Nonclassicality Witnesses Research Articles

Nonclassical coincidences of atomic and mechanical excitations

Hybrid systems hold promise to provide an advantage in future quantum technology. Operating such systems outside the classical regime is crucially important to fully realize their potential. We investigate a pulsed quantum nondemolition gate between a cloud of atoms and a mechanical oscillator in distant cavities and demonstrate that this gate is capable of producing nonclassical coincidences of excitations in the disparate subsystems interacting by light. The nonclassicality is justified by evaluation of excitations created simultaneously in both modes beyond any joint classical states of such subsystems. To test the result, we use a nonclassicality witness based on available homodyne tomography of the atomic and mechanical states. Using feasible parameters, we show that it is possible to turn the pulsed dynamics of the state-of-the-art systems into nonclassical coincidences, and illustrate it for the cases of the atom-light, optomechanical, and atom-mechanical hybrid interactions. These tests are necessary to open full investigation of quantum correlations in hybrid systems. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Relating incompatibility, noncommutativity, uncertainty, and Kirkwood–Dirac nonclassicality

We provide an in-depth study of the recently introduced notion of completely incompatible observables and its links to the support uncertainty and to the Kirkwood–Dirac nonclassicality of pure quantum states. The latter notion has recently been proved central to a number of issues in quantum information theory and quantum metrology. In this last context, it was shown that a quantum advantage requires the use of Kirkwood–Dirac nonclassical states. We establish sharp bounds of very general validity that imply that the support uncertainty is an efficient Kirkwood–Dirac nonclassicality witness. When adapted to completely incompatible observables that are close to mutually unbiased ones, this bound allows us to fully characterize the Kirkwood–Dirac classical pure states as the eigenvectors of the two observables. We show furthermore that complete incompatibility implies several weaker notions of incompatibility, among which features a strong form of noncommutativity.

Benchmarking single-photon sources from an auto-correlation measurement

Here we argue that the probability that a given source produces exactly a single photon is a natural quantity to benchmark single-photon sources as it certifies the absence of multi-photon components and quantifies the efficiency simultaneously. Moreover, this probability can be bounded simply from an auto-correlation measurement — a balanced beam splitter and two photon detectors. Such a bound gives access to various non-classicality witnesses that can be used to certify and quantify Wigner-negativity, in addition to non-Gaussianity and P-negativity of the state produced by the source. We provide tools that can be used in practice to account for an imperfect beam splitter, non-identical and non-unit detection efficiencies, dark counts and other imperfections, take finite statistical effects into account without assuming that identical states are produced in all rounds, and optionally allow one to remove the detector inefficiencies from the analysis. We demonstrate the use of the proposed benchmark, non-classicality witness and measure using a heralded single-photon source based on spontaneous parametric down-conversion. We report on an average probability that a single photon is produced ≥55% and an average measure of the Wigner negativity ≥0.004 with a confidence level of 1−10−10.

Nonclassical kernels in continuous-variable systems

Kernel methods are ubiquitous in classical machine learning, and recently their formal similarity with quantum mechanics has been established. To grasp the potential advantage of quantum machine learning, it is necessary to understand the distinction between nonclassical kernel functions and classical kernels. This paper builds on a recently proposed phase-space nonclassicality witness [Bohmann and Agudelo, Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 133601 (2020)] to derive a witness for the kernel's quantumness in continuous-variable systems. We discuss the role of the kernel's nonclassicality in data distribution in the feature space and the effect of imperfect state preparation. Furthermore, we show that the nonclassical kernels lead to the quantum advantage in parameter estimation. Our work highlights the role of the phase-space correlation functions in understanding the distinction of classical machine learning from quantum machine learning.

