NOON States Research Articles

Magnetic Field Measurement with Heisenberg Limit Based on Solid Spin NOON State**Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (No 2011CB921200), the Strategic Priority Research Program(B) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences under Grant No XDB01030200), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No 11374290), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities and the Foundation for Authors of

The maximum entangled number state (NOON state) can improve the sensitivity of physical quantity measurement to the Heisenberg limit 1/N. In this work, the magnetic field measurement based on the individual solid spin NOON state is investigated. Based on the tunable effective coupling coefficient, we propose a generation scheme of the three-spin NOON state, i.e, the Greenberger—Horne—Zeilinger (GHZ) state, and discussed the measurement resolution reduction due to decoherence. It is unnecessary to entangle spins as many as possible when decoherence exists. In practice, defect spins in diamond and 31P donors with long coherence time can be applied with current techniques in the nano-scaled high resolution magnetic measurement.

Dynamics of entangled states in a correlated reservoir

Dynamics of entangled states of two independent single-mode cavities in a correlated (squeezed) reservoir are investigated in the context of matching the correlations contained in the entangled states to those contained in the reservoir. We illustrate our considerations by examining the time evolution of entanglement of initial single and double excitation NOON and EPR states, and a comparison is made of when each cavity is coupled to its own reservoir or both cavities are coupled to a common reservoir. It is shown that the evolution of the initial entanglement and transfer of entanglement from the squeezed reservoir to the cavity modes depend crucially on the matching of the initial correlations to those contained in the squeezed reservoir. In particular, it is found that initially entangled modes with correlations different from the reservoir correlations prevent the transfer of the correlations from the squeezed field to the modes. In addition, we find that the transient entanglement exhibits several features unique to the quantum nature of squeezing. In particular, we show that in the case of separate squeezed reservoirs the initial entanglement disappears at a finite time, which for the so-called classically squeezed field remains almost the same as in the case of a thermal field. In the case of a common reservoir a recurrence of entanglement occurs and we find that this feature also results from the reservoir correlations unique to quantum correlations. There is no revival of the entanglement when the modes interact with a classically correlated field.

Quantum phase estimation using a multi-headed cat state

It was recently shown that an entangled coherent state, which is a superposition of two different coherent states, can surpass the performance of noon state in estimating an unknown phase shift. This may hint at further enhancement in phase estimation by incorporating more component states in the superposition of resource state. We here introduce a four-headed cat state (4HCS), a superposition of four different coherent states, and propose its application to quantum phase estimation. We demonstrate the enhanced performance in phase estimation by employing an entangled state via the 4HCS, which can surpass that of the two-headed cat state (2HCS), particularly in the regime of small average photon numbers. Moreover, we show that an entangled state modified from the 4HCS can further enhance the phase estimation, even in the regime of large average photon number under a photon-loss channel. Our investigation further extends to incorporate an increasingly large number of component states in the resource superposition state and clearly show its merit in phase estimation.

Efficient scheme for generation of photonic NOON states in circuit QED.

We propose an efficient scheme for generating photonic NOON states of two resonators coupled to a four-level superconducting flux device (coupler). This proposal operates essentially by employing a technique of a coupler resonantly interacting with two resonators simultaneously. As a consequence, the NOON-state preparation requires only N+1 operational steps and thus is much faster when compared with a recent proposal [Su et al, Sci. Rep.4, 3898 (2014)] requiring 2N steps of operation. Moreover, due to the use of only two resonators and a coupler, the experimental setup is much simplified when compared with previous proposals requiring three resonators and two superconducting qubits/qutrits.

Generation of N00N State With Orbital Angular Momentum in a Twisted Nonlinear Photonic Crystal

We investigate wavefront engineering of photon pairs generated through spontaneous parametric down conversion in lithium niobate-based nonlinear photonic crystals (NPCs). Due to the complexity of domain structures, it is more convenient to describe photon interaction based on the nonlinear Huygens-Fresnel principle than conventional quasiphase matching regime. Analytical expressions are obtained to describe the transverse properties of down-converted photon states. The convenience of domain engineering in LiNbO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> crystals provides a potential platform for flexible wavefront manipulation of multiphoton states. The generation of N00N state with orbital angular momentum in a twisted NPC is studied utilizing this method. The obtained state is of great value in quantum cryptography, metrology, and lithography applications.

