Showing 1–50 of 122 results for author: Smith, A

Variational quantum eigensolver for chemical molecules

Authors: Luca Ion, Adam Smith

Abstract: Solving interacting multi-particle systems is a central challenge in quantum chemistry and condensed matter physics. In this work, we investigate the computation of ground states and ground-state energies for the He-H+ and H2O molecules using quantum computing techniques. We employ the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE), implemented both on a quantum computer simulator and on an IBM quantum dev… ▽ More Solving interacting multi-particle systems is a central challenge in quantum chemistry and condensed matter physics. In this work, we investigate the computation of ground states and ground-state energies for the He-H+ and H2O molecules using quantum computing techniques. We employ the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE), implemented both on a quantum computer simulator and on an IBM quantum device. The resulting energies are benchmarked against exact ground-state energies obtained via classical methods. Simulations of the H2O molecule were performed on Nottingham's High Performance Computing (HPC) facilities. △ Less

Submitted 27 December, 2025; originally announced December 2025.

Coulomb crystallization of xenon highly charged ions in a laser-cooled Ca+ matrix

Authors: Leonid Prokhorov, Aaron A. Smith, Mingyao Xu, Kostas Georgiou, Vera Guarrera, Lakshmi P. Kozhiparambil Sajith, Elwin A. Dijck, Christian Warnecke, Malte Wehrheim, Alexander Wilzewski, Laura Blackburn, Matthias Keller, Vincent Boyer, Thomas Pfeifer, Ullrich Schwanke, Cigdem Issever, Steven Worm, Piet O. Schmidt, José R. Crespo Lopez-Urrutia, Giovanni Barontini

Abstract: We report on the sympathetic cooling and Coulomb crystallization of xenon highly charged ions (HCIs) with laser-cooled Ca$^+$ ions. The HCIs are produced in a compact electron beam ion trap, then charge selected, decelerated, and finally injected into a cryogenic linear Paul trap. There, they are captured into $^{40}$Ca$^+$ Coulomb crystals, and co-crystallized within them, causing dark voids in t… ▽ More We report on the sympathetic cooling and Coulomb crystallization of xenon highly charged ions (HCIs) with laser-cooled Ca$^+$ ions. The HCIs are produced in a compact electron beam ion trap, then charge selected, decelerated, and finally injected into a cryogenic linear Paul trap. There, they are captured into $^{40}$Ca$^+$ Coulomb crystals, and co-crystallized within them, causing dark voids in their fluorescence images. Fine control over the number of trapped ions and HCIs allows us to realize mixed-species crystals with arbitrary ordering patterns. By investigating Xe$^{q+}$--Ca$^+$ strings, we confirm the HCI charge states, measure their lifetime and characterize the mixed-species motional modes. Our system effectively combines the established quantum control toolbox for Ca$^+$ with the rich set of atomic properties of Xe highly charged ions, providing a resourceful platform for optical frequency metrology, searches for signatures of new physics, and quantum information science. △ Less

Submitted 13 December, 2025; originally announced December 2025.

High magnetic field response of superconductivity dome in quantum artificial High Tc superlattices with variable geometry

Authors: Gaetano Campi, Andrea Alimenti, Sang-Eon Lee, Luis Balicas, Fedor F. Balakirev, G. Alexander Smith, Gennady Logvenov, Antonio Bianconi

Abstract: It is known that cuprate artificial high temperature superlattices (AHTS) with period d, composed of quantum wells confining interface space charge in stoichiometric Mott insulator layers (S), with thickness L, at the interface with overdoped normal metallic cuprate layers (N) show a superconducting dome by tuning the geometric L over d ratio of the SNSN superlattice with the top predicted by quan… ▽ More It is known that cuprate artificial high temperature superlattices (AHTS) with period d, composed of quantum wells confining interface space charge in stoichiometric Mott insulator layers (S), with thickness L, at the interface with overdoped normal metallic cuprate layers (N) show a superconducting dome by tuning the geometric L over d ratio of the SNSN superlattice with the top predicted by quantum material design engineering quantum size effects. Here we report high-field magneto transport measurements up to 41 Tesla of AHTS across the entire superconducting dome. The results show the universal upward-concave behavior of the temperature dependent upper critical magnetic field in low critical temperature samples at rising edge and drop edge of the dome providing compelling evidence for two-band superconductivity in agreement with multigap theory used for quantum design of the SNSN superlattices. The measured superconducting coherence length demonstrates that atomic-scale engineering controls not only the critical temperature but also the intrinsic pair size at Fano-Feshbach resonances physics paving the way toward next generation quantum devices and shedding light on unconventional superconductivity. △ Less

Submitted 12 December, 2025; originally announced December 2025.

Comments: 11 pages, 6 figures

Testing the weak equivalence principle for nonclassical matter with torsion balances

Authors: Roberto Onofrio, Alexander R. H. Smith, Lorenza Viola

Abstract: We propose tests of the weak equivalence principle (WEP) using a torsion balance, in which superposition of energy eigenstates are created in a controllable way for the test masses. After general considerations on the significance of tests of the WEP using quantum states and the need for considering inertial and gravitational masses as operators, we develop a model to derive the matrix elements of… ▽ More We propose tests of the weak equivalence principle (WEP) using a torsion balance, in which superposition of energy eigenstates are created in a controllable way for the test masses. After general considerations on the significance of tests of the WEP using quantum states and the need for considering inertial and gravitational masses as operators, we develop a model to derive the matrix elements of the free-fall operator, showing that the variance of the acceleration operator, in addition to its mean, enables estimation of violations of the WEP due to quantum coherence in a way that is robust with respect to shot-to-shot fluctuations. Building on this analysis, we demonstrate how the validity of the WEP may be tested in a torsion balance setup, by accessing the mean and variance of a torque operator we introduce and quantize. Due to the long acquisition times of the signal as compared to the timescale on which coherent superposition states may survive, we further propose a dynamical setting, where the torsion balance is subject to a time-dependent gravitational field, and measurements of angular acceleration encode possible violations of the WEP. △ Less

Submitted 6 December, 2025; originally announced December 2025.

