Open AccessOn-chip implementation of the probabilistic quantum optical state comparison amplifier
Author(s) -
David W. Canning,
Ross Donaldson,
Sebabrata Mukherjee,
Robert J. Collins,
Luca Mazzarella,
Ugo Zanforlin,
John Jeffers,
Robert R. Thomson,
Gerald S. Buller
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.27.031713
Subject(s) - optical amplifier , direct coupled amplifier , optics , quantum amplifier , amplifier , optical parametric amplifier , physics , interferometry , quantum limit , optoelectronics , computer science , electronic engineering , quantum , laser , quantum information , operational amplifier , quantum error correction , quantum mechanics , engineering , cmos
Propagation losses in transmission media limit the transmission distance of optical signals. In the case where the signal is made up of quantum optical states, conventional deterministic optical amplification schemes cannot be used to increase the transmission distance as the copying of an arbitrary and unknown quantum state is forbidden. One strategy that can offset propagation loss is the use of probabilistic, or non-deterministic, amplification schemes - an example of which is the state comparison amplifier. Here we report a state comparison amplifier implemented in a compact, fiber-coupled femtosecond laser-written waveguide chip as opposed to the large, bulk-optical components of previous designs. This pathfinder on-chip implementation of the quantum amplifier has resulted in several performance improvements: the polarization integrity of the written waveguides has resulted in improved visibility of the amplifier interferometers; the potential of substantially-reduced losses throughout the amplifier configuration; and a more compact and environmentally-stable amplifier which is scalable to more complex networks.