Lower- versus higher-order nonclassicalities for a coherent superposed quantum state

A coherent state is defined conventionally in different ways such as a displaced vacuum state, an eigenket of an annihilation operator, or as an infinite dimensional Poissonian superposition of Fock states. In this work, we describe a superposition ( t a + r a † ) of field annihilation and creation operators acting on a continuous variable coherent state | α ⟩ and specify it by | ψ ⟩ . We analyze the lower- as well as higher-order nonclassical properties of | ψ ⟩ . The comparison is performed by using a set of nonclassicality witnesses (e.g., higher-order photon statistics, higher-order antibunching, higher-order sub-Poissonian statistics, higher-order squeezing, Agarwal–Tara parameter, Klyshko’s condition, and a relatively new concept, matrix of phase-space distribution). It is found that the higher-order criteria are much more efficient to detect the presence of nonclassicality as compared to lower-order conditions except squeezing, where the lower-order one is more competent than its higher-order counterpart.

A comparison between higher-order nonclassicalities of superposition engineered coherent and thermal states

We consider an experimentally obtainable superposition (SUP) operator, defined by using a generalized superposition of products of field annihilation (a) and creation (a†) operators of the type A = saa† + ta†a with s2 + t2 = 1. We apply this SUP operator on coherent and thermal quantum states, and the states thus produced are referred to as SUP-operated coherent state (SOCS) and SUP-operated thermal state (SOTS), respectively. In the present work, we report a comparative study between the higher-order nonclassical properties of SOCS and SOTS. The comparison is performed by using a set of nonclassicality witnesses (e.g., higher-order anti-bunching, higher-order sub-Poissonian photon statistics, higher-order squeezing, Agarwal–Tara parameter, Klyshko’s condition). The existence of higher-order nonclassicalities in SOCS and SOTS have been investigated for the first time. In view of possible experimental verification of the proposed scheme, we present exact calculations to reveal the effect of non-unit quantum efficiency of quantum detector on higher-order nonclassicalities.

Relating the entanglement and optical nonclassicality of multimode states of a bosonic quantum field

The quantum nature of the state of a bosonic quantum field manifests itself in its entanglement, coherence, or optical nonclassicality which are each known to be resources for quantum computing or metrology. We provide quantitative and computable bounds relating entanglement measures with optical nonclassicality measures. These bounds imply that strongly entangled states must necessarily be strongly optically nonclassical. As an application, we infer strong bounds on the entanglement that can be produced with an optically nonclassical state impinging on a beam splitter. For Gaussian states, we analyze the link between the logarithmic negativity and a specific nonclassicality witness called "quadrature coherence scale".

Analyzing dissipation effects on the non-classicality witnessing by a qubit via the entangled state representation

ABSTRACTIn this paper, we study detection of the state non-classicality for a quantum harmonic oscillator by a qubit in the presence of dissipation effects. We show that dissipation can enhance the effectiveness of the method in case of using the corrected form of the related nonclassicality witness. Such an improvement is attributed to the fact that dissipation leads to probing a surface, instead of a curve, of the complex plane for non-classicality condition on normally-ordered characteristic function.

Investigating nonclassicality in nonlinear electronic spectroscopy

In this work, we establish a connection between nonlinear electronic spectroscopy and the protocol for the non-disturbance condition, the non-fullfilment of which is a witness of nonclassicality and can be related to the presence of coherence. Our approach permits us to express the nonclassicality witness condition in terms of common observables in the context of electronic spectroscopy experiments, such as the induced polarization. In this way, we provide the theoretical framework allowing one to infer nonclassicality from the detected signals in these experiments.

Metrological Nonlinear Squeezing Parameter.

The well-known metrological linear squeezing parameters (such as quadrature or spin squeezing) efficiently quantify the sensitivity of Gaussian states. Yet, these parameters are insufficient to characterize the much wider class of highly sensitive non-Gaussian states. Here, we introduce a class of metrological nonlinear squeezing parameters obtained by analytical optimization of measurement observables among a given set of accessible (possibly nonlinear) operators. This allows for the metrological characterization of non-Gaussian quantum states of discrete and continuous variables. Our results lead to optimized and experimentally feasible recipes for a high-precision moment-based estimation of a phase parameter and can be used to systematically construct multipartite entanglement and nonclassicality witnesses for complex quantum states.