Comments: 16 pager, 6 figures

Journal ref: Physical Review D 112, 124014 (2025)

Dynamic Modulation of Long Range Photon Magnon Coupling

Authors: Alban Joseph, Mawgan A. Smith, Martin P. Weides, Rair Macêdo

Abstract: Evidence of non-hermitian behavior has been recently demonstrated in cavity magnonics, including the emergence of mode level attraction and exceptional points in spectroscopic measurements. This work demonstrates experimental evidence of time-domain dynamics of magnon-photon systems that are coupled through a long-range interaction (i.e. remote coupling) exhibiting level attraction mediated by an… ▽ More Evidence of non-hermitian behavior has been recently demonstrated in cavity magnonics, including the emergence of mode level attraction and exceptional points in spectroscopic measurements. This work demonstrates experimental evidence of time-domain dynamics of magnon-photon systems that are coupled through a long-range interaction (i.e. remote coupling) exhibiting level attraction mediated by an auxiliary mode. We directly observe the temporal evolution of dissipatively coupled cavity-magnon modes, where heavily damped transmission line modes mediate the interaction. Our frequency-domain measurements confirm the predicted level attraction, while time-domain ring-down measurements reveal the characteristic signatures of dissipative coupling dynamics. Our approach offers in situ tunability over the dissipative coupling strength, including complete suppression, without requiring physical modifications to the experimental setup, providing a versatile platform for exploring tunable, non-Hermitian physics. △ Less

Submitted 3 December, 2025; v1 submitted 2 December, 2025; originally announced December 2025.

Comments: 6 pages, 3 figures and Supplemental Material

Photonic-integrated quantum sensor array for microscale magnetic localisation

Authors: Hao-Cheng Weng, John G. Rarity, Krishna C. Balram, Joe A. Smith

Abstract: Nitrogen-vacancy centres (NVs) are promising solid-state nanoscale quantum sensors for applications ranging from material science to biotechnology. Using multiple sensors simultaneously offers advantages for probing spatiotemporal correlations of fluctuating fields or the dynamics of point defects. In this work, by integrating NVs with foundry silicon-nitride photonic integrated circuits, we reali… ▽ More Nitrogen-vacancy centres (NVs) are promising solid-state nanoscale quantum sensors for applications ranging from material science to biotechnology. Using multiple sensors simultaneously offers advantages for probing spatiotemporal correlations of fluctuating fields or the dynamics of point defects. In this work, by integrating NVs with foundry silicon-nitride photonic integrated circuits, we realise the scalable operation of eight localised NV sensors in an array, with simultaneous, distinct readout of the individual sensors. Using the eight NV sensors and machine-learning methods for multi-point magnetic field reconstruction, we demonstrate microscale magnetic localisation of a 30 $μ$m-sized needle tip. Experimentally, the needle tip can be localised with an error below its dimension and tracked dynamically with high fidelity. We further simulate the feasibility of our platform for monitoring the position and orientation of magnetic microrobots designed for biological and clinical purposes. Without the complexity of bulk optics, our photonic-integrated multi-sensor platform presents a step towards real-life biomedical applications under out-of-the-lab conditions. △ Less

Submitted 14 November, 2025; originally announced November 2025.

Comments: 13 pages, 5 figures

Exceptional Antimodes in Multi-Drive Cavity Magnonics

Authors: Mawgan A. Smith, Ryan D. McKenzie, Alban Joseph, Robert L. Stamps, Rair Macêdo

Abstract: Driven-dissipative systems provide a natural setting for the emergence of exceptional points -- i.e. non-Hermitian degeneracies where eigenmodes coalesce. These points are important for applications such as sensing, where enhanced sensitivity is required, and exhibit interesting and useful phenomena that can be controlled with experimentally accessible parameters. In this regard a four-port, three… ▽ More Driven-dissipative systems provide a natural setting for the emergence of exceptional points -- i.e. non-Hermitian degeneracies where eigenmodes coalesce. These points are important for applications such as sensing, where enhanced sensitivity is required, and exhibit interesting and useful phenomena that can be controlled with experimentally accessible parameters. In this regard a four-port, three-mode, cavity-magnonics platform is demonstrated in which two microwave excitations can be precisely phase shifted and/or attenuated relative to one another. Destructive interference between the hybridised cavity-magnon modes is shown to give rise to antimodes (antiresonances) in the transmission spectrum, enabling coherent perfect extinction of the outgoing signals at selected ports. This interference can be used to actively tune the position and properties of exceptional points, without the fine tuning conventionally required to obtain exceptional points. Such controllable, interference-based engineering of exceptional points provides a practical and flexible pathway toward next-generation, high-sensitivity sensing devices operating at microwave frequencies. △ Less

Submitted 17 October, 2025; originally announced October 2025.

Single photon emission from lithographically-positioned engineered nanodiamonds for cryogenic applications

Authors: Vivekanand Tiwari, Zhaojin Liu, Hao-Cheng Weng, Krishna C Balram, John G Rarity, Soumen Mandal, Oliver A Williams, Gavin W Morley, Joe A Smith

Abstract: Nitrogen-vacancy centres in nanodiamonds (NDs) provide a promising resource for quantum photonic systems. However, developing a technology beyond proof-of-principle physics requires optimally engineering its component parts. In this work, we present a hybrid materials platform by photolithographically positioning ball-milled isotopically-enriched NDs on broadband metal reflectors. The structure en… ▽ More Nitrogen-vacancy centres in nanodiamonds (NDs) provide a promising resource for quantum photonic systems. However, developing a technology beyond proof-of-principle physics requires optimally engineering its component parts. In this work, we present a hybrid materials platform by photolithographically positioning ball-milled isotopically-enriched NDs on broadband metal reflectors. The structure enhances the photonic collection efficiency, enabling cryogenic characterisation despite the limited numerical aperture imposed by our cryostat. Our device, with SiO$_2$ above a silver reflector, allows us to perform spectroscopic characterisation at 16 K and measure autocorrelation functions confirming single-photon emission (g$^2$(0)<0.5). Through comparative studies of similar hybrid device configurations, we can move towards optimally engineered techniques for building and analysing quantum emitters in wafer-scale photonic environments. △ Less

Submitted 8 August, 2025; originally announced August 2025.

