Spatial Quantum Correlations Research Articles

Causal Classification of Spatiotemporal Quantum Correlations.

From correlations in measurement outcomes alone, can two otherwise isolated parties establish whether such correlations are atemporal? That is, can they rule out that they have been given the same system at two different times? Classical statistics says no, yet quantum theory disagrees. Here, we introduce the necessary and sufficient conditions by which such quantum correlations can be identified as atemporal. We demonstrate the asymmetry of atemporality under time reversal and reveal it to be a measure of spatial quantum correlation distinct from entanglement. Our results indicate that certain quantum correlations possess an intrinsic arrow of time and enable classification of general quantum correlations across space-time based on their (in)compatibility with various underlying causal structures.

Quantum state over time is unique

The conventional framework of quantum theory treats space and time in vastly different ways by representing temporal correlations via quantum channels and spatial correlations via multipartite quantum states—an imbalance absent in classical probability theory. Since Leifer and Spekkens [] called for a causally neutral formulation of quantum theory in their seminal work, numerous attempts have been made to rectify this asymmetry by proposing a dynamical description of a quantum system encapsulated by a static , without a definite consensus on which one is most appropriate. In this paper, we propose sets of operationally motivated axioms for quantum states over time alternative to the ones proposed by Fullwood and Parzygnat [], which we show is unable to induce a unique quantum state over time. Our proposed axioms are better suited to describe quantum states over any spacetime regions beyond two points. Through this reformulation, we prove that the Fullwood-Parzygnat state over time uniquely satisfies all these operational axioms, unifying the bipartite spacetime correlations of quantum systems. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

A comparison between the measurement of quantum spatial correlations using qCMOS photon-number resolving and electron multiplying CCD camera technologies

Cameras with single-photon sensitivities can be used to measure the spatial correlations between the photon-pairs that are produced by parametric down-conversion. Even when pumped by a single-mode laser, the signal and idler photons are typically distributed over several thousand spatial modes yet strongly correlated with each other in their position and anti-correlated in their transverse momentum. These spatial correlations enable applications in imaging, sensing, communication, and optical processing. Here we show that, using a photon-number resolving camera, spatial correlations can be observed after only a few 10s of seconds of measurement time, thereby demonstrating comparable performance with previous single photon sensitive camera technologies but with the additional capability to resolve photon-number. Consequently, these photon-number resolving technologies are likely to find wide use in quantum, low-light, imaging systems.

Entanglement of Temporal Sections as Quantum Histories and Their Quantum Correlation Bounds.

In this paper, we focus on the underlying quantum structure of temporal correlations and show their peculiar nature which differentiates them from spatial quantum correlations. With a growing interest in the representation of quantum states as topological objects, we consider quantum history bundles based on the temporal manifold and show the source of the violation of monogamous temporal Bell-like inequalities. We introduce definitions for the mixture of quantum histories and consider their entanglement as sections over the Hilbert vector bundles. As a generalization of temporal Bell-like inequalities, we derive the quantum bound for multi-time Bell-like inequalities.

Quantum space-time marginal problem: global causal structure from local causal information

Spatial and temporal quantum correlations can be unified in the framework of the pseudo-density operators (PDOs), and quantum causality between the involved events in an experiment is encoded in the corresponding PDO. We study the relationship between local causal information and global causal structure. A space-time marginal problem is proposed to infer global causal structures from given marginal causal structures where causal structures are represented by the reduced PDOs; we show that there almost always exists a solution in this case. By imposing the corresponding constraints on this solution set, we could obtain the required solutions for special classes of marginal problems, like a positive semidefinite marginal problem, separable marginal problem, etc. We introduce a space-time entropy and propose a method to determine the global causal structure based on the maximum entropy principle. The notion of quantum pseudo-channel (QPC) is also introduced and we demonstrate that the QPC marginal problem can be solved by transforming it into a PDO marginal problem via the channel-state duality.

Certifying quantumness beyond steering and nonlocality and its implications on quantum information processing

Superunsteerability is a particular kind of spatial quantum correlation that can be observed in a steering scenario in the presence of limited shared randomness. In this work, we define an experimentally measurable quantity in a steering scenario to certify superunsteerability. In the context of certification of randomness with this scenario, we demonstrate that such certification of superunsteerability provides a bound on the amount of genuine randomness generation. On the other hand, superlocality is another kind of spatial quantum correlation that can be observed in a Bell scenario in the presence of limited shared randomness. We identify inequalities to certify superlocality in the Bell scenarios that can be adopted to implement $2$-to-$1$ and $3$-to-$1$ random-access codes. We observe that such certification of superlocality acts as resource for the random-access codes in the presence of limited shared randomness. As a by-product of our certification of superunsteerability and superlocality, we identify a new classification of separable states having quantumness.