Lower‐ and Higher‐Order Nonclassical Properties of Photon Added and Subtracted Displaced Fock States

AbstractNonclassical properties of photon added and subtracted displaced Fock states are studied using various witnesses of lower‐ and higher‐order nonclassicality. Compact analytic expressions are obtained for the nonclassicality witnesses. Using those expressions, it is established that these states and the states that can be obtained as their limiting cases (except coherent states) are highly nonclassical as they show the existence of lower‐ and higher‐order antibunching and sub‐Poissonian photon statistics, in addition to the nonclassical features revealed through the Mandel parameter, zeros of Q function, Klyshko's criterion, and Agarwal–Tara criterion. Further, some comparison between the nonclassicality of photon added and subtracted displaced Fock states have been performed using witnesses of nonclassicality. This has established that between the two types of non‐Gaussianity inducing operations (i.e., photon addition and subtraction) used here, photon addition influences the nonclassical properties more strongly. Further, optical designs for the generation of photon added and subtracted displaced Fock states from squeezed vacuum state have also been proposed.

Characterization of nonclassicality of Gaussian states initially generated in optical spontaneous parametric processes by means of induced stimulated emission

In a recent paper [I.I. Arkhipov, Phys. Rev. A 98, 021803 (2018)], it was shown that one can completely identify the nonclassicality of single- and two-mode Gaussian states by means of certain nonclassicality witnesses which are based on intensity moments up to the third order of optical fields, provided that an appropriate coherent displacement is applied to a given Gaussian state. Here, we utilize a mathematical equivalence between the description of the coherent displaced Gaussian states generated in the spontaneous parametric processes and the Gaussian states generated in the corresponding stimulated parametric processes. Resorting to that equivalence, we study and compare the power of those nonclassicality witnesses in the detection of the nonclassicality of the two-mode Gaussian states generated in both the spontaneous and stimulated second subharmonic and down-conversion processes and which are subsequently subject to a beam splitter. We demonstrate that by means of an appropriate induced stimulated emission one can completely identify the nonclassicality of the considered Gaussian states in comparison to the case of the spontaneous emission. This is important from the experimental point of view, as the stimulated emission can be easily implemented in running optical experiments, and such method can exploit just simple linear detectors.

Complete identification of nonclassicality of Gaussian states via intensity moments

We present an experimental method for complete identification of the nonclassicality of Gaussian states in the whole phase space. Our method relies on nonclassicality witnesses written in terms of measured integrated intensity moments up to the third order, provided that appropriate local coherent displacements are applied to the state under consideration. The introduced approach, thus, only requires linear detectors for measuring intensities of optical fields, that is very convenient and powerful from the experimental point of view. Additionally, we demonstrate that the proposed technique not only allows to completely identify the nonclassicality of the Gaussian states but also to quantify it.

Higher-order nonclassicalities of finite dimensional coherent states: A comparative study

Conventional coherent states (CSs) are defined in various ways. For example, CS is defined as an infinite Poissonian expansion in Fock states, as displaced vacuum state, or as an eigenket of annihilation operator. In the infinite dimensional Hilbert space, these definitions are equivalent. However, these definitions are not equivalent for the finite dimensional systems. In this work, we present a comparative description of the lower- and higher-order nonclassical properties of the finite dimensional CSs which are also referred to as qudit CSs (QCSs). For the comparison, nonclassical properties of two types of QCSs are used: (i) nonlinear QCS produced by applying a truncated displacement operator on the vacuum and (ii) linear QCS produced by the Poissonian expansion in Fock states of the CS truncated at (d−1)-photon Fock state. The comparison is performed using a set of nonclassicality witnesses (e.g., higher order antibunching, higher order sub-Poissonian statistics, higher order squeezing, Agarwal–Tara parameter, Klyshko's criterion) and a set of quantitative measures of nonclassicality (e.g., negativity potential, concurrence potential and anticlassicality). The higher order nonclassicality witnesses have found to reveal the existence of higher order nonclassical properties of QCS for the first time.

Nonclassicality Criteria in Multiport Interferometry.

