A simple method of observing coherent ground state transients

It is shown that coherence between nondegenerate sublevels of an atomic ground state is efficiently induced by means of a short resonant light pulse. The free precession of the coherence causes beats in forward stattering of a probe beam, which can sensitively be detected by a polarization technique. Zeeman beats on the 4f⁶ 6s²⁷ F₁-4f⁶ 6s6p ⁷F₀ transition of samarium were observed. In sodium vapor transient ground state coherence was detected in a single-shot measurement.     

Femtosecond spectral electric field reconstruction using coherent transients

We have implemented a new approach for measuring the time-dependent intensity and phase of ultrashort optical pulses. It is based on the interaction between shaped pulses and atoms, leading to coherent transients.     

Quantum interference between heralded single photon state and coherent state

Balanced homodyne detection has been introduced as a reliable technique of reconstructing the quantum state of a single photon Fock state, which is based on coupling the single photon state and a strong coherent local oscillator in a beam splitter and detecting the field quadrature at the output ports separately. The main challenge associated with a tomographic characterization of the single photon state is mode matching between the single photon state and the local oscillator. Utilizing the heralded single photon generated by the spontaneous parametric process, the multi-mode theoretical model of quantum interference between the single photon state and the coherent state in the fiber beam splitter is established.Moreover, the analytical expressions of the temporal-mode matching coefficient and interference visibility and relationship between the two parameters are shown. In the experimental scheme, the interference visibility under various temporalmode matching coefficients is demonstrated, which is almost accordant with the theoretical value. Our work explores the principle of temporal-mode matching between the single photon state and the coherent photon state, originated from a local oscillator, and could provide guidance for designing the high-performance balanced homodyne detection system.     

Quantum state engineering by superpositions of coherent states along a straight line with a single atomic state measurement

A new scheme is proposed for preparation of a type of nonclassical state in cavity QED. In the scheme, an atom either flying through or trapped within a cavity, is controlled by the classical Stark effect; this makes it interact alternately with a (resonant) classical field and with the (dispersive) cavity field. The cavity field, which allows an arbitrary displacement operation during the process, after the detection on the atom, finally collapses to the specific superpositions of coherent states, with their weighting factors controllable. The scheme is also applied for preparation of superpositions of motional coherent states for a trapped ion. The scheme is in contrast to all the previous ones, and thus provides a new perspective for quantum state engineering.     

Quantum state engineering using conditional measurement on a beam splitter

State preparation via conditional output measurement on a beam splitter is studied, assuming the signal mode is mixed with a mode prepared in a Fock state and photon numbers are measured in one of the output channels. It is shown that the mode in the other output channel is prepared in either a photon-subtracted or a photon-added Jacobi polynomial state, depending upon the difference between the number of photons in the input Fock state and the number of photons in the output Fock state onto which it is projected. The properties of the conditional output states are studied for coherent and squeezed input states, and the probabilities of generating the states are calculated. Relations to other states, such as near-photon-number states and squeezed-state-excitations, are given and proposals are made for generating them by combining the scheme with others. Finally, effects of realistic photocounting and Fock-state preparation are discussed. Received: 17 March 1998 / Revised and Accepted: 8 May 1998     

Quantum teleportation of an arbitrary two-mode coherent state using only linear optics elements

We propose a linear optics scheme to teleport an arbitrary two-mode coherent state. The devices used are beam-splitters, phase-shifters and ideal photo-detectors capable of distinguishing between even and odd photon numbers. The scheme achieves faithful teleportation with a probability of 1/4. However, with additional use of an appropriate displacement operator, the teleported state can always be made near-faithful.     

Quantum interference between a single-photon Fock state and a coherent state

We derive analytical expressions for the single mode quantum field state at the individual output ports of a beam splitter when a single-photon Fock state and a coherent state are incident on the input ports. The output states turn out to be a statistical mixture between a displaced Fock state and a coherent state. Consequently we are able to find an analytical expression for the corresponding Wigner function. Because of the generality of our calculations the obtained results are valid for all passive and lossless optical four port devices. We show further how the results can be adapted to the case of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer. In addition we consider the case for which the single-photon Fock state is replaced with a general input state: a coherent input state displaces each general quantum state at the output port of a beam splitter with the displacement parameter being the amplitude of the coherent state.     

Quantum state reconstruction via continuous measurement

We present a new procedure for quantum state reconstruction based on weak continuous measurement of an ensemble average. By applying controlled evolution to the initial state, new information is continually mapped onto the measured observable. A Bayesian filter is then used to update the state estimate in accordance with the measurement record. This generalizes the standard paradigm for quantum tomography based on strong, destructive measurements on separate ensembles. This approach to state estimation induces minimal perturbation of the measured system, giving information about observables whose evolution cannot be described classically in real time and opening the door to new types of quantum feedback control.     