Entanglement and phase properties of noisy NOON states

Quantum metrology and quantum information necessitate a profound study of suitable states. Attenuations induced by free-space communication links or fluctuations in the generation of such states limit the quantum enhancement in possible applications. For this reason we investigate quantum features of mixtures of so-called N00N states propagating in atmospheric channels. First, we show that noisy N00N states can still yield a phase resolution beyond classical limitations. Second, we identify entanglement of noisy N00N states after propagation in fluctuating loss channels. To do so, we apply the partial transposition criterion. Our theoretical analysis formulates explicit bounds which are indispensable for experimental verification of quantum entanglement and applications in quantum metrology.

Tunable, nonlinear Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer

We investigate the two-photon scattering properties of a Jaynes-Cummings (JC) nonlinearity consisting of a two-level system (qubit) interacting with a single mode cavity, which is coupled to two waveguides, each containing a single incident photon wave packet initially. In this scattering setup, we study the interplay between the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect arising due to quantum interference and effective photon-photon interactions induced by the presence of the qubit. We calculate the two-photon scattering matrix of this system analytically and identify signatures of interference and interaction in the second order auto- and cross-correlation functions of the scattered photons. In the dispersive regime, when qubit and cavity are far detuned from each other, we find that the JC nonlinearity can be used as an almost linear, in-situ tunable beam splitter giving rise to ideal Hong-Ou-Mandel interference, generating a highly path-entangled two-photon NOON state of the scattered photons. The latter manifests itself in strongly suppressed waveguide cross-correlations and Poissonian photon number statistics in each waveguide. If the two-level system and the cavity are on resonance, the JC nonlinearity strongly modifies the ideal HOM conditions leading to a smaller degree of path entanglement and sub-poissonian photon number statistics. In the latter regime, we find that photon blockade is associated with bunched auto-correlations in both waveguides, while a two-polariton resonance can lead to bunched as well as anti-bunched correlations.

Loss-tolerant hybrid measurement test of CHSH inequality with weakly amplified N00N states

Although our understanding of Bell’s theorem and experimental techniques to test it have improved over the last 40 years, thus far all Bell tests have suffered at least from the detection or the locality loophole. Most photonic Bell tests rely on inefficient discrete-outcome measurements, often provided by photon counting detection. One possible way to close the detection loophole in photonic Bell tests is to involve efficient continuous-variable measurements instead, such as homodyne detection. Here, we propose a test of the Clauser–Horne–Shimony–Holt inequality that applies photon counting and homodyne detection on weakly amplified two-photon N00N states. The scheme suggested is remarkably robust against experimental imperfections and suits the limits of current technology. As amplified quantum states are considered, our work also contributes to the exploration of entangled macroscopic quantum systems. Further, it may constitute an alternative platform for a loophole-free Bell test, which is also important for quantum-technological applications.

Quantum Entanglement in Coupled Lossy Waveguides Using SU(2) and SU(1, 1) Thermo-Algebras

In this paper, the master equation for the coupled lossy waveguides is solved using the thermofield dynamics (TFD) formalism. This formalism allows the use of the underlying symmetry algebras SU(2) and SU(1, 1), associated with the Hamiltonian of the coupled lossy waveguides, to compute entanglement and decoherence as a function of time for various input states such as NOON states and thermal states.

Quantum Entanglement in Coupled Lossy Waveguides Using SU(2) and SU(1, 1) Thermo-Algebras

In this paper, the master equation for the coupled lossy waveguides is solved using the thermofield dynamics(TFD) formalism. This formalism allows the use of the underlying symmetry algebras SU(2) and SU(1,1), associated with the Hamiltonian of the coupled lossy waveguides,to compute entanglement and decoherence as a function of time for various input states such as NOON states and thermal states.

