QUROPE Quantum Information Processing and Communication in Europe

The results of local measurements on some composite quantum systems cannot be reproduced classically. This impossibility, known as quantum nonlocality, represents a milestone in the foundations of quantum theory. Quantum nonlocality is also a valuable resource for information-processing tasks, for example, quantum communication, quantum key distribution, quantum state estimation or randomness extraction. Still, deciding whether a quantum state is nonlocal remains a challenging problem.

Atom optics employs the modern techniques of quantum optics and laser cooling to enable applications which often outperform current standard technologies. Atomic matter wave interferometers allow for ultra-precise sensors; metrology and clocks are pushed to an extraordinary accuracy of 17 digits using single atoms. Miniaturization and integration are driven forward for both atomic clocks and atom optical circuits.

We experimentally demonstrate a detection scheme suitable for state analysis of single optically trapped atoms in less than 1  μs with an overall detection efficiency η exceeding 98%. The method is based on hyperfine-state-selective photoionization and subsequent registration of the correlated photoion-electron pairs by coincidence counting via two opposing channel electron multipliers.

 QICC-Key Sessions:

A quantum memory for light is a key element for the realization of future quantum information networks. Requirements for a good quantum memory are versatility (allowing a wide range of inputs) and preservation of quantum information in a way unattainable with any classical memory device. Here we demonstrate such a quantum memory for continuous-variable entangled states, which play a fundamental role in quantum information processing.

In the quantum regime information can be copied with only a finite fidelity. This fidelity gradually increases to 1 as the system becomes classical. In this Letter we show how this fact can be used to directly measure the amount of radiated power. We demonstrate how these principles can be used to build a practical primary standard.

Quantum many-body systems

Bell inequalities, non-locality and communication complexity

Quantum channels

Spin chains have long been considered as candidates for quantum channels to facilitate quantum communication. We consider the transfer of a single excitation along a spin-1/2 chain governed by Heisenberg-type interactions. We build on the work of Balachandran and Gong [V. Balachandran and J. Gong, Phys. Rev. A 77, 012303 (2008)] and show that by applying optimal control to an external parabolic magnetic field, one can drastically increase the propagation rate by two orders of magnitude.

• ion trapping
• atom trapping
• entangled photons
• atom-photon interfaces
• single-photon sources
• cavity QED
• laser cooling