Comments: 4 pages, 3 figures

Telecommunications fiber-optic and free-space quantum local area networks at the Air Force Research Laboratory

Authors: Erin Sheridan, Nicholas J. Barton, Richard Birrittella, Vedansh Nehra, Zachary Smith, Christopher Tison, Amos Matthew Smith, Shashank Dharanibalan, Vijit Bedi, David Hucul, Benjamin Kyle, Christopher Nadeau, Mary Draper, John Heinig, Scott Faulkner, Randal Scales, Andrew M. Brownell, Stefan Preble, James Schneeloch, Samuel Schwab, Daniel Campbell, Derrick Sica, Peter Ricci, Vladimir Nikulin, John Malowicki , et al. (7 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: As quantum computing, sensing, timing, and networking technologies mature, quantum network testbeds are being deployed across the United States and around the world. To support the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)'s mission of building heterogeneous quantum networks, we report on the development of Quantum Local Area Networks (QLANs) operating at telecommunications-band frequencies. The multi-… ▽ More As quantum computing, sensing, timing, and networking technologies mature, quantum network testbeds are being deployed across the United States and around the world. To support the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)'s mission of building heterogeneous quantum networks, we report on the development of Quantum Local Area Networks (QLANs) operating at telecommunications-band frequencies. The multi-node, reconfigurable QLANs include deployed optical fiber and free-space links connected to pristine laboratory environments and rugged outdoor test facilities. Each QLAN is tailored to distinct operating conditions and use cases, with unique environmental characteristics and capabilities. We present network topologies and in-depth link characterization data for three such networks. Using photonic integrated circuit-based sources of entangled photons, we demonstrate entanglement distribution of time-energy Bell states across deployed fiber in a wooded environment. The high quality of the entanglement is confirmed by a Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality violation of $S=2.717$, approaching the theoretical maximum of $S=2.828$. We conclude with a discussion of future work aimed at expanding QLAN functionality and enabling entanglement distribution between heterogeneous matter-based quantum systems, including superconducting qubits and trapped ions. These results underscore the practical viability of field-deployable, qubit-agnostic quantum network infrastructure. △ Less

Submitted 4 September, 2025; v1 submitted 1 August, 2025; originally announced August 2025.

Comments: 51 pages, 45 figures, 5 tables

Benchmarking Quantum Heuristics: Non-Variational QWOA for Weighted Maxcut

Authors: Tavis Bennett, Aidan Smith, Edric Matwiejew, Jingbo Wang

Abstract: We present benchmarking results for the non-variational Quantum Walk Optimisation Algorithm (non-variational QWOA) applied to the weighted maxcut problem, using classical simulations for problem sizes up to $n = 31$. The amplified quantum state, prepared using a quadratic number of alternating unitaries, achieves a constant average-case measurement probability for globally optimal solutions across… ▽ More We present benchmarking results for the non-variational Quantum Walk Optimisation Algorithm (non-variational QWOA) applied to the weighted maxcut problem, using classical simulations for problem sizes up to $n = 31$. The amplified quantum state, prepared using a quadratic number of alternating unitaries, achieves a constant average-case measurement probability for globally optimal solutions across these problem sizes. This behaviour contrasts with that of classical heuristics, which, for NP-hard optimisation problems, typically exhibit solve probabilities that decay as problem size increases. Performance comparisons with two local-search heuristics on the same benchmark instances suggest that the non-variational QWOA may offer a meaningful advantage by scaling more favourably with problem size. These results provide supporting evidence for the potential of this quantum heuristic to achieve quantum advantage, though further work is needed to assess whether the observed performance scaling persists at larger problem sizes, and to confirm whether similar performance trends are observed for the other problem classes to which the non-variational QWOA is designed to generalise. △ Less

Submitted 30 May, 2025; originally announced May 2025.

Comments: 14 pages, 6 figures

Highly squeezed nanophotonic quantum microcombs with broadband frequency tunability

Authors: Yichen Shen, Ping-Yen Hsieh, Dhruv Srinivasan, Antoine Henry, Gregory Moille, Sashank Kaushik Sridhar, Alessandro Restelli, You-Chia Chang, Kartik Srinivasan, Thomas A. Smith, Avik Dutt

Abstract: Squeezed light offers genuine quantum advantage in enhanced sensing and quantum computation; yet the level of squeezing or quantum noise reduction generated from nanophotonic chips has been limited. In addition to strong quantum noise reduction, key desiderata for such a nanophotonic squeezer include frequency agility or tunability over a broad frequency range, and simultaneous operation in many d… ▽ More Squeezed light offers genuine quantum advantage in enhanced sensing and quantum computation; yet the level of squeezing or quantum noise reduction generated from nanophotonic chips has been limited. In addition to strong quantum noise reduction, key desiderata for such a nanophotonic squeezer include frequency agility or tunability over a broad frequency range, and simultaneous operation in many distinct, well-defined quantum modes (qumodes). Here we present a strongly overcoupled silicon nitride squeezer based on a below-threshold optical parametric amplifier (OPA) that produces directly detected squeezing of 5.6 dB $\pm$ 0.2 dB, surpassing previous demonstrations in both continuous-wave and pulsed regimes. We introduce a seed-assisted detection technique into such nanophotonic squeezers that reveals a quantum frequency comb (QFC) of 16 qumodes, with a separation of 11~THz between the furthest qumode pair, while maintaining a strong squeezing. Additionally, we report spectral tuning of a qumode comb pair over one free-spectral range of the OPA, thus bridging the spacing between the discrete modes of the QFC. Our results significantly advance both the generation and detection of nanophotonic squeezed light in a broadband and multimode platform, establishing a scalable, chip-integrated path for compact quantum sensors and continuous-variable quantum information processing systems. △ Less

Submitted 6 May, 2025; originally announced May 2025.

Microring resonator-based photonic circuit for faithfully heralding NOON states

Authors: Ryan Scott, Peter L. Kaulfuss, A. Matthew Smith, Paul M. Alsing, Wren Sanders, Gregory A. Howland, Edwin E. Hach III

Abstract: We have designed a Micro-Ring Resonator (MRR) based device that allows for the post-selection of high order NOON states via heralding. NOON states higher than $N=2$ cannot be generated deterministically. By tuning the coupling parameters of the device we can minimize the amplitudes of the 'accidental' states to maximize the probability of obtaining the NOON state upon a successful heralding event.… ▽ More We have designed a Micro-Ring Resonator (MRR) based device that allows for the post-selection of high order NOON states via heralding. NOON states higher than $N=2$ cannot be generated deterministically. By tuning the coupling parameters of the device we can minimize the amplitudes of the 'accidental' states to maximize the probability of obtaining the NOON state upon a successful heralding event. Our device can produce a 3-photon NOON state output with 100% certainty upon a successful heralding detection, which occurs with probability $\frac{8}{27}$ for optimal tunable device parameters. A successful heralding event allows for non-destructive time of flight tracking of the NOON state thus establishing a significantly enhanced level of engineering control for integration of the NOON state into scalable systems for quantum sensing and metrology. We further discuss extensions of our technique to even higher NOON states having $N=4,5$. △ Less

Submitted 31 March, 2025; originally announced April 2025.

