Atomic Physics Seminars

Quantum information science promises to hold substantial advantages over classical information by allowing for secure communication, measurement precision below standard limits, and an exponential increase in certain computational problems. Although there have been several recent advances, such as the claims at quantum supremacy with discrete quantum computation (QC), many challenges still remain. One large obstacle is the prevention of decoherence in large entangled systems, which leads to a scalability problem in qubit-based QC. The scalability problem can be solved with cluster states using continuous-variable (CV) quantum-optics, but this comes with its own difficulties. In order to achieve a quantum advantage and allow for error correction with CV systems, it is necessary to include quantum states with non-Gaussian distribution functions.  In this talk, I will discuss several experimentally accessible ways one can generate useful non-Gaussian states with photon-number-resolved detection. Some of these states are desirable for CVQC while others show potential for Heisenberg-limited metrology. I will then introduce our method of efficient quantum state characterization utilizing the photon-number-resolving measurement capabilities in our lab.