Exploring a new regime for processing optical qubits: squeezing and unsqueezing single photons.

Area of Science:

• Quantum optics
• Quantum information science

Background:

• Quantum gates are fundamental operations in quantum computing.
• Gaussian states are well-understood, but non-Gaussian states offer unique quantum properties.
• Hybrid quantum protocols combine discrete and continuous variable approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a quantum gate for non-Gaussian states.
• To demonstrate a two-way conversion between particle-like and wave-like quantum states.
• To advance the development of hybrid quantum information processing.

Main Methods:

• Implementing a deterministic and reversible squeezing operation.
• Applying the squeezing gate to non-Gaussian input states.
• Verifying the preservation of Wigner function negativities.

Main Results:

• Successfully applied a squeezing operation to non-Gaussian states.
• Demonstrated a two-way conversion between single-photon states and superpositions of coherent states.
• Confirmed the preservation of Wigner function negativities, indicating high fidelity.

Conclusions:

• The developed squeezing gate is a reliable tool for manipulating non-Gaussian states.
• This work is a crucial step towards integrating discrete and continuous variable quantum information processing.
• Enables new possibilities for quantum technologies leveraging non-Gaussian quantum resources.