Multimode Quantum Research Articles

Proposal for quantum memory miniaturization in superconducting circuit QED

Superconducting circuit quantum electrodynamics is the main architecture for implementation of quantum processors. This work presents a proposal to miniaturize quantum memory devices by combining the quantum memory qubits encoded directly in the first two Fock states ${|0\ensuremath{\rangle},|1\ensuremath{\rangle}}$ and the bus channel in the same specially designed multimode cavity. One key feature of the resonant modes used for quantum memory is that the microwave current is localized, which facilitates the storage and retrieval of information in superconducting qubits while preventing crosstalk from other resonant modes. Frequency design and distinct coupling strengths in this kind of device are analyzed with electromagnetic simulations and numerical calculations. The quantum memory properties, e.g., storage speed, fidelity, and stability, are examined in four cases: (1) memory operation of single-qubit state, (2) disturbing effects, (3) coupling operation, and (4) entangled states storage. Decoherence time of the quantum processor can be extended to more than one order of magnitude longer than that without the memory. By integrating transmons with optimally designed coplanar waveguide multimode quantum memories, the present study could provide an optimistic perspective for the development of large-scale superconducting quantum processors.

Multichannel waveguide QED with atomic arrays in free space

We study light scattering off a two-dimensional array of atoms driven to Rydberg levels. We show that the problem can be mapped to a generalized model of waveguide QED, consisting of multiple one-dimensional photonic channels (transverse modes), each of which is directionally coupled to a corresponding Rydberg surface mode of the array. In the Rydberg blockade regime, collective excitations of different surface modes block each other, leading to multichannel correlated photonic states. Using an analytical approach, we characterize interchannel quantum correlations, and elucidate the role of collective two-photon resonances of the array. Our results open new possibilities for multimode many-body physics and quantum information with photons in a free-space platform.

Spatial and frequency dressed multimode of two spontaneous cascaded four-wave mixing processes

The frequency and spatial multimode of correlated fields are seen as essential resources for future multimode entanglement and quantum networks. Here, we present multimode properties from the process of parametric amplified cascaded four-wave mixing through a rubidium atomic ensemble under dressing and Kerr nonlinear effects. The experimental results complement the theoretical simulations. Three frequency modes and 34 spatial spots were experimentally observed due to the double-dressing and Kerr effect of the two pump fields. Further, it is verified that changing the pump field frequency has a larger line shift over pump field power and the angle between the two pump fields, which can be realized as a multicontact switch. Through a dressing effect, interestingly the number of coherent channels also increases by the order of dressing, indicating a large possibility of frequency and spatial multimode. These results will have important applications in quantum communications.

Toward Highly Efficient Multimode Superconducting Quantum Memory

Microwave quantum memory promises advanced capabilities for noisy intermediate-scale superconducting quantum computers. Existing approaches to microwave quantum memory lack complete combination of high efficiency, long storage time, noiselessness and multi-qubit capacity. Here we report an efficient microwave broadband multimode quantum memory. The memory stores two spectral modes of single photon level microwave radiation in on-chip system of eight coplanar superconducting resonators. Single mode storage shows a power efficiency of up to $60\pm 3\%$ at single photon energy and more than $73\pm 3\%$ at higher intensity. The demonstrated efficiency is an order of magnitude larger than the previously reported multimode microwave quantum memory. The noiseless character of the storage is confirmed by coherent state quantum process tomography. The demonstrated results pave the way to further increase in efficiency and hence building a practical multimode microwave memory for superconducting quantum circuits.