Direct generation of spatially entangled qudits using quantum nonlinear optical holography

Nonlinear holography shapes the amplitude and phase of generated new harmonics using nonlinear processes. Classical nonlinear holography influenced many fields in optics, from information storage, demultiplexing of spatial information, and all-optical control of accelerating beams. Here, we extend the concept of nonlinear holography to the quantum regime. We directly shape the spatial quantum correlations of entangled photon pairs in two-dimensional patterned nonlinear photonic crystals using spontaneous parametric down conversion, without any pump shaping. The generated signal-idler pair obeys a parity conservation law that is governed by the nonlinear crystal. Furthermore, the quantum states exhibit quantum correlations and violate the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality, thus enabling entanglement-based quantum key distribution. Our demonstration paves the way for controllable on-chip quantum optics schemes using the high-dimensional spatial degree of freedom.

Quantifying Quantumness of Channels Without Entanglement

Quantum channels breaking entanglement, incompatibility, or nonlocality are defined as such because they are not useful for entanglement-based, one-sided device-independent, or device-independent quantum information processing, respectively. Here, we show that such breaking channels are related to complementary tests of macrorealism i.e., temporal separability, channel unsteerability, temporal unsteerability, and the temporal Bell inequality. To demonstrate this we first define a steerability-breaking channel, which is conceptually similar to entanglement and nonlocality-breaking channels and prove that it is identical to an incompatibility-breaking channel. A hierarchy of quantum non-breaking channels is derived, akin to the existing hierarchy relations for temporal and spatial quantum correlations. We then introduce the concept of channels that break temporal correlations, explain how they are related to the standard breaking channels, and prove the following results: (1) A robustness-based measure for non-entanglement-breaking channels can be probed by temporal nonseparability. (2) A non-steerability-breaking channel can be quantified by channel steering. (3) Temporal steerability and non-macrorealism can be used for, respectively, distinguishing unital steerability-breaking channels and nonlocality-breaking channels for a maximally entangled state. Finally, a two-dimensional depolarizing channel is experimentally implemented as a proof-of-principle example to demonstrate the hierarchy relation of non-breaking channels using temporal quantum correlations

Resolution limit in quantum imaging with undetected photons using position correlations.

Quantum imaging with undetected photons (QIUP) is a unique method of image acquisition where the photons illuminating the object are not detected. This method relies on quantum interference and spatial correlations between the twin photons to form an image. Here we present a detailed study of the resolution limits of position correlation enabled QIUP. We establish a quantitative relation between the spatial resolution and the twin-photon position correlation. Furthermore, we also quantitatively establish the roles that the wavelength of the undetected illumination field and the wavelength of the detected field play in the resolution. Like ghost imaging and unlike conventional imaging, the resolution limit imposed by the spatial correlation between the twin photons in QIUP cannot be further improved by conventional optical techniques.

Genuine multipartite entanglement in time

While spatial quantum correlations have been studied in great detail, much less is known about the genuine quantum correlations that can be exhibited by temporal processes. Employing the quantum comb formalism, processes in time can be mapped onto quantum states, with the crucial difference that temporal correlations have to satisfy causal ordering, while their spatial counterpart is not constrained in the same way. Here, we exploit this equivalence and use the tools of multipartite entanglement theory to provide a comprehensive picture of the structure of correlations that (causally ordered) temporal quantum processes can display. First, focusing on the case of a process that is probed at two points in time -- which can equivalently be described by a tripartite quantum state -- we provide necessary as well as sufficient conditions for the presence of bipartite entanglement in different splittings. Next, we connect these scenarios to the previously studied concepts of quantum memory, entanglement breaking superchannels, and quantum steering, thus providing both a physical interpretation for entanglement in temporal quantum processes, and a determination of the resources required for its creation. Additionally, we construct explicit examples of W-type and GHZ-type genuinely multipartite entangled two-time processes and prove that genuine multipartite entanglement in temporal processes can be an emergent phenomenon. Finally, we show that genuinely entangled processes across multiple times exist for any number of probing times.

Quantum spatial correlations imaging through thick scattering media: experiments and comparison with simulations of the biphoton wave function

We first extend our recent experiments of spatial quantum correlations imaging through thin scattering media to the case where two phase scattering plates placed respectively in the image and the Fourier planes of the biphoton source, mimics a thick scattering medium. Spatial correlations between twin photons are still detected at the quantum level but no more in the form of two-photon speckle-like patterns. However, we show that spatial entanglement of very-high dimensionality can be retrieved through thick scattering media with moderate losses and without any fair sampling assumption in the space and time domains. Second, a numerical simulation of the biphoton wave function is developed and applied to our experimental situation, with a good agreement.

Separation of quantum, spatial quantum, and approximate quantum correlations

Quantum nonlocal correlations are generated by implementation of local quantum measurements on spatially separated quantum subsystems. Depending on the underlying mathematical model, various notions of sets of quantum correlations can be defined. In this paper we prove separations of such sets of quantum correlations. In particular, we show that the set of bipartite quantum correlations with four binary measurements per party becomes strictly smaller once we restrict the local Hilbert spaces to be finite dimensional, i.e., Cq(4,4,2,2)≠Cqs(4,4,2,2). We also prove non-closure of the set of bipartite quantum correlations with four ternary measurements per party, i.e., Cqs(4,4,3,3)≠Cqa(4,4,3,3).

