Scalable quantum information transfer between nitrogen-vacancy-center ensembles

We propose an architecture for realizing quantum information transfer (QIT). In this architecture, a LC circuit is used to induce the necessary interaction between flux qubits, each magnetically coupling to a nitrogen-vacancy center ensemble (NVCE). We explicitly show that for resonant interaction and large detuning cases, high-fidelity QIT between two spatially-separated NVCEs can be implemented. Our proposal can be extended to achieve QIT between any two selected NVCEs in a large hybrid system by adjusting system parameters, which is important in large scale quantum information processing.     

Non-Classical Correlations and Transfer of Quantum Information in a Superconducting Qubit System with Dynamical Decoupling Pulses

We investigate the dynamics of non-classical correlations(entanglement and quantum discord) of the system consisting of two non-interacting superconducting qubits coupling with a common data bus, where the system is driven by the dynamical decoupling pulses. It is found that the non-classical correlations between two superconducting qubits can be increased by appling a train of dynamical decoupling pulses. Furthermore, we also explore the influence of the dynamical decoupling pulses on the information flowing between superconducting qubits and data bus by making use of the trace distance. It is shown that the dynamical decoupling pulses can protect quantum information of two superconducting qubits and force information to flow back to the superconducting qubits from the data bus.

     

Controllable quantum information network with a superconducting system

We propose a controllable and scalable architecture for quantum information processing using a superconducting system network, which is composed of current-biased Josephson junctions (CBJJs) as tunable couplers between the two superconducting transmission line resonators (TLRs), each coupling to multiple superconducting qubits (SQs). We explicitly demonstrate that the entangled state, the phase gate, and the information transfer between any two selected SQs can be implemented, respectively. Lastly, numerical simulation shows that our scheme is robust against the decoherence of the system.     

One‐Step Implementation of N‐Qubit Nonadiabatic Holonomic Quantum Gates with Superconducting Qubits via Inverse Hamiltonian Engineering

A protocol is proposed to realize one‐step implementation of the N‐qubit nonadiabatic holonomic quantum gates with superconducting qubits. The inverse Hamiltonian engineering is applied in designing microwave pulses to drive superconducting qubits. By combining curve fitting, the wave shapes of the designed pulses can be described by simple functions, which are not hard to realize in experiments. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the protocol, a three‐qubit holonomic controlled π‐phase gate is taken as an example in numerical simulations. The results show that the protocol holds robustness against noise and decoherence. Therefore, the protocol may provide an alternative approach for implementing N‐qubit nonadiabatic holonomic quantum gates.     

Beating the photon-number-splitting attack in practical quantum cryptography

We propose an efficient method to verify the upper bound of the fraction of counts caused by multiphoton pulses in practical quantum key distribution using weak coherent light, given whatever type of Eve's action. The protocol simply uses two coherent states for the signal pulses and vacuum for the decoy pulse. Our verified upper bound is sufficiently tight for quantum key distribution with a very lossy channel, in both the asymptotic and nonasymptotic case. So far our protocol is the only decoy-state protocol that works efficiently for currently existing setups.     

Towards a spin-ensemble quantum memory for superconducting qubits

This article reviews efforts to build a new type of quantum device, which combines an ensemble of electronic spins with long coherence times, and a small-scale superconducting quantum processor. The goal is to store over long times arbitrary qubit states in orthogonal collective modes of the spin-ensemble, and to retrieve them on-demand. We first present the protocol devised for such a multi-mode quantum memory. We then describe a series of experimental results using NV (as in nitrogen vacancy) center spins in diamond, which demonstrate its main building blocks: the transfer of arbitrary quantum states from a qubit into the spin ensemble, and the multi-mode retrieval of classical microwave pulses down to the single-photon level with a Hahn-echo like sequence. A reset of the spin memory is implemented in-between two successive sequences using optical repumping of the spins.     

Quantum information transfer and entanglement with SQUID qubits in cavity QED: a dark-state scheme with tolerance for nonuniform device parameter

We investigate the experimental feasibility of realizing quantum information transfer (QIT) and entanglement with SQUID qubits in a microwave cavity via dark states. Realistic system parameters are presented. Our results show that QIT and entanglement with two-SQUID qubits can be achieved with a high fidelity. The present scheme is tolerant to device parameter nonuniformity. We also show that the strong coupling limit can be achieved with SQUID qubits in a microwave cavity. Thus, cavity-SQUID systems provide a new way for production of nonclassical microwave source and quantum communication.     