基于二进制均匀调制相干态的量子密钥分发方案

提出了一种基于二进制均匀调制相干态的量子密钥分发方案. 相对于高斯调制相干态量子密钥分发方案中的高斯信源,二进制信源是最简单的信源,二进制调制是目前数字光纤通信中最普遍的调制方式,技术上容易实现. 采用Shannon信息论分析了该协议抵抗光束分离攻击的能力,得到秘密信息速率与调制参数、解调参数以及信道参数之间的解析表达式. 关键词： 量子密钥分发 二进制调制 光束分离攻击     

Quantum interferometry via a coherent state mixed with a squeezed number state

We theoretically investigate the phase sensitivity with parity measurement on a Mach–Zehnder interferometer with a coherent state combined with a squeezed number state. Within a constraint on the total mean photon number, we find, via parity measurement, that the mixing of a coherent state and squeezed number state can give better phase sensitivity than mixing a coherent state and squeezed vacuum state when the phase shift deviates from the optimal phase φ= 0. In addition,we show that the classical Fisher information for parity measurement saturates the quantum Fisher information when the phase shift approaches to zero. Thus, the quantum Crame′r–Rao bound can be reached via the parity measurement in the case of φ= 0.     

Quantum states of extended objects beyond the coherent state approximation

Within the framework of the φ⁴ theory in one space dimension with spontaneously broken symmetry we construct explicitly a kink state which is an eigenstate of the Hamiltonian up to order √λ, thereby going beyond the coherent state approximation.     

Quantum theory of state reduction and measurement

The central problem in the quantum theory of measurement, how to describe the process of state reduction in terms of the quantum mechanical formalism, is solved on the basis of the relativity of quantal states, which implies that once the apparatus is detected in a well-defined state, the object state must reduce to a corresponding one. This is a process termed by Schrödinger disentanglement. Here, it is essential to observe that Renninger's negative result does constitute an actual measurement process. From this point of view, Heisenberg's interpretation of his microscope experiment and the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen arguments are reinvestigated. Satisfactory discussions are given to various experimental situations, such as the Stern-Gerlach-type experiment, successive measurements, macroscopic measurements, and Schrödinger's cat. Finally it is proposed to regard a state vector in quantum mechanics as an irreducible physical construct, in Margenau's sense, that is not further analyzable both mathematically and conceptually.     

A secure identification system using coherent states

A quantum identification system based on the transformation of polarization of a mesoscopic coherent state is proposed. Physically, an initial polarization state which carries the identity information is transformed into an arbitrary elliptical polarization state. To verify the identity of a communicator, a reverse procedure is performed by the receiver. For simply describing the transformation procedure, the analytical methods of Poincar\'{e} sphere and quaternion are adopted. Since quantum noise provides such a measurement uncertainty for the eavesdropping that the identity information cannot be retrieved from the elliptical polarization state, the proposed scheme is secure.     

Quantum coherent versus classical coherent light

The paper shows that the Wigner distribution function of quantum optical coherent states, or of a superposition of such states, can be produced and measured with a classical optical set-up using classical coherent light fields. This measurement cannot be done directly in quantum optics since the quantum phase space variables correspond to non-commuting operators. As an example, the Wigner distribution function of Schrödinger cat states of light has been measured. It is also shown that the possibility of measuring the Wigner distribution function of quantum coherent states with classical coherent fields is unique in the sense that it cannot be extended to other quantum states, not even to the incoherent limit of the superposition of coherent states.     

Quantum speed limit for the maximum coherent state under the squeezed environment

The quantum speed limit time for quantum system under squeezed environment is studied. We consider two typical models, the damped Jaynes–Cummings model and the dephasing model. For the damped Jaynes–Cummings model under squeezed environment, we find that the quantum speed limit time becomes larger with the squeezed parameter r increasing and indicates symmetry about the phase parameter value θ = π. Meanwhile, the quantum speed limit time can also be influenced by the coupling strength between the system and environment. However, the quantum speed limit time for the dephasing model is determined by the dephasing rate and the boundary of acceleration region that interacting with vacuum reservoir can be broken when the squeezed environment parameters are appropriately chosen.     

Quantum entanglement of an entangled coherent state: Role of particle losses

We analyze entanglement properties of entangled coherent state （ECS）, ｜α,0） 1,2 ＋｜0,α） 1,2, with and without photon losses. By separating the coherent state into ]a） = co｜0） ＋ √-Co2｜α）, we derive exact results of the logarithmic negativity EN, which quantifies the degree of entanglement between the two bosonic modes. Without particle losses, E~ = 1 for the NOON state; while for the ECS, E jr increases from 0 to 1 as ｜α｜-→∞. In the presence of photon losses, we find that the ECS with large enough photon number is more robust than that of the NOON state. An optimal ECS is obtained by maximizing E~ with respect to l a 12.     

Quantum cloning of a coherent light state into an atomic quantum memory

A scheme for the optimal Gaussian cloning of coherent light states at the interface between light and atoms is proposed. The distinct feature of this proposal is that the clones are stored in an atomic quantum memory, which is important for applications in quantum communication. The atomic quantum cloning machine requires only a single passage of the light pulse through the atomic ensembles followed by the measurement of a light quadrature and an appropriate feedback, which renders the protocol experimentally feasible. An alternative protocol, where one of the clones is carried by the outgoing light pulse, is discussed in connection with eavesdropping on quantum key distribution.     

Quantum teleportation of a polarization state with a complete bell state measurement

We report a quantum teleportation experiment in which nonlinear interactions are used for the Bell state measurements. The experimental results demonstrate the working principle of irreversibly teleporting an unknown arbitrary polarization state from one system to another distant system by disassembling into and then later reconstructing from purely classical information and nonclassical EPR correlations. The distinct feature of this experiment is that all four Bell states can be distinguished in the Bell state measurement. Teleportation of a polarization state can thus occur with certainty in principle.