Comments: 6 pages, 2 figures

Two-dimensional Si spin qubit arrays with multilevel interconnects

Authors: Sieu D. Ha, Edwin Acuna, Kate Raach, Zachery T. Bloom, Teresa L. Brecht, James M. Chappell, Maxwell D. Choi, Justin E. Christensen, Ian T. Counts, Dominic Daprano, J. P. Dodson, Kevin Eng, David J. Fialkow, Christina A. C. Garcia, Wonill Ha, Thomas R. B. Harris, nathan holman, Isaac Khalaf, Justine W. Matten, Christi A. Peterson, Clifford E. Plesha, Matthew J. Ruiz, Aaron Smith, Bryan J. Thomas, Samuel J. Whiteley , et al. (4 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The promise of quantum computation is contingent upon physical qubits with both low gate error rate and broad scalability. Silicon-based spins are a leading qubit platform, but demonstrations to date have not utilized fabrication processes capable of extending arrays in two dimensions while maintaining complete control of individual spins. Here, we implement an interconnect process, common in semi… ▽ More The promise of quantum computation is contingent upon physical qubits with both low gate error rate and broad scalability. Silicon-based spins are a leading qubit platform, but demonstrations to date have not utilized fabrication processes capable of extending arrays in two dimensions while maintaining complete control of individual spins. Here, we implement an interconnect process, common in semiconductor manufacturing, with multiple back-end-of-line layers to show an extendable two-dimensional array of spins with fully controllable nearest-neighbor exchange interactions. In a device using three interconnect layers, we encode exchange-only qubits and achieve average single-qubit gate fidelities consistent with single-layer devices, including fidelities greater than 99.9%, as measured by blind randomized benchmarking. Moreover, with spin connectivity in two dimensions, we show that both linear and right-angle exchange-only qubits with high performance can be formed, enabling qubit array reconfigurability in the presence of defects. This extendable device platform demonstrates that industrial manufacturing techniques can be leveraged for scalable spin qubit technologies. △ Less

Submitted 12 February, 2025; originally announced February 2025.

Frequency auto-homogenization using group-velocity-matched downconversion

Authors: Dylan Heberle, Christopher C. Tison, James Schneeloch, A. Matthew Smith, Paul M. Alsing, Jeffrey Moses, Michael L. Fanto

Abstract: With the stability of integrated photonics at network nodes and the advantages of photons as flying qubits, photonic quantum information processing (PQIP) makes quantum networks increasingly scalable. However, scaling up PQIP requires the preparation of many identical single photons which is limited by the spectral distinguishability of integrated single-photon sources due to variations in fabrica… ▽ More With the stability of integrated photonics at network nodes and the advantages of photons as flying qubits, photonic quantum information processing (PQIP) makes quantum networks increasingly scalable. However, scaling up PQIP requires the preparation of many identical single photons which is limited by the spectral distinguishability of integrated single-photon sources due to variations in fabrication or local environment. To address this, we introduce frequency auto-homogenization via group-velocity-matched downconversion to remove spectral distinguishability in varying quantum emitters. We present our theory using $χ^{(2)}$ quantum frequency conversion and show proof-of-principle data in a free-space optical setup. △ Less

Submitted 4 February, 2025; originally announced February 2025.

Comments: 24 pages, 7 figures

Experimental demonstration of a scalable room-temperature quantum battery

Authors: Kieran Hymas, Jack B. Muir, Daniel Tibben, Joel van Embden, Tadahiko Hirai, Christopher J. Dunn, Daniel E. Gómez, James A. Hutchison, Trevor A. Smith, James Q. Quach

Abstract: Harnessing quantum phenomena in energy storage systems offers an opportunity to introduce a new generation of batteries with quantum-enhanced performance. Until now, the quantum battery has largely remained a theoretical concept, with little progress towards experimental realisation, due to the challenges in quantum coherent control. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a scalable room-temperature… ▽ More Harnessing quantum phenomena in energy storage systems offers an opportunity to introduce a new generation of batteries with quantum-enhanced performance. Until now, the quantum battery has largely remained a theoretical concept, with little progress towards experimental realisation, due to the challenges in quantum coherent control. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a scalable room-temperature quantum battery with a multi-layered organic-microcavity design. We show that it exhibits superextensive charging, metastabilisation of stored energy, and generates superextensive electrical power, the latter an unpredicted phenomenon. The combination of these properties in a single device is the first demonstration of the full cycle of a quantum battery, laying the framework for future designs. △ Less

Submitted 27 January, 2025; originally announced January 2025.

Comments: 53 pages, 18 figures

Verification of single-photon path entanglement using a nitrogen vacancy center

Authors: A. I. Smith, C. M. Steenkamp, M. S. Tame

Abstract: Path entanglement is an essential resource for photonic quantum information processing, including in quantum computing, quantum communication and quantum sensing. In this work, we experimentally study the generation and verification of bipartite path-entangled states using single photons produced by a nitrogen-vacancy center within a nanodiamond. We perform a range of measurements to characterize… ▽ More Path entanglement is an essential resource for photonic quantum information processing, including in quantum computing, quantum communication and quantum sensing. In this work, we experimentally study the generation and verification of bipartite path-entangled states using single photons produced by a nitrogen-vacancy center within a nanodiamond. We perform a range of measurements to characterize the photons being generated and verify the presence of path entanglement. The experiment is performed using continuous-wave laser excitation and a novel state generation 'time-window' method. This approach to path entanglement verification is different to previous work as it does not make use of a pulsed laser excitation source. △ Less

Submitted 10 July, 2025; v1 submitted 12 December, 2024; originally announced December 2024.

Comments: 12 pages, 9 figures, appendix

Journal ref: Appl. Opt. 64, C41-C52 (2025)

Strong nanophotonic quantum squeezing exceeding 3.5 dB in a foundry-compatible Kerr microresonator

Authors: Yichen Shen, Ping-Yen Hsieh, Sashank Kaushik Sridhar, Samantha Feldman, You-Chia Chang, Thomas A. Smith, Avik Dutt

Abstract: Squeezed light, with its quantum noise reduction capabilities, has emerged as a powerful resource in quantum information processing and precision metrology. To reach noise reduction levels such that a quantum advantage is achieved, off-chip squeezers are typically used. The development of on-chip squeezed light sources, particularly in nanophotonic platforms, has been challenging. We report 3.7… ▽ More Squeezed light, with its quantum noise reduction capabilities, has emerged as a powerful resource in quantum information processing and precision metrology. To reach noise reduction levels such that a quantum advantage is achieved, off-chip squeezers are typically used. The development of on-chip squeezed light sources, particularly in nanophotonic platforms, has been challenging. We report 3.7 $\pm$ 0.2 dB of directly detected nanophotonic quantum squeezing using foundry-fabricated silicon nitride (Si$_3$N$_4$) microrings with an inferred squeezing level of 10.7 dB on-chip. The squeezing level is robust across multiple devices and pump detunings, and is consistent with the overcoupling degree without noticeable degradation from excess classical noise. We also offer insights to mitigate thermally-induced excess noise, that typically degrades squeezing, by using small-radius rings with a larger free spectral range (450 GHz) and consequently lower parametric oscillation thresholds. Our results demonstrate that Si$_3$N$_4$ is a viable platform for strong quantum noise reduction in a CMOS-compatible, scalable architecture. △ Less

Submitted 18 November, 2024; originally announced November 2024.

