No Arabic abstract
Photonic quantum networking relies on entanglement distribution between distant nodes, typically realized by swapping procedures. However, entanglement swapping is a demanding task in practice, mainly because of limited effectiveness of entangled photon sources and Bell-state measurements necessary to realize the process. Here we experimentally activate a remote distribution of two-photon polarization entanglement which supersedes the need for initial entangled pairs and traditional Bell-state measurements. This alternative procedure is accomplished thanks to the controlled spatial indistinguishability of four independent photons in three separated nodes of the network, which enables us to perform localized product-state measurements on the central node acting as a trigger. This experiment proves that the inherent indistinguishability of identical particles supplies new standards for feasible quantum communication in multinode photonic quantum networks.
Remote spatial indistinguishability of identical subsystems as a direct controllable quantum resource at distant sites has not been yet experimentally proven. We design a setup capable to tune the spatial indistinguishability of two photons by independently adjusting their spatial distribution in two distant regions, which leads to polarization entanglement starting from uncorrelated photons. The amount of entanglement uniquely depends on the degree of remote spatial indistinguishability, quantified by an entropic measure $mathcal{I}$, which enables teleportation with fidelities above the classical threshold. This experiment realizes a basic nonlocal entangling gate by the inherent nature of identical quantum subsystems.
The need of discriminating between different quantum states is a fundamental issue in Quantum Information and Communication. The actual realization of generally optimal strategies in this task is often limited by the need of supplemental resources and very complex receivers. We have experimentally implemented two discrimination schemes in a minimum-error scenario based on a receiver featured by a network structure and a dynamical processing of information. The first protocol implemented in our experiment, directly inspired to a recent theoretical proposal, achieves binary optimal discrimination, while the second one provides a novel approach to multi-state quantum discrimination, relying on the dynamical features of the network-like receiver. This strategy exploits the arrival time degree of freedom as an encoding variable, achieving optimal results, without the need for supplemental systems or devices. Our results further reveal the potential of dynamical approaches to Quantum State Discrimination tasks, providing a possible starting point for efficient alternatives to current experimental strategies.
The development and wide application of quantum technologies highly depend on the capacity of the communication channels distributing entanglement. Space-division multiplexing (SDM) enhanced channel capacities in classical telecommunication and bears the potential to transfer the idea to quantum communication using current infrastructure. Here, we demonstrate an SDM of polarization-entangled photons over a 411m long 19-core multicore fiber distributing polarization-entangled photon pairs through up to 12 channels simultaneously. The quality of the multiplexed transfer is evidenced by high polarization visibility and CHSH Bell inequality violation for each pair of opposite cores. Our distribution scheme shows high stability over 24 hours without any active polarization stabilization and can be effortlessly adapted to a higher number of channels. This technique increases the quantum-channel capacity and allows the reliable implementation of quantum networks of multiple users based on a single entangled-photon pair source.
We propose a scheme to utilize photons for ideal quantum transmission between atoms located at spatially-separated nodes of a quantum network. The transmission protocol employs special laser pulses which excite an atom inside an optical cavity at the sending node so that its state is mapped into a time-symmetric photon wavepacket that will enter a cavity at the receiving node and be absorbed by an atom there with unit probability. Implementation of our scheme would enable reliable transfer or sharing of entanglement among spatially distant atoms.
We point out an earlier unnoticed implication of quantum indistinguishability, namely, a property which we call `dualism that characterizes the entanglement of two identical particles (say, two ions of the same species) -- a feature which is absent in the entanglement of two non-identical particles (say, two ions of different species). A crucial application of this property is that it can be used to test quantum indistinguishability without bringing the relevant particles together, thereby avoiding the effects of mutual interaction. This is in contrast to the existing tests of quantum indistinguishability. Such a scheme, being independent of the nature and strength of mutual interactions of the identical particles involved, has potential applications, including the probing of the transition from quantum indistinguishability to classical distinguishability.