Ultra-long quantum walks via spin–orbit photonics

The possibility of fine-tuning the couplings between optical modes is a key requirement in photonic circuits for quantum simulations. In these architectures, emulating the long-time evolution of particles across large lattices requires sophisticated setups that are often intrinsically lossy. Here we report ultra-long photonic quantum walks across several hundred optical modes, obtained by propagating a light beam through very few closely stacked liquid-crystal metasurfaces. By exploiting spin–orbit effects, these implement space-dependent polarization transformations that mix circularly polarized optical modes carrying quantized transverse momentum. As each metasurface implements long-range couplings between distant modes, by using only a few of them we simulate quantum walks up to 320 discrete steps without any optical amplification, far beyond state-of-the-art experiments. To showcase the potential of this method, we experimentally demonstrate that in the long time limit a quantum walk affected by dynamical disorder generates maximal entanglement between two system partitions. Our platform grants experimental access to large-scale unitary evolutions while keeping optical losses at a minimum, thereby paving the way to massive multi-photon multi-mode quantum simulations.

Experimental realization of multimode nonlinear parametric amplification from cascading four-wave mixing of dressed atoms.

The nonlinear parametric process is of great significance for achieving high-quality coherent optical signals and quantum correlated photons. With the development of classical and quantum information processing, the study of the properties of parametric processes is evolving in complex scenarios of multimode, which is limited in conventional nonlinear media due to strict phase matching, e.g. nonlinear crystals. Here we study the dressing-energy-level-cascaded four-wave mixing process to generate multimode optical parametric signals. Via cascading double-Λ type configuration of 85Rb D1 line, the non-degenerate energy-level-cascaded FWM is constructed to generate multimode self-parametric amplification. Moreover, with the dressing effects based on atomic coherence, the spatial and frequency multimode characteristics of energy-level-cascaded FWM parametric amplification, i.e., the modes number and pattern, are actively modulated by the pump fields detuning. Also, the spatial modes from the coupling of two coexisting spontaneous parametric FWMs can be controlled to reach tremendous scalability via the atomic coherence and Kerr non-linearity. The atomic coherence effects and unique phase-matching symmetry nature allow flexible modulation of the multimode property of the generated parametric signals within a nonlinear device, which paves a way for multimode classical and quantum information processing.

Intra-atomic frequency-comb-based photonic quantum memory using single-atom-cavity setup

On-demand and efficient storage of photons is an essential element in quantum information processing and long-distance quantum communication. Most of the quantum memory protocols require bulk systems in order to store photons. However, with the advent of integrated photonic chip platforms for quantum information processing, on-chip quantum memories are highly sought after. In this paper, we propose a protocol for multimode photonic quantum memory using only a single-atom-cavity setup. We show that a single atom containing a frequency comb coupled to an optical cavity can store photons efficiently. Further, this scheme can also be used to store polarization states of light. As examples, we show that rubidium and cesium atoms coupled to nanophotonic waveguide cavities can serve as promising candidates to realize our scheme. This provides the possibility of a robust and efficient on-chip quantum memory to be used in integrated photonic chips.

Coherent Quantum LQG Controllers with Luenberger Dynamics

This paper is concerned with the coherent quantum linear-quadratic-Gaussian control problem of minimising an infinite-horizon mean square cost for a measurement-free field-mediated interconnection of a quantum plant with a stabilising quantum controller. The plant and the controller are multimode open quantum harmonic oscillators, governed by linear quantum stochastic differential equations and coupled to each other and the external multichannel bosonic fields in the vacuum state. We discuss an interplay between the quantum physical realizability conditions and the Luenberger structure associated with the classical separation principle. This leads to a quadratic constraint on the controller gain matrices, which is formulated in the framework of a swapping transformation for the conjugate positions and momenta in the canonical representation of the controller variables. For the class of coherent quantum controllers with the Luenberger dynamics, we obtain first-order necessary conditions of optimality in the form of algebraic equations, involving a matrix-valued Lagrange multiplier.

Параллельная многокубитная эволюция в протоколе квантового неразрушающего взаимодействия

To date, two-qubit quantum logic gates have become an essential part of quantum computing. The study of methods for their implementation is an important practical problem for various quantum optical and information applications. In this paper, we have considered a protocol for multimode quantum non demolition interaction between an atomic ensemble and multimode light with orbital angular momentum in order to analyze the applicability of this protocol in discrete variables computing. We have developed a multimode interaction Hamiltonian and analyzed the dynamics of field and atomic variables depending on the structure of the driving field. We discuss in detail the procedure for separating qubit noninteracting subsystems on a set of atomic and field modes for various values of the orbital angular momentum of the driving field. Such a procedure helps to reduce the considered protocol to the parallel evolution of two-qubit closed systems.

