No Arabic abstract
Quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols based on high-dimensional quantum states have shown the route to increase the key rate generation while benefiting of enhanced error tolerance, thus overcoming the limitations of two-dimensional QKD protocols. Nonetheless, the reliable transmission through fiber links of high-dimensional quantum states remains an open challenge that must be addressed to boost their application. Here, we demonstrate the reliable transmission over a 2 km long multicore fiber of path-encoded high-dimensional quantum states. Leveraging on a phase-locked loop system, a stable interferometric detection is guaranteed, allowing for low error rates and the generation of 6.3 Mbit/s of secret key rate.
High-dimensional quantum states have already settled their advantages in different quantum technology applications. However, their reliable transmission in fiber links remains an open challenge that must be addressed to boost their application, e.g. in the future quantum internet. Here, we prove how path encoded high-dimensional quantum states can be reliably transmitted over a 2 km long multicore fiber, taking advantage of a phase-locked loop system guaranteeing a stable interferometric detection.
The archetypal quantum interferometry experiment yields an interference pattern that results from the indistinguishability of two spatiotemporal paths available to a photon or to a pair of entangled photons. A fundamental challenge in quantum interferometry is to perform such experiments with a higher number of paths, and over large distances. In particular, the distribution of such highly entangled states in long-haul optical fibers is one of the core concepts behind quantum information networks. We demonstrate that using indistinguishable frequency paths instead of spatiotemporal ones allows for robust, high-dimensional quantum interferometry in optical fibers. In our system, twin-photons from an Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) pair are offered up to 9 frequency paths after propagation in long-haul optical fibers, and we show that the multi-path quantum interference patterns can be faithfully restored after the photons travel a total distance of up to 60 km.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) provides an efficient means to exchange information in an unconditionally secure way. Historically, QKD protocols have been based on binary signal formats, such as two polarisation states, and the transmitted information efficiency of the quantum key is intrinsically limited to 1 bit/photon. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate, for the first time, a high-dimensional QKD protocol based on space division multiplexing in multicore fiber using silicon photonic integrated lightwave circuits. We successfully realized three mutually unbiased bases in a four-dimensional Hilbert space, and achieved low and stable quantum bit error rate well below both coherent attack and individual attack limits. Compared to previous demonstrations, the use of a multicore fiber in our protocol provides a much more efficient way to create high-dimensional quantum states, and enables breaking the information efficiency limit of traditional QKD protocols. In addition, the silicon photonic circuits used in our work integrate variable optical attenuators, highly efficient multicore fiber couplers, and Mach-Zehnder interferometers, enabling manipulating high-dimensional quantum states in a compact and stable means. Our demonstration pave the way to utilize state-of-the-art multicore fibers for long distance high-dimensional QKD, and boost silicon photonics for high information efficiency quantum communications.
Quantum information protocols often rely on tomographic techniques to determine the state of the system. A popular method of encoding information is on the different paths a photon may take, for example, parallel waveguides in integrated optics. However, reconstruction of states encoded onto a large number of paths is often prohibitively resource intensive and requires complicated experimental setups. Addressing this, we present a simple method for determining the state of a photon in a superposition of d paths using a rotating one-dimensional optical Fourier Transform. We establish the theory and experimentally demonstrate the technique by measuring a wide variety of six-dimensional density matrices. The average fidelity of these with the expected state is as high as 0.9852 +/- 0.0008. This performance is comparable or exceeds established tomographic methods for other types of systems.
Quantum networks are the ultimate target in quantum communication, where many connected users can share information carried by quantum systems. The keystones of such structures are the reliable generation, transmission and manipulation of quantum states. Two-dimensional quantum states, qubits, are steadily adopted as information units. However, high-dimensional quantum states, qudits, constitute a richer resource for future quantum networks, exceeding the limitations imposed by the ubiquitous qubits. The generation and manipulation of such $D$-level systems have been improved over the last ten years, but their reliable transmission between remote locations remains the main challenge. Here, we show how a recent air-core fiber supporting orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes can be exploited to faithfully transmit $D$-dimensional states. Four OAM quantum states and their superpositions are created, propagated in a 1.2 km long fiber and detected with high fidelities. In addition, three quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols are implemented as concrete applications to assert the practicality of our results. This experiment enhances the distribution of high-dimensional quantum states, attesting the orbital angular momentum as vessel for the future quantum network.