Quantum entanglement is known to enable otherwise impossible feats in various communication protocols, such
as quantum key distribution and super-dense coding. Here we describe efforts to further enhance the usual
benefits, by incorporating quantum states that are simultaneously entangled in multiple degrees of freedom -
"hyperentangled". Via the process of spontaneous parametric down conversion, we have demonstrated photon
pairs simultaneously entangled in polarization and spatial mode, and have used these to realize remote entangled
state preparation, full polarization Bell-state analysis, and the highest reported capacity quantum dense coding.
A source of single photons allows secure quantum key distribution, in addition, to being a critical resource for linear optics quantum computing. We describe our progress on deterministically creating single photons from spontaneous parametric downconversion, an extension of the Pittman, Jacobs and Franson scheme [Phys. Rev A, v66, 042303 (2002)]. Their idea was to conditionally prepare single photons by measuring one member of a spontaneously emitted photon pair and storing the remaining conditionally prepared photon until a predetermined time, when it would be "deterministically" released from storage. Our approach attempts to improve upon this by recycling the pump pulse in order to decrease the possibility of multiple-pair generation, while maintaining a high probability of producing a single pair. Many of the challenges we discuss are central to other quantum information technologies, including the need for low-loss optical storage, switching and detection, and fast feed-forward control.
By using a partial polarizer to apply a generalized polarization measurement to one photon of a polarization entangled pair, we remotely prepare single photons in arbitrary polarization qubits. Specifically, we are able to produce a range of states of any desired degree of mixedness or purity, over (and within) the entire Poincare sphere, with a typical fidelity exceeding 99.5%. Moreover, by using non-degenerate entangled pairs as a resource, we can prepare states in multiple wavelengths. Finally, we discuss the states remotely preparable given a particular two-qubit resource state.
A number of optical technologies remain to be developed and
optimized for various applications in quantum information processing,
especially quantum communication. We will give an overview of our
approach to some of these, including periodic heralded single-photon sources based on spontaneous parametric down-conversion, ultrabright sources of tunable entangled photons, near unit efficiency single- and multi-photon detectors based on an atomic vapor interaction, quantum state transducers based on high efficiency frequency up-conversion, and low-loss optical quantum memories.
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