An Overlap-Integral Approach to Quantum Optical Simulation

A technique for the simulation of multimode quantum optical interferometry and protocols in quantum communications is introduced. This technique is very efficient at simulating in the single-photon-counting regime. This works by treating the photons in the system as members of a multiphoton pulse and reducing the computation of measurable quantities to overlap integrals that may be precomputed and combined in a recursive algorithm. The simulation of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect are demonstrated using this technique. The results of these simulations perfectly agree with the theoretical results. Additionally, since the effects of the components in the system can be integrated into the quantum operators involved, the technique is agnostic to the components introduced into the system.

Entanglement-enhanced test proposal for local Lorentz-symmetry violation via spinor atoms

Invariance under Lorentz transformations is fundamental to both the standard model and general relativity. Testing Lorentz-symmetry violation (LSV) via atomic systems attracts extensive interests in both theory and experiment. In several test proposals, the LSV violation effects are described as a local interaction and the corresponding test precision can asymptotically reach the Heisenberg limit via increasing quantum Fisher information (QFI), but the limited resolution of collective observables prevents the detection of large QFI. Here, we propose a multimode many-body quantum interferometry for testing the LSV parameter κ via an ensemble of spinor atoms. By employing an N-atom multimode GHZ state, the test precision can attain the Heisenberg limit Δκ∝1/(F2N) with the spin length F and the atom number N. We find a realistic observable (i.e. practical measurement process) to achieve the ultimate precision and analyze the LSV test via an experimentally accessible three-mode interferometry with Bose condensed spin-1 atoms for example. By selecting suitable input states and unitary recombination operation, the LSV parameter κ can be extracted via realizable population measurement. Especially, the measurement precision of the LSV parameter κ can beat the standard quantum limit and even approach the Heisenberg limit via spin mixing dynamics or driving through quantum phase transitions. Moreover, the scheme is robust against nonadiabatic effect and detection noise. Our test scheme may open up a feasible way for a drastic improvement of the LSV tests with atomic systems and provide an alternative application of multi-particle entangled states.

Non-classical correlations over 1250 modes between telecom photons and 979-nm photons stored in 171Yb3+:Y2SiO5

Quantum repeaters based on heralded entanglement require quantum nodes that are able to generate multimode quantum correlations between memories and telecommunication photons. The communication rate scales linearly with the number of modes, yet highly multimode quantum storage remains challenging. In this work, we demonstrate an atomic frequency comb quantum memory with a time-domain mode capacity of 1250 modes and a bandwidth of 100 MHz. The memory is based on a Y2SiO5 crystal doped with 171Yb3+ ions, with a memory wavelength of 979 nm. The memory is interfaced with a source of non-degenerate photon pairs at 979 and 1550 nm, bandwidth-matched to the quantum memory. We obtain strong non-classical second-order cross correlations over all modes, for storage times of up to 25 μs. The telecommunication photons propagated through 5 km of fiber before the release of the memory photons, a key capability for quantum repeaters based on heralded entanglement and feed-forward operations. Building on this experiment should allow distribution of entanglement between remote quantum nodes, with enhanced rates owing to the high multimode capacity.

Optimal bright multimode quantum squeezing via multi-seeding energy-level cascaded four-wave mixing.