Journal ref: Optica 12 (3), pp. 302-308 (2025)

Bypassing the filtering challenges in microwave-optical quantum transduction through optomechanical four-wave mixing

Authors: James Schneeloch, Erin Sheridan, A. Matthew Smith, Christopher C. Tison, Daniel L. Campbell, Matthew D. LaHaye, Michael L. Fanto, Paul M. Alsing

Abstract: Microwave-optical quantum transduction is a key enabling technology in quantum networking, but has been plagued by a formidable technical challenge. As most microwave-optical-transduction techniques rely on three-wave mixing processes, the processes consume photons from a driving telecom-band (pump) laser to convert input microwave photons into telecom-band photons detuned from the laser by this m… ▽ More Microwave-optical quantum transduction is a key enabling technology in quantum networking, but has been plagued by a formidable technical challenge. As most microwave-optical-transduction techniques rely on three-wave mixing processes, the processes consume photons from a driving telecom-band (pump) laser to convert input microwave photons into telecom-band photons detuned from the laser by this microwave frequency. However, cleanly separating out single photons detuned only a few GHz away from a classically bright laser in the same spatial mode requires frequency filters of unprecedented extinction over a very narrow transition band, straining the capabilities of today's technology. Instead of confronting this challenge directly, we show how one may achieve the same transduction objective with comparable efficiency using a four-wave mixing process in which $pairs$ of pump photons are consumed to produce transduced optical photons widely separated in frequency from the pump. We develop this process by considering higher-order analogues of photoelasticity and electrostriction than those used in conventional optomechanics, and examine how the efficiency of this process can be made to exceed conventional optomechanical couplings. △ Less

Submitted 27 September, 2024; originally announced September 2024.

Comments: 5 pages + 2 more for appendices, and 1 figure

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Research 7, 033013 (2025)

Gravitational-wave matched filtering with variational quantum algorithms

Authors: Jason Pye, Edric Matwiejew, Aidan Smith, Manoj Kovalam, Jingbo B. Wang, Linqing Wen

Abstract: In this paper, we explore the application of variational quantum algorithms designed for classical optimization to the problem of matched filtering in the detection of gravitational waves. Matched filtering for detecting gravitational wave signals requires searching through a large number of template waveforms, to find one which is highly correlated with segments of detector data. This computation… ▽ More In this paper, we explore the application of variational quantum algorithms designed for classical optimization to the problem of matched filtering in the detection of gravitational waves. Matched filtering for detecting gravitational wave signals requires searching through a large number of template waveforms, to find one which is highly correlated with segments of detector data. This computationally intensive task needs to be done quickly for low latency searches in order to aid with follow-up multi-messenger observations. The variational quantum algorithms we study for this task consist of quantum walk-based generalizations of the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA). We present results of classical numerical simulations of these quantum algorithms using open science data from LIGO. These results show that the tested variational quantum algorithms are outperformed by an unstructured restricted-depth Grover search algorithm, suggesting that the latter is optimal for this computational task. △ Less

Submitted 23 August, 2024; originally announced August 2024.

Comments: 27 pages, 13 figures

Tunable frequency conversion in doped photonic crystal fiber pumped near degeneracy

Authors: Leah R Murphy, Mateusz J Olszewski, Petros Androvitsaneas, Miguel Alvarez Perez, Will A M Smith, Anthony J Bennett, Peter J Mosley, Alex O C Davis

Abstract: Future quantum networks will rely on the ability to coherently transfer optically encoded quantum information between different wavelength bands. Bragg-scattering four-wave mixing in optical fiber is a promising route to achieving this, but requires fibers with precise dispersion control and broadband transmission at signal, target and pump wavelengths. Here we introduce a photonic crystal fiber w… ▽ More Future quantum networks will rely on the ability to coherently transfer optically encoded quantum information between different wavelength bands. Bragg-scattering four-wave mixing in optical fiber is a promising route to achieving this, but requires fibers with precise dispersion control and broadband transmission at signal, target and pump wavelengths. Here we introduce a photonic crystal fiber with a germanium-doped core featuring group velocity matching at 1550 nm, the telecoms C-band, and 920 nm, within the emission range of efficient single photon sources based on InAs quantum dots. With low chromatic walk-off and good optical guidance even at long wavelengths, large lengths of this fiber are used to achieve nanometer-scale frequency shifts between wavelengths around 920 nm with up to 79.4\% internal conversion efficiency, allowing dissimilar InAs dots to be interfaced. We also show how cascading this frequency conversion can be used to generate a frequency comb away from telecoms wavelengths. Finally, we use the fiber to demonstrate tunable frequency conversion of weak classical signals around 918 nm to the telecoms C-band. △ Less

Submitted 12 July, 2024; originally announced July 2024.

