First anniversary highlights

High-dimensional, frequency-entangled photonic quantum bits (qudits for d-dimension) are promising resources for quantum information processing in an optical fiber network and can also be used to improve channel capacity and security for quantum communication. However, up to now, it is still challenging to prepare high-dimensional frequency-entangled qudits in experiments, due to technical limitations. Here we propose and experimentally implement a novel method for a simple generation of frequency-entangled qudts with $d\gt 10$ without the use of any spectral filters or cavities. The generated state is distributed over 15 km in total length. This scheme combines the technique of spectral engineering of biphotons generated by spontaneous parametric down-conversion and the technique of spectrally resolved Hong-Ou-Mandel interference. Our frequency-entangled qudits will enable quantum cryptographic experiments with enhanced performances. This distribution of distinct entangled frequency modes may also be useful for improved metrology, quantum remote synchronization, as well as for fundamental test of stronger violation of local realism.

We show how to realise quantum state transfer between distant qubits using the chiral edge states of a two-dimensional topological spin system. Our implementation based on Rydberg atoms allows to realise the quantum state transfer protocol in state-of-the-art experimental setups. In particular, we show how to adapt the standard state transfer protocol to make it robust against dispersive and disorder effects.

One of the main challenges in the field of quantum simulation and computation is to identify ways to certify the correct functioning of a device when a classical efficient simulation is not available. Important cases are situations in which one cannot classically calculate local expectation values of state preparations efficiently. In this work, we develop weak-membership formulations of the certification of ground state preparations. We provide a non-interactive protocol for certifying ground states of frustration-free Hamiltonians based on simple energy measurements of local Hamiltonian terms. This certification protocol can be applied to classically intractable analog quantum simulations: For example, using Feynman-Kitaev Hamiltonians, one can encode universal quantum computation in such ground states. Moreover, our certification protocol is applicable to ground state encodings of IQP circuits aiming at the demonstration of quantum supremacy. These can be certified efficiently when the error is polynomially bounded.

Long coherence times and fast gate operations are desirable but often conflicting requirements for physical qubits. This conflict can be resolved by resorting to fast qubits for operations, and by storing their state in a 'quantum memory' while idle. The ³¹P donor in silicon comes naturally equipped with a fast qubit (the electron spin) and a long-lived qubit (the ³¹P nuclear spin), coexisting in a bound state at cryogenic temperatures. Here, we demonstrate storage and retrieval of quantum information from a single donor electron spin to its host phosphorus nucleus in isotopically enriched ²⁸Si. The fidelity of the memory process is characterised via both state and process tomography. We report an overall process fidelity ${F}_{p}\approx 81$%, and memory storage times up to 80 ms. These values are limited by a transient shift of the electron spin resonance frequency following high-power radiofrequency pulses.

Fault-tolerant quantum error correction is a necessity for any quantum architecture destined to tackle interesting, large-scale problems. Its theoretical formalism has been well founded for nearly two decades. However, we still do not have an appropriate compiler to produce a fault-tolerant, error-corrected description from a higher-level quantum circuit for state-of the-art hardware models. There are many technical hurdles, including dynamic circuit constructions that occur when constructing fault-tolerant circuits with commonly used error correcting codes. We introduce a package that converts high-level quantum circuits consisting of commonly used gates into a form employing all decompositions and ancillary protocols needed for fault-tolerant error correction. We call this form the (I)initialisation, (C)NOT, (M)measurement form (ICM) and consists of an initialisation layer of qubits into one of four distinct states, a massive, deterministic array of CNOT operations and a series of time-ordered X- or Z-basis measurements. The form allows a more flexible approach towards circuit optimisation. At the same time, the package outputs a standard circuit or a canonical geometric description which is a necessity for operating current state-of-the-art hardware architectures using topological quantum codes.

In an effort to overcome the limitations of random spin-glass benchmarks for quantum annealers, focus has shifted to carefully crafted gadget-based problems whose logical structure typically has a planar topology. Recent experiments on these gadget problems using a commercially available quantum annealer have demonstrated an impressive performance over a selection of commonly used classical optimisation heuristics. Here, we show that efficient classical optimisation techniques, such as minimum-weight-perfect matching, can solve these gadget problems exactly and in polynomial time. We present approaches on how to mitigate this shortcoming of commonly used benchmark problems based on planar logical topologies.

Device-independent quantum key distribution (DI-QKD) represents one of the most fascinating challenges in quantum communication, exploiting concepts of fundamental physics, namely Bell tests of nonlocality, to ensure the security of a communication link. This requires the loophole-free violation of a Bell inequality, which is intrinsically difficult due to losses in fibre optic transmission channels. Heralded photon amplification (HPA) is a teleportation-based protocol that has been proposed as a means to overcome transmission loss for DI-QKD. Here we demonstrate HPA for path entangled states and characterise the entanglement before and after loss by exploiting a recently developed displacement-based detection scheme. We demonstrate that by exploiting HPA we are able to reliably maintain high fidelity entangled states over loss-equivalent distances of more than 50 km.