Quantum Squeezing is one of the most important quantum resources in quantum optics and quantum information. In particular, multimode quantum squeezing, with ultra-low quantum fluctuations and quantum correlations amongst many optical modes, is essential for realizing multipartite entanglement and quantum precision measurements. In this paper, we propose an all-optically controlled scheme to generate three-mode bright quantum correlated beams from energy-level cascaded four-wave mixing (ELC-FWM). By using a linear modes transform approach, the input-output relation and the covariance matrix of the produced states are obtained. Moreover, single-, double- and triple-seeding conditions are investigated to measure the quantum squeezing properties. We find that various permutations of two- and three-mode quadrature squeezing can be generated and optimized to reach the corresponding limit, via only modulating the ratio of the multiple seeds, without need of any post-operating linear optics, e.g., beam splitters. Such weak seeding light controlled scheme suggests the modulation and the optimization of multimode quantum states might be operated at photons-level, providing a reconfigurable and integrated strategy for complex quantum information processing and quantum metrology.

A parallel double scrambling encryption scheme for MQIR image based on random combination

With the rapid expansion of quantum information and quantum networks, quantum image security research has gradually become a research hotspot in the field of information security. However, in the field of quantum image processing, most encryption algorithms are independent of color components or position space, and the encryption effect is not satisfactory. Therefore, we propose a parallel double scrambling encryption scheme for a multimode quantum image representation (MQIR) image based on random combination, which uses the principle of random combination to encrypt the position and pixel value of the image at the same time, so as to realize the parallel double scrambling of the pixel value and position of the MQIR image. The algorithm is based on specific keys when encrypting, so that the generation of the keys are related to the seeds. At the same time, a certain number of bits are selected on the qubits representing the three-dimensional positions, and NOT gates are added. This is so that the generated pseudo-random sequence is also related to the number of qubits chosen for the three-dimensional position of the quantum image, making it more difficult to decrypt the encrypted image. We give the quantum circuits with parallel double scrambling and inverse scrambling for MQIR quantum images. In the circuit, we divide the image into four sub-blocks and locate them respectively at the end of each sub-block. The encryption key for different sub-blocks depends on the selected seed. This circuit only needs to encrypt four times without iterating. The algorithm is simple and has a large key space. Finally, we perform the correlation coefficient (CC) and the number of pixels change rate (NPCR) analysis between the plaintext image and the encrypted image. The experimental results show that the CC exhibits low correlation between the plaintext image and the encrypted image, and the NPCR between them is extremely high, which verifies the effectiveness and security of the proposed quantum image encryption scheme.

Experimental observation of a dissipative phase transition in a multi-mode many-body quantum system

Dissipative phase transitions are a characteristic feature of open systems. One of the paradigmatic examples for a first order dissipative phase transition is the driven nonlinear single-mode optical resonator. In this work, we study a realization with an ultracold bosonic quantum gas, which generalizes the single-mode system to many modes and stronger interactions. We measure the effective Liouvillian gap of the system and find evidence for a first order dissipative phase transition. Due to the multi-mode nature of the system, the microscopic dynamics is much richer and allows us to identify a non-equilibrium condensation process.

Generation and detection of discrete-variable multipartite entanglement with multirail encoding in linear-optics networks

A linear optics network is a multimode interferometer system, where indistinguishable photon inputs can create nonclassical interference that can not be simulated with classical computers. Such nonclassical interference implies the existence of entanglement among its subsystems, if we divide its modes into different parties. Entanglement in such systems is naturally encoded in multi-rail (multi-mode) quantum registers. For bipartite entanglement, a generation and detection scheme with multi-rail encoding has been theoretically proposed [NJP 19(10):103032, 2017] and experimentally realized [Optica, 7(11):1517, 2020]. In this paper, we will take a step further to establish a theory for the detection of multi-rail-encoded discrete-variable genuine multipartite entanglement (GME) in fixed local-photon-number subspaces of linear optics networks. We also propose a scheme for GME generation with both discrete-variable (single photons) and continuous-variable (squeezed states) light sources. This scheme allows us to reveal the discrete-variable GME in continuous-variable systems. The effect of photon losses is also numerically analyzed for the generation scheme based on continuous-variable inputs.