Low-Crosstalk, Silicon-Fabricated Optical Waveguides for Laser Delivery to Matter Qubits

Authors: Clayton L. Craft, Nicholas J. Barton, Andrew C. Klug, Kenneth Scalzi, Ian Wildemann, Pramod Asagodu, Joseph D. Broz, Nikola L. Porto, Michael Macalik, Anthony Rizzo, Garrett Percevault, Christopher C. Tison, A. Matthew Smith, Michael L. Fanto, James Schneeloch, Erin Sheridan, Dylan Heberle, Andrew Brownell, Vijay S. S. Sundaram, Venkatesh Deenadayalan, Matthew van Niekerk, Evan Manfreda-Schulz, Gregory A. Howland, Stefan F. Preble, Daniel Coleman , et al. (8 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Reliable control of quantum information in matter-based qubits requires precisely applied external fields, and unaccounted for spatial cross-talk of these fields between adjacent qubits leads to loss of fidelity. We report a CMOS foundry-produced, micro-fabricated silicon nitride (Si3N4) optical waveguide for addressing a chain of eight, unequally-spaced trapped barium ions with crosstalk compatib… ▽ More Reliable control of quantum information in matter-based qubits requires precisely applied external fields, and unaccounted for spatial cross-talk of these fields between adjacent qubits leads to loss of fidelity. We report a CMOS foundry-produced, micro-fabricated silicon nitride (Si3N4) optical waveguide for addressing a chain of eight, unequally-spaced trapped barium ions with crosstalk compatible with scalable quantum information processing. The crosstalk mitigation techniques incorporated into the chip design result in a reduction of the measured optical field by at least 50.8(1.3) dB between adjacent waveguide outputs near 650 nm and similar behavior for devices designed for 493 nm and 585 nm. The waveguide outputs near 650 nm, along with a global laser near 493 nm were used to laser-cool a chain of eight barium-138 ions, and a camera imaged the resulting fluorescence at 493 nm. △ Less

Submitted 27 June, 2024; v1 submitted 25 June, 2024; originally announced June 2024.

Comments: 9 pages, 7 figures

The role of excitation vector fields and all-polarisation state control of cavity magnonics

Authors: Alban Joseph, Jayakrishnan M. P. Nair, Mawgan A. Smith, Rory Holland, Luke J. McLellan, Isabella Boventer, Tim Wolz, Dmytro A. Bozhko, Benedetta Flebus, Martin P. Weides, Rair Macedo

Abstract: Recently the field of cavity magnonics, a field focused on controlling the interaction between magnons and confined microwave photons within microwave resonators, has drawn significant attention as it offers a platform for enabling advancements in quantum- and spin-based technologies. Here, we introduce excitation vector fields, whose polarisation and profile can be easily tuned in a two-port cavi… ▽ More Recently the field of cavity magnonics, a field focused on controlling the interaction between magnons and confined microwave photons within microwave resonators, has drawn significant attention as it offers a platform for enabling advancements in quantum- and spin-based technologies. Here, we introduce excitation vector fields, whose polarisation and profile can be easily tuned in a two-port cavity setup, thus acting as an effective experimental knob to explore the coupled dynamics of cavity magnon-polaritons. Moreover, we develop theoretical models that accurately predict and reproduce the experimental results for any polarisation state and field profile within the cavity resonator. This versatile experimental platform offers a new avenue for controlling spin-photon interactions and as such also delivering a mechanism to readily control the exchange of information between hybrid systems. △ Less

Submitted 23 May, 2024; originally announced May 2024.

Crosstalk-mitigated microelectronic control for optically-active spins

Authors: Hao-Cheng Weng, John G. Rarity, Krishna C. Balram, Joe A. Smith

Abstract: To exploit the sub-nanometre dimensions of qubits for large-scale quantum information processing, corresponding control architectures require both energy and space efficiency, with the on-chip footprint of unit-cell electronics ideally micron-scale. However, the spin coherence of qubits in close packing is severely deteriorated by microwave crosstalk from neighbouring control sites. Here, we prese… ▽ More To exploit the sub-nanometre dimensions of qubits for large-scale quantum information processing, corresponding control architectures require both energy and space efficiency, with the on-chip footprint of unit-cell electronics ideally micron-scale. However, the spin coherence of qubits in close packing is severely deteriorated by microwave crosstalk from neighbouring control sites. Here, we present a crosstalk-mitigation scheme using foundry microelectronics, to address solid-state spins at sub-100 $μ$m spacing without the need for qubit-detuning. Using nitrogen-vacancy centres in nanodiamonds as qubit prototypes, we first demonstrate 10 MHz Rabi oscillation at milliwatts of microwave power. Implementing the active cancellation, we then prove that the crosstalk field from neighbouring lattice sites can be reduced to undetectable levels. We finally extend the scheme to show increased qubit control, or effectively, the spin coherence under crosstalk mitigation. Compatible with integrated optics, our results present a step towards scalable control across quantum platforms using silicon microelectronics. △ Less

Submitted 11 July, 2025; v1 submitted 5 April, 2024; originally announced April 2024.

Comments: 11 pages, 5 figures. Improved and updated experiments and analysis

Hong-Ou-Mandel Comb and Switch using parallel chains of non-identical Micro-Ring Resonators

Authors: Peter L. Kaulfuss, Paul M. Alsing, Richard J. Birrittella, A. Matthew Smith, James Schneeloch, Edwin E. Hach III

Abstract: Micro-Ring Resonators (MRRs) allow us to access the Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) effect at a variety of tunable parameter combinations along exact analytic solutions. This higher-dimensional space of parameters for which the HOM effect occurs constitutes what is known as a Hong-Ou-Mandel manifold (HOMM). Using a parallel series of non-identical MRRs and changing relative round-trip phase shifts between MR… ▽ More Micro-Ring Resonators (MRRs) allow us to access the Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) effect at a variety of tunable parameter combinations along exact analytic solutions. This higher-dimensional space of parameters for which the HOM effect occurs constitutes what is known as a Hong-Ou-Mandel manifold (HOMM). Using a parallel series of non-identical MRRs and changing relative round-trip phase shifts between MRRs allows for the manipulation of the wavelength locations of the HOM effect. Through clever design and fabrication, we can mold the HOMM to place multiple HOM effects, or lack thereof, precisely at desired locations in wavelength. In this paper we discuss how to adjust non-identical MRR parameters to change the resulting HOMM. We also promote example designs that exhibit advantageous HOMM structures, and highlight some of the diverse possibilities that can be accessed with different circuit design. Our main examples are: 1) a wavelength division multiplexer example that matches the HOM effect locations with the already established channels to integrate with a classical communication network and 2) a HOM-based entanglement switch that allows for the rapid switching between 2-photon NOON state outputs and completely separable single photon outputs. △ Less

Submitted 14 March, 2025; v1 submitted 25 January, 2024; originally announced January 2024.

