Quantum Repeater Scheme Research Articles

Single-photon-level optical storage in a solid-state spin-wave memory

A long-lived quantum memory is a firm requirement for implementing a quantum repeater scheme. Recent progress in solid-state rare-earth-ion-doped systems justifies their status as very strong candidates for such systems. Nonetheless an optical memory based on spin-wave storage at the single-photon-level has not been shown in such a system to date, which is crucial for achieving the long storage times required for quantum repeaters. In this letter we show that it is possible to execute a complete atomic frequency comb (AFC) scheme, including spin-wave storage, with weak coherent pulses of $\bar{n} = 2.5 \pm 0.6$ photons per pulse. We discuss in detail the experimental steps required to obtain this result and demonstrate the coherence of a stored time-bin pulse. We show a noise level of $(7.1 \pm 2.3)10^{-3}$ photons per mode during storage, this relatively low-noise level paves the way for future quantum optics experiments using spin-waves in rare-earth-doped crystals.

Hybrid quantum repeater with encoding

We present an encoded hybrid quantum repeater scheme using qubit-repetition and Calderbank-Shor-Steane codes. For the case of repetition codes, we propose an explicit implementation of the quantum error-correction protocol. Moreover, we analyze the entangled-pair distribution rate for the hybrid quantum repeater with encoding and we clearly identify a triple trade-off between the efficiency of the codes, the memory decoherence time, and the local gate errors. Finally, we show that in the presence of reasonable imperfections our system can achieve rates of roughly 24 Hz per memory for 20 km repeater spacing, a final distance of 1280 km, and a final fidelity of about 0.95.

Quantum repeaters based on heralded qubit amplifiers

We present a quantum repeater scheme based on the recently proposed qubit amplifier [N. Gisin, S. Pironio, and N. Sangouard, Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 070501 (2010)]. It relies on an on-demand entangled-photon-pair source which uses on-demand single-photon sources, linear optical elements, and atomic ensembles. Interestingly, the imperfections affecting the states created from this source, caused, for example, by detectors with nonunit efficiencies, are systematically purified from an entanglement swapping operation based on a two-photon detection. This allows the distribution of entanglement over very long distances with a high fidelity, that is, without vacuum components and multiphoton errors. Therefore, the resulting quantum repeater architecture does not necessitate final postselections and thus achieves high entanglement distribution rates. This also provides unique opportunities for device-independent quantum key distribution over long distances with linear optics and atomic ensembles.

Efficient quantum repeater based on deterministic Rydberg gates

We propose an efficient quantum repeater architecture with mesoscopic atomic ensembles, where the Rydberg blockade is employed for deterministic local entanglement generation, entanglement swapping and entanglement purification. Compared with conventional atomic-ensemble-based quantum repeater, the entanglement distribution rate is improved by up to two orders of magnitude with the help of the deterministic Rydberg gate. This new quantum repeater scheme is robust and fast, and thus opens up a new way for practical long-distance quantum communication.

Optimizing the Storage and Retrieval Efficiency of a Solid-State Quantum Memory Through Tailored State Preparation

We theoretically investigate the feasibility of using spectral hole burning in Pr 3+ :Y 2 SiO 5 to prepare an ensemble of Pr 3+ ions with a spectral distribution optimized for use as a quantum memory for single-photon states. We introduce figures of merit for the spectral distribution of the Pr 3+ ions when used as a quantum-memory node in a Duan-Lukin-Cirac-Zoller-type quantum-repeater scheme. Finally, we describe progress toward optimizing the hole-burning sequence by using a computational model of the hole-burning process to calculate these figures of merit over a wide range of parameters.

Role of memory errors in quantum repeaters

We investigate the influence of memory errors in the quantum repeater scheme for long-range quantum communication. We show that the communication distance is limited in standard operation mode due to memory errors resulting from unavoidable waiting times for classical signals. We show how to overcome these limitations by (i) improving local memory and (ii) introducing two operational modes of the quantum repeater. In both operational modes, the repeater is run blindly, i.e., without waiting for classical signals to arrive. In the first scheme, entanglement purification protocols based on one-way classical communication are used allowing to communicate over arbitrary distances. However, the error thresholds for noise in local control operations are very stringent. The second scheme makes use of entanglement purification protocols with two-way classical communication and inherits the favorable error thresholds of the repeater run in standard mode. One can increase the possible communication distance by an order of magnitude with reasonable overhead in physical resources. We outline the architecture of a quantum repeater that can possibly ensure intercontinental quantum communication.