Higher-order exceptional point in a blue-detuned non-Hermitian cavity optomechanical system

Higher-order exceptional points (EPs) in non-Hermitian systems have attracted great interest due to their advantages in sensitive enhancement and distinct topological features. However, realization of such EPs is still challenged because more fine-tuning parameters is generically required in quantum systems, compared to the second-order EP (EP2). Here, we propose a non-Hermitian three-mode optomechanical system in the blue-sideband regime for predicting the third-order EP (EP3). By deriving the pseudo-Hermitian condition for the proposed system, one cavity with loss and the other one with gain must be required. Then we show EP3 or EP2 can be observed when the mechanical resonator (MR) is neutral, loss or gain. For the neutral MR, we find both two degenerate or two non-degenerate EP3s can be predicted by tuning system parameters in the parameter space, while four non-degenerate EP2s can be observed when the system parameters derivate from EP3s, which is distinguished from the previous study in the red-detuned optomechanical system. For the gain (loss) MR, we find only two degenerate EP3s or EP2s can be predicted by tuning enhanced coupling strength. Our proposal provides a potential way to predict higher-order EPs or multiple EP2s and study multimode quantum squeezing around EPs using the blue-detuned non-Hermitian optomechanical systems.

Multimode quantum squeezing generation via multiple four-wave mixing processes within a single atomic vapor cell

Multimode quantum squeezing plays an essential role in the fields of quantum metrology and quantum information. In this paper, we first construct a three- and four-mode energy-level cascaded four-wave mixing system in a single 85 R b vapor, and then analyze the quantum properties of the produced states, including the covariance matrix and the intensity squeezing with 11 possible Hamiltonians. In addition, the dressing field is applied to modulate the nonlinear susceptibility and the multimode quantum states. Our scheme allows active modulation of the quantum states integrated within the generation step, without the need for any post-operation of the optics. The mode number of the states also can be extended using more pump fields and the dressing effect. Our study provides a promising candidate to generate multimode quantum states and multimode quantum squeezing within a quantum device involved in the construction of practical quantum networks.

Generation of tripartite squeezed state by cascaded four-wave mixing in single hot rubidium atomic system

We report the quantum correlated triple beams via cascaded four-wave mixing (CFWM) amplified in single hot atomic vapor. Experimentally, we show that strong quantum correlation of three light beams, among them any two’s quantum correlation is characterized by the maximum value of intensity-difference squeezing (IDS) about −7.8 ± 0.3 dB. We found there is IDS between two idler beams, because two pairs of Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen injections potentially exist in our system. Besides, CFWM can emit three-mode beams at three different frequencies, in which these beams can be well separated in the spatial domain. Moreover, much difference with other methods, the injecting probe field can manipulate the gain and IDS of output three-mode light beams, which is resulting from competition relationship between cascaded two four-wave mixing processes. More interestingly, Autler–Townes splitting of gain peaks of output signals due to dressing effect of pumping fields, will lead to the evolution of measured two- and three-mode IDS from single-mode to multi-mode at frequency domain. This result will provide a multimode quantum resource which can potentially realize multimode entanglement and quantum networks.

Simultaneous Trapping of Two Optical Pulses in an Atomic Ensemble as Stationary Light Pulses.

The stationary light pulse (SLP) refers to a zero-group-velocity optical pulse in an atomic ensemble prepared by two counterpropagating driving fields. Despite the uniqueness of an optical pulse trapped within an atomic medium without a cavity, observations of SLP so far have been limited to trapping a single optical pulse due to the stringent SLP phase-matching condition, and this has severely hindered the development of SLP-based applications. In this Letter, we first show theoretically that the SLP process in fact supports two phase-matching conditions and we then utilize the result to experimentally demonstrate simultaneous SLP trapping of two optical pulses for the duration from 0.8 to 2.0 μs. The characteristic dissipation time, obtained by the release efficiency measurement from the SLP trapping state, is 1.22 μs, which corresponds to an effective Q factor of 2.9×10^{9}. Our Letter is expected to bring forth interesting SLP-based applications, such as, efficient photon-photon interaction, spatially multimode coherent quantum memory, creation of exotic photonic gas states, etc.