Quantum semi-Markov processes

We construct a large class of non-Markovian master equations that describe the dynamics of open quantum systems featuring strong memory effects, which relies on a quantum generalization of the concept of classical semi-Markov processes. General conditions for the complete positivity of the corresponding quantum dynamical maps are formulated. The resulting non-Markovian quantum processes allow the treatment of a variety of physical systems, as is illustrated by means of various examples and applications, including quantum optical systems and models of quantum transport.     

Implementations of quantum and classical gates with linear optical devices and photon number quantum non-demolition measurement for polarization encoded qubits

Aiming the construction of quantum computers and quantum communication systems based on optical devices, in this work we present possible implementations of quantum and classical CNOTs gates, as well an optical setup for generation and distribution of bipartite entangled states, using linear optical devices and photon number quantum non-demolition measurement.     

A nonlinear optical-fiber interferometer for nondemolitional measurement of photon number

A nondemolitional measurement scheme to determine the photon number was realised using an optical fiber as the optical Kerr medium. The φ⁽³⁾ value of an optical fiber for the optical Kerr effect was measured using this scheme. A classical correlation between the measured light intensity and the outgoing light intensity was observed experimentally. The goal of the measurement accuracy to obtain a quantum correlation is also discussed aiming at the quantum nondemolition (QND) measurement of the photon number.     

Probabilistic Process Algebra to Unifying Quantum and Classical Computing in Closed Systems

We have unified quantum and classical computing in open quantum systems called qACP which is a quantum generalization of process algebra ACP. But, an axiomatization of quantum and classical processes with an assumption of closed quantum systems is still missing. For closed quantum systems, unitary operator, quantum measurement and quantum entanglement are three basic components of quantum computing. This leads to probability unavoidable. Along the solution of qACP to unify quantum and classical computing in open quantum systems, we unify quantum and classical computing with an assumption of closed systems under the framework of ACP-like probabilistic process algebra. This unification make it can be used widely in verification of quantum and classical computing mixed systems, such as most quantum communication protocols.

     

Realization of a minimal disturbance quantum measurement

We report the first experimental realization of an "optimal" quantum device able to perform a minimal disturbance measurement on polarization encoded qubits saturating the theoretical boundary established between the classical knowledge acquired of any input state, i.e., a "classical guess," and the fidelity of the same state after disturbance due to measurement. The device has been physically realized by means of a linear optical qubit manipulation, postselection measurement, and a classical feed-forward process.     

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.     

On geometro-stochastic theory of measurement and quantum geometry

The reasons for the fundamental incompatibility of quantum mechanics with classical relativistic geometries are reviewed, whereupon the basic principles of a theory of measurement leading to quantum geometries are stated and discussed. The ensuing conceptualization of quantum processes is formulated as an integral part of an all-pervasive concept of quantum reality in which systems as well as apparatuses are treated as quantum objects. The basic ideas of the resulting geometro-stochastic theory of quantum measurement are explained.     

Classical and quantum noise in nonlinear optical systems

In quantum optics noise plays an important role, since many of the nonlinear optical systems are quite sensitive to the subtle influences of weak random perturbations, being either classical of quantum mechanical in nature. We discuss the origin of quantum noise emerging from the reversible or the irreversible part of the dynamics and compare it with the properties of purely classical fluctuations. These general features are illustrated by a number of physical examples, such as the laser with loss or gain noise, nonlinear optical devices, and the phenomenon of quantum jumps. These processes have been chosen mainly to illustrate the different aspects of noise, but also because, to a large extent, they can be described in analytical terms.     

Quantum theory of continuous measurements and its applications in quantum optics

We present an overview of the quantum theory of continuous measurements and discuss some of its important applications in quantum optics. Quantum theory of continuous measurements is the appropriate generalization of the conventional formulation of quantum theory, which is adequate to deal with counting experiments where a detector monitors a system continuously over an interval of time and records the times of occurrence of a given type of event, such as the emission or arrival of a particle. We first discuss the classical theory of counting processes and indicate how one arrives at the celebrated photon counting formula of Mandel for classical optical fields. We then discuss the inadequacies of the so called quantum Mandel formula. We explain how the unphysical results that arise from the quantum Mandel formula are due to the fact that the formula is obtained on the basis of an erroneous identification of the coincidence probability densities associated with a continuous measurement situation. We then summarize the basic framework of the quantum theory of continuous measurements as developed by Davies. We explain how a complete characterization of the counting process can be achieved by specifying merely the measurement transformation associated with the change in the state of the system when a single event is observed in an infinitesimal interval of time. In order to illustrate the applications of the quantum theory of continuoius measurements in quantum optics, we first derive the photon counting probabilities of a single-mode free field and also of a single-mode field in interaction with an external source. We then discuss the general quantum counting formula of Chmara for a multi-mode electromagnetic field coupled to an external source. We explain how the Chmara counting formula is indeed the appropriate quantum generalization of the classical Mandel formula. To illustrate the fact that the quantum theory of continuous measurements has other diverse applications in quantum optics, besides the theory of photodetection, we summarize the theory of ‘quantum jumps’ developed by Zoller, Marte and Walls and Barchielli, where the continuous measurements framework is employed to evaluate the statistics of photon emission events in the resonance fluorescence of an atomic system.     

Zur Frage der Gültigkeitsgrenzen der Quantenmechanik

In recent discussions two different views concerning the rôle of processes of observation and measurement in quantum mechanics have been put forward. One of these (Ludwig) assumes the theory of measurement to be connected with macrophysics, and macrophysics to stand still outside the frame of pure quantum mechanics. Other considerations too supporting the idea that quantum mechanics is not yet the last step in necessary generalisations of classical physics the author reports shortly about his endeavour to recognise mathematical possibilities for further generalisations, starting especially fromNeumann-Birkhoff's “quantum logic”.     