Superconducting quantum interference devices made of Sb-doped Bi2Se3 topological insulator nanoribbons

We report the fabrication and characterization of superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) made of Sb-doped Bi₂Se₃ topological insulator (TI) nanoribbon (NR) contacted with PbIn superconducting electrodes. When an external magnetic field was applied along the NR axis, the TI NR exhibited periodic magneto-conductance oscillations, the so-called Aharonov-Bohm oscillations, owing to one-dimensional subbands. Below the superconducting transition temperature of PbIn electrodes, we observed supercurrent flow through TI NR-based SQUID. The critical current periodically modulates with a magnetic field perpendicular to the SQUID loop, revealing that the periodicity corresponds to the superconducting flux quantum. Our experimental observations can be useful to explore Majorana bound states (MBS) in TI NR, promising for developing topological quantum information devices.     

Nanoscale superconducting quantum bits

Various physical systems were proposed for quantum information processing. Among those nanoscale devices appear most promising for integration in electronic circuits and large-scale applications. We discuss Josephson junction circuits in two regimes where they can be used for quantum computing. These systems combine intrinsic coherence of the superconducting state with control possibilities of single-charge circuits. In the regime where the typical charging energy dominates over the Josephson coupling, the low-temperature dynamics is limited to two states differing by a Cooper-pair charge on a superconducting island. In the opposite regime of prevailing Josephson energy, the phase (or flux) degree of freedom can be used to store and process quantum information. Under suitable conditions the system reduces to two states with different flux configurations. Several qubits can be joined together into a register. The quantum state of a qubit register can be manipulated by voltage and magnetic field pulses. The qubits are inevitably coupled to the environment. However, estimates of the phase coherence time show that many elementary quantum logic operations can be performed before the phase coherence is lost. In addition to manipulations, the final state of the qubits has to be read out. This quantum measurement process can be accomplished using a single-electron transistor for charge Josephson qubits, and a d.c.-SQUID for flux qubits. Recent successful experiments with superconducting qubits demonstrate for the first time quantum coherence in macroscopic systems.     

A proposal for the realization of universal quantum gates via superconducting qubits inside a cavity

A family of quantum logic gates is proposed via superconducting (SC) qubits coupled to a SC-cavity. The Hamiltonian for SC-charge qubits inside a single mode cavity is considered. Three- and two-qubit operations are generated by applying a classical magnetic field with the flux. Therefore, a number of quantum logic gates are realized. Numerical simulations and calculation of the fidelity are used to prove the success of these operations for these gates.     

Symmetric behavior of vortex states of superconducting networks in a magnetic field

We present magnetic field dependence of phase transition temperature and vortex configuration of superconducting networks based on theoretical study. The applied magnetic field is called “filling field” that is defined by applied magnetic flux (in unit of the flux quantum) per unit loop of the superconducting network. If a superconducting network is composed of very thin wires whose thicknesses are less than coherence length, the de Gennes–Alexander (dGA) theory is applicable. We have already shown that field dependences of transition temperature curves have symmetric behavior about the filling field of 1/2 by solving the dGA equation numerically in square lattices, honeycomb lattices, cubic lattices and those with randomly lack of wires networks. Many experimental studies also show the symmetric behavior. In this paper, we make an explicit theoretical explanation of symmetric behaviors of superconducting network respect to the applied field.     

Measurement-Based Hyperentanglement Distillation for Lossy and Distortion Photon State

The information content of a photon system can be extended by hyperentanglement, but the quality of hyperentanglement will be decreased by the complicated transmission loss and channel noise in quantum information processing. Here, an efficient measurement-based hyperentanglement distillation protocol (MB-HDP) is presented for depressing the effects of complicated transmission loss and channel noise on hyperentanglement. In the MB-HDP, the nonlocal lossy and distortion photon states are coupled to local hyperentangled Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) states using parity measurement and qubit amplification device, and the decoherence caused by bit-flip (phase-flip) error, diverse transmission coefficients and transmission loss can be depressed by the successful measurement results, which can increase the quality of nonlocal hyperentangled photon state. This MB-HDP broadens the application scope of hyperentanglement distillation to nonlocal lossy and distortion photon state with a lower degree of entanglement. In addition, the MB-HDP can further improve the quality of nonlocal hyperentangled photon state by coupling multiple copies of lossy and distortion hyperentangled photon state with local hyperentangled GHZ states. This work demonstrates the ability of measurement-based method for ensuring the quality of nonlocal hyperentanglement, which can improve the integrity and capacity of long-distance quantum information processing.     

Scalable Quantum Information Transfer between Individual Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers by a Hybrid Quantum Interface

We develop a design of a hybrid quantum interface for quantum information transfer(QIT),adopting a nanomechanical resonator as the intermedium,which is magnetically coupled with individual nitrogen-vacancy centers as the solid qubits,while capacitively coupled with a coplanar waveguide resonator as the quantum data bus.We describe the Hamiltonian of the model,and analytically demonstrate the QIT for both the resonant interaction and large detuning cases.The hybrid quantum interface aiiows for QIT between arbitrarily selected individual nitrogen-vacancy centers,and has advantages of the scalability and controllability.Our methods open an alternative perspective for implementing QIT,which is important during quantum storing or processing procedures in quantum computing.     

