.该方案的最大优点是在某种程度上可以避免退相干现象.     

光子的旋量波动方程

给出自由和非自由光子的旋量波动方程及光子自旋算符与自旋波函数.通过计算光子的螺旋度,证明存在左旋和右旋光子.由单光子自旋波函数得到两光子或多光子的自旋波函数,并给出多光子的自旋纠缠态.     

任意多体高维偏振纠缠态的有效制备

纠缠态与高维量子态是量子信息科学关注的焦点,在光学领域,如何有效制备高维纠缠态是值得探讨的问题．基于交又相位调制技术,利用单光子高维空间态作为辅助,通过纠缠光子对与单光子之间的相互作用,以及多光子的干涉,可以制备出任意系数的两体高维偏振纠缠态．其成功概率由高维偏振量子态,也就是多光子干涉决定．同时,这一方案可以很容易推广到任意多体高维偏振纠缠态的制备．所制备纠缠态的灵活性,将为研究高维纠缠态的性质、多体相互作用等问题提供一定的便利．     

光超导波中正常态声子行为研究:声子对束缚态

考虑了光超导波理论中光声相互作用的高阶项，研究了声子与双光子的相互作用，利用推广的光子库柏对算符，在平均场近似下得出两动量相反的横光学声子可以通过交换虚光子库柏对产生一个有效的吸引力而形成声子对束缚态，其准粒子是由声子和库柏对组成的复合准粒子，讨论了这种情况下的光超导波基态能．     

Quantum teleportation and entanglement distribution over 100-kilometre free-space channels

Transferring an unknown quantum state over arbitrary distances is essential for large-scale quantum communication and distributed quantum networks. It can be achieved with the help of long-distance quantum teleportation and entanglement distribution. The latter is also important for fundamental tests of the laws of quantum mechanics. Although quantum teleportation and entanglement distribution over moderate distances have been realized using optical fibre links, the huge photon loss and decoherence in fibres necessitate the use of quantum repeaters for larger distances. However, the practical realization of quantum repeaters remains experimentally challenging. Free-space channels, first used for quantum key distribution, offer a more promising approach because photon loss and decoherence are almost negligible in the atmosphere. Furthermore, by using satellites, ultra-long-distance quantum communication and tests of quantum foundations could be achieved on a global scale. Previous experiments have achieved free-space distribution of entangled photon pairs over distances of 600?metres (ref. 14) and 13?kilometres (ref. 15), and transfer of triggered single photons over a 144-kilometre one-link free-space channel. Most recently, following a modified scheme, free-space quantum teleportation over 16?kilometres was demonstrated with a single pair of entangled photons. Here we report quantum teleportation of independent qubits over a 97-kilometre one-link free-space channel with multi-photon entanglement. An average fidelity of 80.4?±?0.9 per cent is achieved for six distinct states. Furthermore, we demonstrate entanglement distribution over a two-link channel, in which the entangled photons are separated by 101.8?kilometres. Violation of the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality is observed without the locality loophole. Besides being of fundamental interest, our results represent an important step towards a global quantum network. Moreover, the high-frequency and high-accuracy acquiring, pointing and tracking technique developed in our experiment can be directly used for future satellite-based quantum communication and large-scale tests of quantum foundations.     

Super-resolving phase measurements with a multiphoton entangled state

Interference phenomena are ubiquitous in physics, often forming the basis of demanding measurements. Examples include Ramsey interferometry in atomic spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction in crystallography and optical interferometry in gravitational-wave studies. It has been known for some time that the quantum property of entanglement can be exploited to perform super-sensitive measurements, for example in optical interferometry or atomic spectroscopy. The idea has been demonstrated for an entangled state of two photons, but for larger numbers of particles it is difficult to create the necessary multiparticle entangled states. Here we demonstrate experimentally a technique for producing a maximally entangled three-photon state from initially non-entangled photons. The method can in principle be applied to generate states of arbitrary photon number, giving arbitrarily large improvement in measurement resolution. The method of state construction requires non-unitary operations, which we perform using post-selected linear-optics techniques similar to those used for linear-optics quantum computing.     

