QUROPE Quantum Information Processing and Communication in Europe

We study the operation of linear optics schemes for entanglement distribution based on nonlocal photon subtraction when input states, produced by imperfect single-photon sources, exhibit both vacuum and multiphoton contributions. Two models for realistic photon statistics with radically different properties of the multiphoton “tail” are considered. The first model assumes occasional emission of double photons and linear attenuation, while the second one is motivated by heralded sources utilizing spontaneous parametric down-conversion.

Harnessing nonlinearities strong enough to allow two single photons to interact with one another is not only a fascinating challenge but is central to numerous advanced applications in quantum information science. Currently, all known approaches are extremely challenging although a few have led to experimental realisations with attenuated classical laser light.

We prove that enhanced entanglement percolation via lattice transformation is possible even if the new lattice is more poorly connected in that: i) the coordination number (a local property) decreases, or ii) the classical percolation threshold (a global property) increases. In searching for protocols to transport entanglement across a network, it seems reasonable to try transformations that increase connectivity.