Geometrical optics in Fresnel quantum holography

The geometrical optics in Fresnel quantum holography for quantum entangled two-photon source and classical thermal light source based on the second-order correlation measurement has been discussed. We theoretically prove that the Fresnel quantum hologram of the detected object can be obtained through second-order correlation measurement and the optical reconstruction process can be accomplished by making use of a point light source.     

A Classical Analog of Random Quantum States

We examine the statistical properties of a pure quantum state randomly chosen with respect to the uniform measure in a Hilbert space. Namely, we consider the distribution of outcomes of a fixed measurement performed on the random quantum state. We show that such distribution is completely analogous to the distribution of measurement outcomes of an a priori unknown classical random system. In particular, Shannon entropies of both distributions coincide. We study this correspondence between quantum and classical random systems and clarify its origin.     

A Quantum Mechanical Supertask

That quantum mechanical measurement processes are indeterministic is widely known. The time evolution governed by the differential Schrödinger equation can also be indeterministic under the extreme conditions of a quantum supertask, the quantum analogue of a classical supertask. Determinism can be restored by requiring normalizability of the supertask state vector, but it must be imposed as an additional constraint on the differential Schrödinger equation.     

Classical images as quantum entanglement: An image processing analogy of the GHZ experiment

In this paper we present an optical analogy of quantum entanglement by means of classical images. As in previous works, the quantum state of two or more qbits is encoded by using the spatial modulation in amplitude and phase of an electromagnetic field. We show here that bidimensional encoding of two qbit states allows us to interpret some non local features of the joint measurement by the assumption of “astigmatic” observers with different resolving power in two orthogonal directions. As an application, we discuss the optical simulation of measuring a system characterized by multiparticle entanglement. The simulation is based on a local representation of entanglement and a classical interferometric system. In particular we show how to simulate the Greenberger-Horne Zeilinger (GHZ) argument and the experimental results which interpretation illustrates the conflict between quantum mechanics and local realism.     

Spectral phase correlation of coded femtosecond pulses by second-harmonic generation in thick nonlinear crystals

We demonstrate a novel all-optical scheme for measuring the correlation of spectrally phase-coded ultrashort optical waveforms that uses second-harmonic generation (SHG) in long, periodically poled lithium niobate crystals. The SHG yield can be controlled over a range of ~30 dB, depending on the correlation of the applied phase codes. Such a spectral phase correlator has applications for ultrashort-pulse optical code-division multiple-access networking and could serve as a nonlinear optical but classical analog for certain schemes for coherent quantum control of multiphoton processes.     

量子算法的NMR实现方法

量子计算机是一种以量子耦合方式进行信息处理的装置[1 ] 。原则上 ,它能利用量子相干干涉方法以比传统计算机更快的速度进行诸如大数的因式分解、未排序数据库中的数据搜索等工作[2 ] 。建造大型量子计算机的主要困难是噪音、去耦和制造工艺。一方面 ,虽然离子陷阱和光学腔实验方法大有希望 ,但这些方法都还没有成功实现过量子计算。另一方面 ,因为隔离于自然环境 ,核自旋可以成为很好的“量子比特” ,可能以非传统方式使用核磁共振 (NMR)技术实现量子计算。本文介绍一种用NMR方法实现量子计算的方法 ,该方法能够用比传统方法少的步骤解决一个纯数学问题。基于该方法的简单量子计算机使用比传统计算机使用更少的函数“调用”判断一未知函数的类别。     

High‐resolution spectral characterization of two photon states via classical measurements

Quantum optics plays a central role in the study of fundamental concepts in quantum mechanics, and in the development of new technological applications. Typical experiments employ sources of photon pairs generated by parametric processes such as spontaneous parametric down‐conversion and spontaneous four‐wave‐mixing. The standard characterization of these sources relies on detecting the pairs themselves and thus requires single photon detectors, which limit both measurement speed and accuracy. Here it is shown that the two‐photon quantum state that would be generated by parametric fluorescence can be characterised with unprecedented spectral resolution by performing a classical experiment. This streamlined technique gives access to hitherto unexplored features of two‐photon states and has the potential to speed up design and testing of massively parallel integrated nonlinear sources by providing a fast and reliable quality control procedure. Additionally, it allows for the engineering of quantum light states at a significantly higher level of spectral detail, powering future quantum optical applications based on time‐energy photon correlations.     

Unitary evolutions and horizontal lifts in quantum stochastic calculus

Unitarity is proved for a class of solutions of quantum stochastic differential equations with unbounded coefficients. The resulting processes are then used to construct algebraic quantum diffusions. Applications include an existence proof for a class of diffusions on the non-commutative two-torus and a geometric interpretation for diffusions driven by the classical Poisson process.     

Demonstration of an optical quantum controlled-NOT gate without path interference

We report the first experimental demonstration of an optical quantum controlled-NOT gate without any path interference, where the two interacting path interferometers of the original proposals have been replaced by three partially polarizing beam splitters with suitable polarization dependent transmittance and reflectance. The performance of the device is evaluated using a recently proposed method, by which the quantum process fidelity and the entanglement capability can be estimated from the 32 measurement results of two classical truth tables, significantly less than the 256 measurement results required for full quantum tomography.     

Instruments and channels in quantum information theory

While a positive operator valued measure gives the probabilities in a quantum measurement, an instrument gives both the probabilities and the a posteriori states. By interpreting the instrument as a quantum channel and by using the typical inequalities for the quantum and classical relative entropies, many bounds on the classical information extracted in a quantum measurement, of the type of the Holevo bound, are obtained in a unified manner.