Interference lies at the heart of the behavior of classical and quantum light. It is thus crucial to understand the boundaries between which interference patterns can be explained by a classical electromagnetic description of light and which, on the other hand, can only be understood with a proper quantum mechanical approach. While the case of two-mode interference has received a lot of attention, the multimode case has not yet been fully explored. Here we study a general scenario of intensity interferometry: we derive a bound on the average correlations between pairs of output intensities for the classical wavelike model of light, and we show how it can be violated in a quantum framework. As a consequence, this violation acts as a nonclassicality witness, able to detect the presence of sources with sub-Poissonian photon-number statistics. We also develop a criterion that can certify the impossibility of dividing a given interferometer into two independent subblocks.

Complete nonclassicality test with a photon-number-resolving detector

We present a method for the experimental measurement of nonclassicality witnesses and demonstrate its application. Our proposal only requires the coherent displacement of the initial state, which can be achieved by overlapping the latter with a coherent state at a beam splitter, and subsequent photon-number resolved detection. This setup allows a complete test of nonclassicality of an arbitrary quantum state. The role of the quantum efficiency as well as statistical and systematic uncertainties are discussed. Finally, the scheme is demonstrated for a realistic example.

Universal nonclassicality witnesses for harmonic oscillators

It is shown that a nonclassicality witness, whose expectation value can be measured for all quantum states, can be constructed from every nonclassicality filter. This finding leads to a set of universal witnesses, parameterized by only three real numbers, for the detection of nonclassicality of any quantum state of a harmonic oscillator. An explicit operator expression is given for such a universal witness. The application of the witnesses is demonstrated for a nontrivial example, and its experimental measurement is briefly considered.

Sudden vanishing and reappearance of nonclassical effects: General occurrence of finite-time decays and periodic vanishings of nonclassicality and entanglement witnesses

Analyses of phenomena exhibiting finite-time decay of quantum entanglement have recently attracted considerable attention. Such decay is often referred to as sudden vanishing (or sudden death) of entanglement, which can be followed by its sudden reappearance (or sudden rebirth). We analyze various finite-time decays (for dissipative systems) and analogous periodic vanishings (for unitary systems) of nonclassical correlations as described by violations of classical inequalities and the corresponding nonclassicality witnesses (or quantumness witnesses), which are not necessarily entanglement witnesses. We show that these sudden vanishings are universal phenomena and can be observed: (i) not only for two- or multi-mode but also for single-mode nonclassical fields, (ii) not solely for dissipative systems, and (iii) at evolution times which are usually different from those of sudden vanishings and reappearances of quantum entanglement.

Classicality of spin states

We extend the concept of classicality in quantum optics to spin states. We call a state ``classical'' if its density matrix can be decomposed as a weighted sum of angular momentum coherent states with positive weights. Classical spin states form a convex set C, which we fully characterize for a spin-1/2 and a spin-1. For arbitrary spin, we provide ``non-classicality witnesses''. For bipartite systems, C forms a subset of all separable states. A state of two spins-1/2 belongs to C if and only if it is separable, whereas for a spin-1/2 coupled to a spin-1, there are separable states which do not belong to C. We show that in general the question whether a state is in C can be answered by a linear programming algorithm.

Hilbert’s 17th Problem and the Quantumness of States

A state of a quantum system can be regarded as classical (quantum) with respect to measurements of a set of canonical observables if and only if there exists (does not exist) a well defined, positive phase-space distribution, the so called Glauber-Sudarshan P representation. We derive a family of classicality criteria that requires that the averages of positive functions calculated using P representation must be positive. For polynomial functions, these criteria are related to Hilbert's 17th problem, and have physical meaning of generalized squeezing conditions; alternatively, they may be interpreted as nonclassicality witnesses. We show that every generic nonclassical state can be detected by a polynomial that is a sum-of-squares of other polynomials. We introduce a very natural hierarchy of states regarding their degree of quantumness, which we relate to the minimal degree of a sum-of-squares polynomial that detects them.