星际介质中的纳米尘埃

星际尘埃,作为一种在宇宙中普遍存在的重要成分,在天文学研究中起着重要的作用.星际介质中的尘埃其尺寸分布涵盖从几个埃到几个亚微米的范围.对于有这样大的尺寸差异的星际尘埃,尘埃的热辐射机制差别很大.较大的尘埃颗粒,有比较大的吸收和发射截面,因而其吸收光子的速率和发射的速率也比较大,可以从吸收和发射能量的平衡来得出热平衡温度,并用热平衡温度和黑体辐射来计算其光谱.对于大小为纳米尺度或者更小的尘埃,由于其很小的尺寸,这类尘埃的热容量非常小.当这种尘埃吸收一个与其热容量相当或者更大能量光子的时候,尘埃就会经历一个非常明显的温度涨落:尘埃吸收一个紫外光子瞬间,其温度迅速上升,到达顶点后,由于尚没有外来能量的影响(因吸收截面小,吸收光子几率也非常小),尘埃开始通过热辐射降温,直到吸收另一个光子开始新的循环,这就是单光子加热模型(Single-Photon Heating Model).显然,热平衡和单光子加热是两个明显不同的过程.对于单光子加热,由于尘埃颗粒的温度涨落作用,尘埃不会处于一个稳定的平衡温度状态,因而不能用单一温度来描述其热辐射,必须计算出尘埃在温度涨落过程中的温度分布函数,然后计算其辐射谱.本文主要介绍纳米颗粒在星际空间中的存在证据,单光子加热模型,以及处于温度涨落中纳米颗粒的辐射特征.     

Generating single microwave photons in a circuit

Microwaves have widespread use in classical communication technologies, from long-distance broadcasts to short-distance signals within a computer chip. Like all forms of light, microwaves, even those guided by the wires of an integrated circuit, consist of discrete photons. To enable quantum communication between distant parts of a quantum computer, the signals must also be quantum, consisting of single photons, for example. However, conventional sources can generate only classical light, not single photons. One way to realize a single-photon source is to collect the fluorescence of a single atom. Early experiments measured the quantum nature of continuous radiation, and further advances allowed triggered sources of photons on demand. To allow efficient photon collection, emitters are typically placed inside optical or microwave cavities, but these sources are difficult to employ for quantum communication on wires within an integrated circuit. Here we demonstrate an on-chip, on-demand single-photon source, where the microwave photons are injected into a wire with high efficiency and spectral purity. This is accomplished in a circuit quantum electrodynamics architecture, with a microwave transmission line cavity that enhances the spontaneous emission of a single superconducting qubit. When the qubit spontaneously emits, the generated photon acts as a flying qubit, transmitting the quantum information across a chip. We perform tomography of both the qubit and the emitted photons, clearly showing that both the quantum phase and amplitude are transferred during the emission. Both the average power and voltage of the photon source are characterized to verify performance of the system. This single-photon source is an important addition to a rapidly growing toolbox for quantum optics on a chip.     

Experimental realization of freely propagating teleported qubits

Quantum teleportation is central to quantum communication, and plays an important role in a number of quantum computation protocols. Most information-processing applications of quantum teleportation include the subsequent manipulation of the qubit (the teleported photon), so it is highly desirable to have a teleportation procedure resulting in high-quality, freely flying qubits. In our previous teleportation experiment, the teleported qubit had to be detected (and thus destroyed) to verify the success of the procedure. Here we report a teleportation experiment that results in freely propagating individual qubits. The basic idea is to suppress unwanted coincidence detection events by providing the photon to be teleported much less frequently than the auxiliary entangled pair. Therefore, a case of successful teleportation can be identified with high probability without the need actually to detect the teleported photon. The experimental fidelity of our procedure surpasses the theoretical limit required for the implementation of quantum repeaters.     

基于原子与光场共振相互作用的W态融合

基于腔量子动力学(QED)系统,从N个原子和M个原子的W态中各取1个原子同时送入真空腔场,利用原子与腔场相互作用实现2个W态融合.当原子与腔场发生共振作用后,探测腔场.结果表明:若有1个光子,则初始的2个W态以一定概率融合为(N+M)个原子W态;若腔场中没有光子,则探测飞出2个原子,若2个原子中有1个原子处于激发态,则初始的2个W态以一定概率融合为(N+M-2)个原子W态;若2个原子均处于基态,则余下的(N-1)个原子W态和(M-1)个原子W态仍可按此方案循环融合.