Quantum metrology for simultaneously estimating the linear and nonlinear phase shifts

Quantum metrology allows the enhanced precision on estimating phase shifts in an optical interferometer to reach the $\ensuremath{\propto}1/N$ scaling of precision ($N$ is the mean photon number of the light field). But when $N$ is very large, the nonlinear optical effects may be nonnegligible. Here we investigate theoretically the quantum uncertainty bounds for simultaneously detecting the linear and nonlinear phase shifts. Focusing our attentions only on the linear and the nonlinear Kerr phase shifts, we find the NOON states can not be used to measure the two phase parameters. Using the entangled coherent states, the estimation precision is limited by the $1/{N}^{1/2}$ ($1/{N}^{3/2}$) scaling for the linear (nonlinear) phase. To increase the precisions and beat the standard quantum limit, we show that the entangled Schr\"odinger-cat states can be used to reach the $1/N$ scaling for the linear phase and $1/{N}^{2}$ scaling for the nonlinear phase.

Macroscopicity of quantum superpositions on a one-parameter unitary path in Hilbert space

We analyze quantum states formed as superpositions of an initial pure product state and its image under local unitary evolution, using two measurement-based measures of superposition size: one based on the optimal quantum binary distinguishability of the branches of the superposition and another based on the ratio of the maximal quantum Fisher information of the superposition to that of its branches, i.e., the relative metrological usefulness of the superposition. A general formula for the effective sizes of these states according to the branch distinguishability measure is obtained and applied to superposition states of $N$ quantum harmonic oscillators composed of Gaussian branches. Considering optimal distinguishability of pure states on a time-evolution path leads naturally to a notion of distinguishability time that generalizes the well known orthogonalization times of Mandelstam and Tamm and Margolus and Levitin. We further show that the distinguishability time provides a compact operational expression for the superposition size measure based on the relative quantum Fisher information. By restricting the maximization procedure in the definition of this measure to an appropriate algebra of observables, we show that the superposition size of, e.g., N00N states and hierarchical cat states, can scale linearly with the number of elementary particles comprising the superposition state, implying precision scaling inversely with the total number of photons when these states are employed as probes in quantum parameter estimation of a 1-local Hamiltonian in this algebra.

Quantification of bipartite and multipartite entangled states in Mach–Zehnder interferometer

In the present study, the amount of entanglement of the quantum states capable of being used in an optical interferometer such as the Mach–Zehnder one was characterized and determined, and their relationship to the phase sensitivity was also examined. In other words, the multipartite entanglement of single-input, twin-input and N00N states were investigated in terms of the number of photon states entering Mach–Zehnder interferometer. In addition, the spatial modes of entanglement produced by Mach–Zehnder interferometer-as bipartite entangled states for Fock and squeezed states-was also determined. The amount of spatial modes of entanglement showed the interference of the quantum states. It was found that the more amount of the photon entanglement in twin-input and N00N states leads to the improvement of the phase sensitivity of the interferometer. In the squeezed state, by increasing the squeezed parameter of the two modes, their entanglement as well as their phase sensitivity was enhanced.

Optimizing the Choice of Spin-Squeezed States for Detecting and Characterizing Quantum Processes

Quantum metrology uses quantum states with no classical counterpart to measure a physical quantity with extraordinary sensitivity or precision. Most metrology schemes measure a single parameter of a dynamical process by probing it with a specially designed quantum state. The success of such a scheme usually relies on the process belonging to a particular one-parameter family. If this assumption is violated, or if the goal is to measure more than one parameter, a different quantum state may perform better. In the most extreme case, we know nothing about the process and wish to learn everything. This requires quantum process tomography, which demands an informationally-complete set of probe states. It is very convenient if this set is group-covariant -- i.e., each element is generated by applying an element of the quantum system's natural symmetry group to a single fixed fiducial state. In this paper, we consider metrology with 2-photon ("biphoton") states, and report experimental studies of different states' sensitivity to small, unknown collective SU(2) rotations ("SU(2) jitter"). Maximally entangled N00N states are the most sensitive detectors of such a rotation, yet they are also among the worst at fully characterizing an a-priori unknown process. We identify (and confirm experimentally) the best SU(2)-covariant set for process tomography; these states are all less entangled than the N00N state, and are characterized by the fact that they form a 2-design.