Comments: 14 pages, 10 figures

Principles for Optimizing Quantum Transduction in Piezo-Optomechanical Systems

Authors: James Schneeloch, Erin Sheridan, A. Matthew Smith, Christopher C. Tison, Daniel L. Campbell, Matthew D. LaHaye, Michael L. Fanto, Paul M. Alsing

Abstract: Two-way microwave-optical quantum transduction is essential to connecting distant superconducting qubits via optical fiber, and to enable quantum networking at a large scale. In Blésin, Tian, Bhave, and Kippenberg's article, ``Quantum coherent microwave-optical transduction using high overtone bulk acoustic resonances" (Phys. Rev. A, 104, 052601 (2021)), they lay out a two-way quantum transducer c… ▽ More Two-way microwave-optical quantum transduction is essential to connecting distant superconducting qubits via optical fiber, and to enable quantum networking at a large scale. In Blésin, Tian, Bhave, and Kippenberg's article, ``Quantum coherent microwave-optical transduction using high overtone bulk acoustic resonances" (Phys. Rev. A, 104, 052601 (2021)), they lay out a two-way quantum transducer converting between microwave photons and telecom-band photons by way of an intermediary GHz-band phonon mode utilizing piezoelectric and optomechanical interactions respectively (and are the first to work out the quantum piezoelectric coupling). In this work, we examine both the piezoelectric, and optomechanical interactions from first principles, and together with the evanescent coupling between optical modes, discuss what parameters matter most in optimizing this kind of quantum transducer. For its additional utility, we have also compiled a table of relevant properties of optical materials that may be used as elements in transducers. △ Less

Submitted 17 January, 2025; v1 submitted 7 December, 2023; originally announced December 2023.

Comments: 29 pages (16 pages main + 13 pages appendices), 7 figures, 4 tables

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. A 111, 052605 (2025)

Matter relative to quantum hypersurfaces

Authors: Philipp A. Hoehn, Andrea Russo, Alexander R. H. Smith

Abstract: We explore the canonical description of a scalar field as a parameterized field theory on an extended phase space that includes additional embedding fields that characterize spacetime hypersurfaces $\mathsf{X}$ relative to which the scalar field is described. This theory is quantized via the Dirac prescription and physical states of the theory are used to define conditional wave functionals… ▽ More We explore the canonical description of a scalar field as a parameterized field theory on an extended phase space that includes additional embedding fields that characterize spacetime hypersurfaces $\mathsf{X}$ relative to which the scalar field is described. This theory is quantized via the Dirac prescription and physical states of the theory are used to define conditional wave functionals $|ψ_φ[\mathsf{X}]\rangle$ interpreted as the state of the field relative to the hypersurface $\mathsf{X}$, thereby extending the Page-Wootters formalism to quantum field theory. It is shown that this conditional wave functional satisfies the Tomonaga-Schwinger equation, thus demonstrating the formal equivalence between this extended Page-Wootters formalism and standard quantum field theory. We also construct relational Dirac observables and define a quantum deparameterization of the physical Hilbert space leading to a relational Heisenberg picture, which are both shown to be unitarily equivalent to the Page-Wootters formalism. Moreover, by treating hypersurfaces as quantum reference frames, we extend recently developed quantum frame transformations to changes between classical and nonclassical hypersurfaces. This allows us to exhibit the transformation properties of a quantum field under a larger class of transformations, which leads to a frame-dependent particle creation effect. △ Less

Submitted 23 November, 2023; v1 submitted 24 August, 2023; originally announced August 2023.

Comments: 21 pages, 3 figures. Comments welcome

Robotic vectorial field alignment for spin-based quantum sensors

Authors: Joe A. Smith, Dandan Zhang, Krishna C. Balram

Abstract: Developing practical quantum technologies will require the exquisite manipulation of fragile systems in a robust and repeatable way. As quantum technologies move towards real world applications, from biological sensing to communication in space, increasing experimental complexity introduces constraints that can be alleviated by the introduction of new technologies. Robotics has shown tremendous pr… ▽ More Developing practical quantum technologies will require the exquisite manipulation of fragile systems in a robust and repeatable way. As quantum technologies move towards real world applications, from biological sensing to communication in space, increasing experimental complexity introduces constraints that can be alleviated by the introduction of new technologies. Robotics has shown tremendous progress in realising increasingly smart, autonomous and highly dexterous machines. Here, we demonstrate that a robotic arm equipped with a magnet can sensitise an NV centre quantum magnetometer in challenging conditions unachievable with standard techniques. We generate vector magnetic field with $1^\circ$ angular and 0.1 mT amplitude accuracy and determine the orientation of a single stochastically-aligned spin-based sensor in a constrained physical environment. Our work opens up the prospect of integrating robotics across many quantum degrees of freedom in constrained settings, allowing for increased prototyping speed, control, and robustness in quantum technology applications. △ Less

Submitted 16 June, 2023; v1 submitted 26 May, 2023; originally announced May 2023.

Comments: 11 pages, 4 figures. Small correction in first paragraph

Journal ref: Advanced Science 2024, 11, 2, 2304449

Entanglement Transitions in Unitary Circuit Games

Authors: Raúl Morral-Yepes, Adam Smith, S. L. Sondhi, Frank Pollmann

Abstract: Repeated projective measurements in unitary circuits can lead to an entanglement phase transition as the measurement rate is tuned. In this work, we consider a different setting in which the projective measurements are replaced by dynamically chosen unitary gates that minimize the entanglement. This can be seen as a one-dimensional unitary circuit game in which two players get to place unitary gat… ▽ More Repeated projective measurements in unitary circuits can lead to an entanglement phase transition as the measurement rate is tuned. In this work, we consider a different setting in which the projective measurements are replaced by dynamically chosen unitary gates that minimize the entanglement. This can be seen as a one-dimensional unitary circuit game in which two players get to place unitary gates on randomly assigned bonds at different rates: The "entangler" applies a random local unitary gate with the aim of generating extensive (volume law) entanglement. The "disentangler," based on limited knowledge about the state, chooses a unitary gate to reduce the entanglement entropy on the assigned bond with the goal of limiting to only finite (area law) entanglement. In order to elucidate the resulting entanglement dynamics, we consider three different scenarios: (i) a classical discrete height model, (ii) a Clifford circuit, and (iii) a general $U(4)$ unitary circuit. We find that both the classical and Clifford circuit models exhibit phase transitions as a function of the rate that the disentangler places a gate, which have similar properties that can be understood through a connection to the stochastic Fredkin chain. In contrast, the "entangler" always wins when using Haar random unitary gates and we observe extensive, volume law entanglement for all non-zero rates of entangling. △ Less

Submitted 24 January, 2024; v1 submitted 25 April, 2023; originally announced April 2023.