Satellite-based quantum terminals are a feasible way to extend the reach of quantum communication protocols such as quantum key distribution (QKD) to the global scale. To that end, prior demonstrations have shown QKD transmissions from airborne platforms to receivers on ground, but none have shown QKD transmissions from ground to a moving aircraft, the latter scenario having simplicity and flexibility advantages for a hypothetical satellite. Here, we demonstrate QKD from a ground transmitter to a receiver prototype mounted on an airplane in flight. We have specifically designed our receiver prototype to consist of many components that are compatible with the environment and resource constraints of a satellite. Coupled with our relocatable ground station system, optical links with distances of 3–10 km were maintained and quantum signals transmitted while traversing angular rates similar to those observed of low-Earth-orbit satellites. For some passes of the aircraft over the ground station, links were established within 10 s of position data transmission, and with link times of a few minutes and received quantum bit error rates typically ≈3%–5% , we generated secure keys up to 868 kb in length. By successfully generating secure keys over several different pass configurations, we demonstrate the viability of technology that constitutes a quantum receiver satellite payload and provide a blueprint for future satellite missions to build upon.

In addition to being a workhorse for modern quantum technologies, entanglement plays a key role in fundamental tests of quantum mechanics. The entanglement of photons in multiple levels, or dimensions, explores the limits of how large an entangled state can be, while also greatly expanding its applications in quantum information. Here we show how a high-dimensional quantum state of two photons entangled in their orbital angular momentum can be split into two entangled states with a smaller dimensionality structure. Our work demonstrates that entanglement is a quantum property that can be subdivided into spatially separated parts. In addition, our technique has vast potential applications in quantum as well as classical communication systems.

The stabilisation of quantum manifolds is at the heart of error-protected quantum information storage and manipulation. Nonlinear driven-dissipative processes achieve such stabilisation in a hardware efficient manner. Josephson circuits with parametric pump drives implement these nonlinear interactions. In this article, we propose a scheme to engineer a four-photon drive and dissipation on a harmonic oscillator by cascading experimentally demonstrated two-photon processes. This would stabilise a four-dimensional degenerate manifold in a superconducting resonator. We analyse the performance of the scheme using numerical simulations of a realisable system with experimentally achievable parameters.

In this mainly pedagogical article, we discuss under what circumstances measurements play a special role in quantum processes. In particular, we discuss the following facts that appear to be a common area of confusion. (i) From a fundamental point of view, measurements play no special role whatsoever: all dynamics that can be generated by measurements can be generated by unitary processes (for which post-selection is no exception). (ii) From a purely physical point of view, measurements are not 'outside' of quantum mechanics. (iii) The only difference between the abilities of measurement-based protocols and unitary circuits for quantum computing comes from practical (technology dependent) constraints. We emphasise the importance of distinguishing between differences that are (i) fundamental but without physical import; (ii) fundamental and possess physical import; and (iii) are not fundamental but have practical import. We also emphasise the importance of separating theoretical and experimental elements of measurement, primarily projection and amplification, which are physically very different. Note that since we are concerned with facts regarding physical processes, this article has little if anything to do with interpretations of quantum mechanics.

We investigate the optomechanical interaction between light and metallic nanowires through the action of bolometric forces. We show that the response time of the photothermal forces induced on the nanowire is fast and the strength of the interaction can overcome the radiation pressure force. Furthermore, we suggest the photothermal forces can be enhanced by surface plasmon excitation to cool the sub-megahertz vibrational modes of the nanowires close to its quantum limit.

Engineering the directionality and emission rate of quantum light sources is essential in the development of modern quantum applications. In this work we use numerical calculations to optimise the brightness of a broadband quantum emitter positioned in a hybrid metal-dielectric circular periodic nanoantenna. The optimised structure features a photon collection efficiency of $74 \%$ ($82 \%$) and a photon flux enhancement of over 10 (6) into a numerical aperture of 0.22 (0.50), respectively, corresponding to a direct coupling into two types of multi-mode fibres. To enhance the emission rate, we present a new circular nanoantenna design where a quantum emitter is attached to a silver nanocone at the centre of the antenna. After optimisation, we find a collection efficiency of $61 \%$ ($78 \%$) into a numerical aperture of 0.22 (0.50), giving a brightness enhancement of 1000 (600) for an unpolarised emitter. The enhancements in both structures are broadband due to the low-quality factor of the device and are therefore ideal for room-temperature sources. This type of a scalable design can be utilised towards on-chip, high-brightness quantum light sources operating at room temperature.

Control at the interface between the classical and the quantum world is fundamental in quantum physics. In particular, how classical control is enhanced by coherence effects is an important question both from a theoretical as well as from a technological point of view. In this work, we establish a resource theory describing this setting and explore relations to the theory of coherence, entanglement and information processing. Specifically, for the coherent control of quantum systems, the relevant resources of entanglement and coherence are found to be equivalent and closely related to a measure of discord. The results are then applied to the DQC1 protocol and the precision of the final measurement is expressed in terms of the available resources.

In view of real-world applications of quantum information technologies, the combination of miniature quantum resources with existing fibre networks is a crucial issue. Among such resources, on-chip entangled photon sources play a central role for applications spanning quantum communications, computing and metrology. Here, we use a semiconductor source of entangled photons operating at room temperature in conjunction with standard telecom components to demonstrate multi-user quantum key distribution, a core protocol for securing communications in quantum networks. The source consists of an AlGaAs chip-emitting polarisation entangled photon pairs over a large bandwidth in the main telecom band around 1550 nm without the use of any off-chip compensation or interferometric scheme; the photon pairs are directly launched into a dense wavelength division multiplexer (DWDM) and secret keys are distributed between several pairs of users communicating through different channels. We achieve a visibility measured after the DWDM of 87% and show long-distance key distribution using a 50-km standard telecom fibre link between two network users. These results illustrate a promising route to practical, resource-efficient implementations adapted to quantum network infrastructures.