Enhanced Cross-Phase Modulation via Phase Control in a Quantum dot Nanostructure

A four-level quantum dot (QD) nanostructure interacting with four fields (two weak near-infrared (NIR) pulses and two control fields) forms the well-known double-cascade configuration. We investigate the cross-phase modulation (XPM) between the two NIR pulses. The results show, in such a closed-loop scheme, that the XPM can be greatly enhanced, while the linear absorption and two-photon absorption (gain) can be efficiently depressed by tuning the relative phase among the applied fields. This protocol may have potential applications in NIR all-optical switch design and quantum information processing with the solid-state materials.     

Unconditional secure two-way quantum dense key distribution

In this paper, we present a two-way quantum dense key distribution protocol. With double check modes, our scheme is secure regardless of the presence of noises. And with a quantum teleportation process, secret message can be encoded deterministically even if the quantum channel is highly lossy. Therefore, our scheme can be used in a realistic quantum channel regardless of the presence of noises and channel losses.     

Quantum switch for coupling highly detuned superconducting qubits

We propose to implement a quantum switch scheme for coupling highly detuned superconducting qubits connected by a gap-tunable bridge qubit. By modulating the frequency of the bridge qubit, it can be used as a coupler to switch on/off and adjust the coupling strength between the initially non-interaction qubits. It is shown that the proposals of quantum information transfer and quantum entangled gate between two highly detuned qubits can be implemented with high fidelity. Moreover, we extend the case of coupling the switch to multiple qubits for the generation of W states. The advantages of our scheme are that it eliminates the need for tuning the gaps of the qubits and the cross-talk interaction is greatly suppressed. The influence of decoherence and parameter variation is also investigated by numerical simulation, which suggests that the present scheme is feasible in current experiment.     

基于金刚石氮-空位色心自旋系综与超导量子电路混合系统的量子节点纠缠

量子纠缠是实现量子计算和量子通信的核心基础,本文提出了在金刚石氮-空位色心(NV centers)自旋系综与超导量子电路耦合的混合系统中实现两个分离量子节点之间纠缠的理论方案.在该混合系统中,把金刚石NV centers自旋系综和与之耦合的超导共面谐振器视为一个量子节点,两个量子节点之间通过一个空的超导共面谐振器连接.具有较长相干时间的NV centers自旋系综作为一个量子存储器,用于制备、存储和发送量子信息;易于外部操控的超导量子电路可执行量子逻辑门操作,快速调控量子信息.为了实现两个分离量子节点之间的纠缠,首先对系统的哈密顿量进行正则变换,将其等价为两个NV centers自旋系综与同一个超导共面谐振器之间的JC耦合;然后采用NV centers自旋-光子混合比特编码的方式,通过调节超导共面谐振器的谐振频率,精确控制体系演化时间,高保真度地实现了两个分离量子节点之间的量子纠缠.本方案还可以进一步扩展和集成,用于构建多节点纠缠的分布式量子网络.     

Eavesdropping on the "ping-pong" quantum communication protocol

Security of the "ping-pong" quantum communication protocol recently proposed by Bostr?m and Felbinger [Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 187902 (2002)]] is analyzed in the case of considerable quantum channel losses. The eavesdropping scheme is presented, which reveals that the ping-pong protocol is not secure for transmission efficiencies lower than 60%. Our scheme induces 50% losses, which, however, can be hidden in the channel losses if one replaces the original lossy channel with a less lossy one. Finally, a possible improvement of the ping-pong protocol security is proposed.     

没有薛定谔猫态

新近有个超导量子干涉器件的实验,使澄清量子力学基本解释有了可能.分析此实验和相关实验之后,作出断言,抽象量子态没有信息,且波函数是个尚待观察者要去做的实验的几率幅.故用常用术语将量子态或波函数过分具体化,恐怕要招致误解.因而从本质上讲,薛定谔猫态是不存在的.     

Two-dimensional lattice gauge theories with superconducting quantum circuits

A quantum simulator of U(1)$U\left(1\right)$ lattice gauge theories can be implemented with superconducting circuits. This allows the investigation of confined and deconfined phases in quantum link models, and of valence bond solid and spin liquid phases in quantum dimer models. Fractionalized confining strings and the real-time dynamics of quantum phase transitions are accessible as well. Here we show how state-of-the-art superconducting technology allows us to simulate these phenomena in relatively small circuit lattices. By exploiting the strong non-linear couplings between quantized excitations emerging when superconducting qubits are coupled, we show how to engineer gauge invariant Hamiltonians, including ring-exchange and four-body Ising interactions. We demonstrate that, despite decoherence and disorder effects, minimal circuit instances allow us to investigate properties such as the dynamics of electric flux strings, signaling confinement in gauge invariant field theories. The experimental realization of these models in larger superconducting circuits could address open questions beyond current computational capability.