Optical system is an appealing system for quantum computation as it has tremendous scalability over typical matter-based qubit. This is thanks to its rich degree of freedom that allows multiplexing. A particularly promising approach is the time-domain multiplexing approach where large-scale entangled resources and their usages have been demonstrated. To achieve quantum computation, these resources have to be combined with a type of states called non-Gaussian states. Non-Gaussian state generation requires strong nonlinearity which is challenging in optical system, compared to the matter-based system. In this work, we explain our recent work in the generation of the non-Gaussian states for optical quantum computer. In the first half, we discuss the demonstration of cat-breeding protocol for the generation of Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) qubit. In the second half, we show the demonstration of generation of cat states from broadband light source. In the future, by combining these two techniques, we can achieve high-rate high-quality GKP states crucial for optical quantum computer.
We demonstrate two-photon interference and polarization entanglement at 2090 nm, constituting a crucial leap towards
free-space mid-infrared quantum communication systems in a spectral region with high atmospheric transparency and
reduced solar background.
Superconducting Nanowire Single photon Detectors (SNSPDs) offer unparalleled performance for IR photon counting, combining close to unity quantum efficiency, low intrinsic noise and ultrafast timing jitter. The ability of SNSPDs to count photons in mid-IR band up to 7 um wavelength opens up new possibilities in quantum optics, laser ranging, free space Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and astronomy.
Here we report on development of mid-IR SNSPDs including device design, fabrication, optimisation of superconducting materials and characterisation. We present a characterisation setup covering 1.5 - 4.2 um spectral region based on tuneable optical parametric oscillator with picosecond long pulses. We then demonstrate the viability of mid infrared SNSPDs for a variety of applications and report the results from single photon light detection and ranging (LIDAR) experiment with 2.3 um photons. This work paves the way for future app in free space QKD, deep space communication and astronomy.
Quantum-enhanced optical technologies operating within the 2- to 2.5-μm spectral region have the potential to revolutionize emerging applications in communications, sensing, and metrology. Currently, sources of entangled photons are available at visible, near-infrared and telecom wavelengths but are strongly underdeveloped at longer wavelengths. Here, using custom-designed lithium niobate crystals for spontaneous parametric down-conversion and tailored superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, we demonstrate two-photon interference and polarization-entangled photon pairs at 2090 nm. These results open the 2- to 2.5-μm mid-infrared window for the development of optical quantum technologies such as quantum key distribution in next-generation mid-infrared fiber communication systems and future Earth-to-satellite communications.
In this work we design, fabricate and characterize superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) optimized for mid infrared operation. The mid infrared is of interest for free space applications due to lower solar background than at shorter wavelengths as well as low atmospheric absorption. We show a proof-of-principle LIDAR imaging experiment at 2.3µm showing the viability of using SNSPDs for a variety of applications in the mid infrared.
Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are attractive material for single-photon sources (SPSs) that can be utilized at room temperature. In this work, we performed simultaneous measurements of photoluminescence (PL) decay curve and second-order photon correlation, g(2), on single CQDs to study the purity of their single photons, which is determined by the value of g(2)at the time origin. We demonstrate that the single-photon purity can be improved through time-gated g(2) analysis, where a part of the PL signal is excluded by applying a temporal filter to the PL decay curve. We show that by using a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector, it is possible to observe highly-purified single photons that exhibited g(2) at the time origin ranging from 0.01 to 0.02.
We describe a number of methods that have been pursued to develop superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) with attractive overall performance, including three systems that operate with >70% system detection efficiency and high maximum counting rates at wavelengths near 1550 nm. The advantages and tradeoffs of various approaches to efficient optical coupling, electrical readout, and SNSPD design are described and contrasted. Optical interfaces to the detectors have been based on fiber coupling, either directly to the detector or through the substrate, using both single-mode and multimode fibers with different approaches to alignment. Recent advances in electrical interfaces have focused on the challenges of scalability and ensuring stable detector operation at high count rates. Prospects for further advances in these and other methods are also described, which may enable larger arrays and higher-performance SNSPD systems in the future. Finally, the use of some of these techniques to develop fully packaged SNSPD systems will be described and the performance available from these recently developed systems will be reviewed.
We present the development of key technologies for realization of superconducting nanowire single photon detector array system, which enables high counting rates, and allow spatial and pseudo photon number resolution. Toward the realization of practical large-scale SSPD array system, primary issue is how to avoid heat flow into cryocooler system. One of the challenging tasks is the development of their readout electronics. In the conventional readout technique used for single pixel devices, the number of high-frequency coaxial cables increases proportionally with the number of arrays. This causes a significant increase in the heat load from room temperature, which makes the implementation of the SSPD arrays in a compact refrigerator difficult. To overcome this problem, we proposed applying readout electronics with superconducting single-flux-quantum (SFQ) logic circuitsWe show the implementation and successful operation of four pixels SSPD array connected to SFQ readout electronics with parallel bias scheme in a 0.1W GM cryocooler system.
We present the latest results on two kinds of photon detectors: single photon detectors (SPDs) and photon number resolving detector (PNRD). We developed high speed and low noise SPDs using superconducting nano-wire (abbreviated by SNSPD) and semiconductor (InGaAs) avalanche photodiode (APD). The SNSPD system has totally four channels all of which have the detection eciency higher than 16% at 100Hz dark count rate. The InGaAs APD system also has four channels and the best performance is represented by the after-pulse probability of 0.61%, the dark count probability of 0.71×10-6 (~1kHz), and the detection eciency of 10.9%. Both systems were applied to wavelength division multiplexing quantum key distribution (WDM-QKD) operated at 1.2GHz repetition rate in a eld environment. The PNRD is made of superconducting transition edge sensor. It was applied to the implementation of quantum receiver which could beat the homodyne limit of the bit error rate of binary coherent states. We discuss future perspective of quantum communications with those photon detection technologies, including multi-user QKD networks and low-power high capacity communications.
Single-photon sources and detectors are key enabling technologies for photonics in quantum information science and
technology (QIST). QIST applications place high-level demands on the performance of sources and detectors; it is
therefore essential that their properties can be characterized accurately. Superconducting nanowire single-photon
detectors (SNSPDs) have spectral sensitivity from visible to beyond 2 μm in wavelength, picosecond timing resolution
(Jitter <100 ps FWHM) and the capacity to operate ungated with low dark counts (<1 kHz). This facilitates data
acquisition at high rates with an excellent signal-to-noise ratio.
We report on the construction and characterization of a two-channel SNSPD system. The detectors are mounted in a
closed-cycle refrigerator, which eliminates reliance on liquid cryogens. Our specification was to deliver a system with
1% efficiency in both channels at a wavelength of 1310 nm with 1 kHz dark count rate. A full width at half maximum
timing jitter of less than 90 ps is achieved in both channels. The system will be used to detect individual photons
generated by quantum-optical sources at telecom wavelengths. Examples include single-photon sources based on
quantum dots (emitting at 1310 nm). The SNSPD system's spectral sensitivity and timing resolution make it suited to
characterization of such sources, and to wider QIST applications.
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