Spatial Non-locality in Confined Quantum Systems: A Liaison with Quantum Correlations

Using advanced stochastic methods (time-dependent quantum Monte Carlo, TDQMC) we explore the ground state of 1D and 2D artificial atoms with up to six bosons in harmonic trap where these interact by long-range and short-range Coulomb-like potentials (bosonic quantum dots). It is shown that the optimized value of the key variational parameter in TDQMC named nonlocal correlation length is close to the standard deviation of the Monte Carlo sample for one boson and it is slightly dependent on the range of the interaction potential. Also it is almost independent on the number of bosons for the 2D system thus confirming that the spatial quantum non-locality experienced by each particle is close to the spatial uncertainty exhibited by the rest of the particles. The intimate connection between spatial non-locality and quantum correlations is clearly evidenced.

Delay of Spatial Quantum Correlations in Magnetic Nanostructures

Simultaneous quantum correlations between two spins in magnetic nanostructures are considered in the model of a linear chain of a finite number of atoms with exchange interaction between electron spins of neighboring atoms in the framework of the Heisenberg ferromagnetism theory. We assume that in the initial state, the spins of all chain atoms except the first two are oriented along the same direction. The spins of the first two atoms are flipped. Due to the exchange interaction, this initial state generates a spin flip wave along the chain. The expressions obtained for nonstationary quantum amplitudes of the flip probability waves for an even number of spins can be used for calculating quantum correlations between two spins separated by a large distance in a chain. Numerical calculations of the spin correlator reveal that the correlation between two spins in the chain occurs with a delay on the order of the time of propagation of the exchange interaction along the spin chain. After the delay, the spin correlation amplitude abruptly increases followed by subsequent oscillatory temporal behavior.

Imaging Spatial Quantum Correlations through a thin Scattering Medium

We image with cameras entangled photon light transmitted through a thin scattering medium. Near-field and far-field spatial quantum correlations show that entangled photon pairs (bi-photons) generated by spontaneous optical parametric down-conversion exhibit speckle patterns. In contrast, no information from the thin scattering medium can be extracted using incoherent light issued from one photon of the pair.

Experimental observation of the geometric phase in nonlinear frequency conversion

The geometric phase is a common phenomenon in a variety of physical systems, with significant applications in optics. We report the first experimental demonstration of the adiabatic geometric phase in nonlinear frequency conversion, wherein the coupling between the signal and idler frequencies constitutes the intrinsic two-level dynamics of the system. We observe a variety of effects associated with the geometric phase, including the adiabatic broadening of bandwidth, asymmetric transmission for opposite propagation directions, conjugation of the phase for orthogonal eigenstates, and the nonreciprocity associated with the pump field bias. Our work paves the way towards all-optically controlled geometric phase elements for wavefront shaping, isolation, guiding, and quantum optical applications, harnessing spectral and spatial correlations.

Quantum holography with biphotons of high Schmidt number

We report results of two-photon quantum holography where spatial information stored in phase holograms is retrieved by measuring quantum spatial correlations between two images formed by spatially entangled twin photons with a dimensionality of 1790 in the two-dimensional transverse space. In our experiments, the entire flux of spontaneous down converted photons illuminates the phase holograms and the photons of pairs signal-idler transmitted by the holograms are detected separately in far field on two electron-multiplying charge coupled device cameras.

Geometry of quantum correlations in space-time

The traditional formalism of non-relativistic quantum theory allows the state of a quantum system to extend across space, but only restricts it to a single instant in time, leading to distinction between theoretical treatments of spatial and temporal quantum correlations. Here we unify the geometrical description of two-point quantum correlations in space-time. Our study presents the geometry of correlations between two sequential Pauli measurements on a single qubit undergoing an arbitrary quantum channel evolution together with two-qubit spatial correlations under a common framework. We establish a symmetric structure between quantum correlations in space and time. This symmetry is broken in the presence of non-unital channels, which further reveals a set of temporal correlations that are indistinguishable from correlations found in bipartite entangled states.

Unifying framework for spatial and temporal quantum correlations

Measurements on a single quantum system at different times reveal rich non-classical correlations similar to those observed in spatially separated multi-partite systems. Here we introduce a theory framework that unifies the description of temporal, spatial, and spatio-temporal resources for quantum correlations. We identify, and experimentally demonstrate simple cases where an exact mapping between the domains is possible. We then identify correlation resources in arbitrary situations, where not all spatial quantum states correspond to a process and not all temporal measurements have a spatial analogue. These results provide a starting point for the systematic exploration of multi-point temporal correlations as a powerful resource for quantum information processing.

A synchronous game for binary constraint systems

Recently, Slofstra proved that the set of quantum correlations is not closed. We prove that the set of synchronous quantum correlations is not closed, which implies his result, by giving an example of a synchronous game that has a perfect quantum approximate strategy but no perfect quantum strategy. We also exhibit a graph for which the quantum independence number and the quantum approximate independence number are different. We prove new characterisations of synchronous quantum approximate correlations and synchronous quantum spatial correlations. We solve the synchronous approximation problem of Dykema and the second author, which yields a new equivalence of Connes’ embedding problem in terms of synchronous correlations.