Connection between the NOON state and a superposition of SU(2) coherent states

The N00N state, which was introduced as a resource for quantum-enhanced metrology, is in fact a special case of a superposition of two SU(2) coherent states. We show here explicitly the derivation of the N00N state from the superposition state. This derivation makes clear the connection between these seemingly disparate states as well as shows how the N00N state can be generalized to a superposition of SU(2) coherent states.

Generation of atomic NOON states via adiabatic passage

We propose a scheme for generating atomic NOON states via adiabatic passage. In the scheme, a double $$\Lambda $$ -type three-level atom is trapped in a bimodal cavity, and two sets of $$\Lambda $$ -type three-level atoms are translated into and outside of two single-mode cavities, respectively. The three cavities connected by optical fibers are always in vacuum states. After a series of operations and suitable interaction time, we can obtain arbitrary large- $$n$$ NOON states of two sets of $$\Lambda $$ -type three-level atoms in distant cavities by performing a single projective measurement on the double $$\Lambda $$ -type three-level atom. Our scheme is robust against the spontaneous emissions of atoms, the decays of fibers, and photon leakage of cavities, due to the adiabatic elimination of atomic excited states and the application of adiabatic passage.

Strain-optic active control for quantum integrated photonics.

We present a practical method for active phase control on a photonic chip that has immediate applications in quantum photonics. Our approach uses strain-optic modification of the refractive index of individual waveguides, effected by a millimeter-scale mechanical actuator. The resulting phase change of propagating optical fields is rapid and polarization-dependent, enabling quantum applications that require active control and polarization encoding. We demonstrate strain-optic control of non-classical states of light in silica, showing the generation of 2-photon polarisation N00N states by manipulating Hong-Ou-Mandel interference. We also demonstrate switching times of a few microseconds, which are sufficient for silica-based feed-forward control of photonic quantum states.

Scalable spatial superresolution using entangled photons.

N00N states-maximally path-entangled states of N photons-exhibit spatial interference patterns sharper than any classical interference pattern. This is known as superresolution. However, even given perfectly efficient number-resolving detectors, the detection efficiency of all previous measurements of such interference would decrease exponentially with the number of photons in the N00N state, often leading to the conclusion that N00N states are unsuitable for spatial measurements. A technique known as the "optical centroid measurement" has been proposed to solve this and has been experimentally verified for photon pairs; here we present the first extension beyond two photons, measuring the superresolution fringes of two-, three-, and four-photon N00N states. Moreover, we compare the N00N-state interference to the corresponding classical superresolution interference. Although both provide the same increase in spatial frequency, the visibility of the classical fringes decreases exponentially with the number of detected photons. Our work represents an essential step forward for quantum-enhanced measurements, overcoming what was believed to be a fundamental challenge to quantum metrology.

Efficient generation of NOON states on two microwave-photon resonators

We present an efficient scheme for the generation of NOON states of photons in circuit QED assisted by a superconducting charge qutrit. It is completed with two kinds of manipulations, that is, the resonant operation on the qutrit and the resonator, and the single-qubit operation on the qutrit, and they both are high-fidelity operations. Compared with the one by a superconducting transmon qutrit proposed by Su et al. (Sci. Rep. 4, 3898 (2014)), our scheme does not require to maintain the qutrit in the third excited state with a long time, which relaxes the difficulty of its implementation in experiment. Moreover, the level anharmonicity of a charge qutrit is larger and it is better for us to tune the different transitions of the charge qutrit resonant to the resonator, which makes our scheme faster than others.

Attaining subclassical metrology in lossy systems with entangled coherent states

Quantum mechanics allows entanglement enhanced measurements to be performed, but loss remains an obstacle in constructing realistic quantum metrology schemes. However, recent work has revealed that entangled coherent states (ECSs) have the potential to perform robust subclassical measurements [J. Joo et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 083601 (2011)]. Up to now no read-out scheme has been devised that exploits this robust nature of ECSs, but we present here an experimentally accessible method of achieving precision close to the theoretical bound, even with loss. We show substantial improvements over unentangled classical states and highly entangled NOON states for a wide range of loss values, elevating quantum metrology to a realizable technology in the near future.