Reliable quantum certification of photonic state preparations

Area of Science:

• Quantum Information Science
• Quantum Optics
• Experimental Quantum Physics

Background:

• Quantum technologies offer transformative applications but lack practical certification methods.
• Ensuring the accurate performance of complex quantum devices is a significant challenge.
• Current certification techniques often require specialized quantum equipment or extensive assumptions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an experimentally accessible and reliable certification tool for photonic quantum states.
• To address the bottleneck of certifying quantum devices in real-world applications.
• To advance the field of many-body quantum certification.

Main Methods:

• An efficient certification test for experimental preparations of multimode pure Gaussian and non-Gaussian states.
• Utilizes linear-optical circuits with Fock-basis states as inputs.
• Employs post-selection with Fock-basis measurements on ancillary modes.
• Requires only classical computing and homodyne or heterodyne detection.

Main Results:

• The developed method provides a reliable way to certify photonic quantum states.
• Minimal assumptions are needed regarding experimental noise or capabilities.
• The technique is applicable to various types of pure quantum states.

Conclusions:

• This work presents a significant step forward in certifying complex quantum systems.
• The method facilitates the practical deployment and validation of photonic quantum technologies.
• It contributes to the broader goal of testing quantum mechanics at large scales.