Comments: 18 pages, 12 figures

Journal ref: PRX Quantum 5, 010309 (2024)

Heterogeneous integration of solid state quantum systems with a foundry photonics platform

Authors: Hao-Cheng Weng, Jorge Monroy-Ruz, Jonathan C. F. Matthews, John G. Rarity, Krishna C. Balram, Joe A. Smith

Abstract: Diamond colour centres are promising optically-addressable solid state spins that can be matter-qubits, mediate deterministic interaction between photons and act as single photon emitters. Useful quantum computers will comprise millions of logical qubits. To become useful in constructing quantum computers, spin-photon interfaces must therefore become scalable and be compatible with mass-manufactur… ▽ More Diamond colour centres are promising optically-addressable solid state spins that can be matter-qubits, mediate deterministic interaction between photons and act as single photon emitters. Useful quantum computers will comprise millions of logical qubits. To become useful in constructing quantum computers, spin-photon interfaces must therefore become scalable and be compatible with mass-manufacturable photonics and electronics. Here we demonstrate heterogeneous integration of NV centres in nanodiamond with low-fluorescence silicon nitride photonics from a standard 180 nm CMOS foundry process. Nanodiamonds are positioned over pre-defined sites in a regular array on a waveguide, in a single post-processing step. Using an array of optical fibres, we excite NV centres selectively from an array of six integrated nanodiamond sites, and collect the photoluminescence (PL) in each case into waveguide circuitry on-chip. We verify single photon emission by an on-chip Hanbury Brown and Twiss cross-correlation measurement, which is a key characterisation experiment otherwise typically performed routinely with discrete optics. Our work opens up a simple and effective route to simultaneously address large arrays of individual optically-active spins at scale, without requiring discrete bulk optical setups. This is enabled by the heterogeneous integration of NV centre nanodiamonds with CMOS photonics. △ Less

Submitted 20 April, 2023; originally announced April 2023.

Comments: 8 pages, 4 figures, and supplementary material

Journal ref: ACS Photonics 2023, 10, 9, 3302-3309

Analogue Quantum Simulation with Fixed-Frequency Transmon Qubits

Authors: Sean Greenaway, Adam Smith, Florian Mintert, Daniel Malz

Abstract: We experimentally assess the suitability of transmon qubits with fixed frequencies and fixed interactions for the realization of analogue quantum simulations of spin systems. We test a set of necessary criteria for this goal on a commercial quantum processor using full quantum process tomography and more efficient Hamiltonian tomography. Significant single qubit errors at low amplitudes are identi… ▽ More We experimentally assess the suitability of transmon qubits with fixed frequencies and fixed interactions for the realization of analogue quantum simulations of spin systems. We test a set of necessary criteria for this goal on a commercial quantum processor using full quantum process tomography and more efficient Hamiltonian tomography. Significant single qubit errors at low amplitudes are identified as a limiting factor preventing the realization of analogue simulations on currently available devices. We additionally find spurious dynamics in the absence of drive pulses, which we identify with coherent coupling between the qubit and a low dimensional environment. With moderate improvements, analogue simulation of a rich family of time-dependent many-body spin Hamiltonians may be possible. △ Less

Submitted 23 January, 2024; v1 submitted 29 November, 2022; originally announced November 2022.

Comments: 12 pages, 8 figures

Journal ref: Quantum 8, 1263 (2024)

Model-Independent Learning of Quantum Phases of Matter with Quantum Convolutional Neural Networks

Authors: Yu-Jie Liu, Adam Smith, Michael Knap, Frank Pollmann

Abstract: Quantum convolutional neural networks (QCNNs) have been introduced as classifiers for gapped quantum phases of matter. Here, we propose a model-independent protocol for training QCNNs to discover order parameters that are unchanged under phase-preserving perturbations. We initiate the training sequence with the fixed-point wavefunctions of the quantum phase and then add translation-invariant noise… ▽ More Quantum convolutional neural networks (QCNNs) have been introduced as classifiers for gapped quantum phases of matter. Here, we propose a model-independent protocol for training QCNNs to discover order parameters that are unchanged under phase-preserving perturbations. We initiate the training sequence with the fixed-point wavefunctions of the quantum phase and then add translation-invariant noise that respects the symmetries of the system to mask the fixed-point structure on short length scales. We illustrate this approach by training the QCNN on phases protected by time-reversal symmetry in one dimension, and test it on several time-reversal symmetric models exhibiting trivial, symmetry-breaking, and symmetry-protected topological order. The QCNN discovers a set of order parameters that identifies all three phases and accurately predicts the location of the phase boundary. The proposed protocol paves the way towards hardware-efficient training of quantum phase classifiers on a programmable quantum processor. △ Less

Submitted 26 May, 2023; v1 submitted 21 November, 2022; originally announced November 2022.

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 220603 (2023)

Faster variational quantum algorithms with quantum kernel-based surrogate models

Authors: Alistair W. R. Smith, A. J. Paige, M. S. Kim

Abstract: We present a new optimization method for small-to-intermediate scale variational algorithms on noisy near-term quantum processors which uses a Gaussian process surrogate model equipped with a classically-evaluated quantum kernel. Variational algorithms are typically optimized using gradient-based approaches however these are difficult to implement on current noisy devices, requiring large numbers… ▽ More We present a new optimization method for small-to-intermediate scale variational algorithms on noisy near-term quantum processors which uses a Gaussian process surrogate model equipped with a classically-evaluated quantum kernel. Variational algorithms are typically optimized using gradient-based approaches however these are difficult to implement on current noisy devices, requiring large numbers of objective function evaluations. Our scheme shifts this computational burden onto the classical optimizer component of these hybrid algorithms, greatly reducing the number of queries to the quantum processor. We focus on the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) algorithm and demonstrate numerically that such surrogate models are particularly well suited to the algorithm's objective function. Next, we apply these models to both noiseless and noisy VQE simulations and show that they exhibit better performance than widely-used classical kernels in terms of final accuracy and convergence speed. Compared to the typically-used stochastic gradient-descent approach for VQAs, our quantum kernel-based approach is found to consistently achieve significantly higher accuracy while requiring less than an order of magnitude fewer quantum circuit evaluations. We analyse the performance of the quantum kernel-based models in terms of the kernels' induced feature spaces and explicitly construct their feature maps. Finally, we describe a scheme for approximating the best-performing quantum kernel using a classically-efficient tensor network representation of its input state and so provide a pathway for scaling these methods to larger systems. △ Less

Submitted 14 August, 2023; v1 submitted 2 November, 2022; originally announced November 2022.

Journal ref: Quantum Sci. Technol. 8 045016 (2023)

Time Evolution of Uniform Sequential Circuits

Authors: Nikita Astrakhantsev, Sheng-Hsuan Lin, Frank Pollmann, Adam Smith

Abstract: Simulating time evolution of generic quantum many-body systems using classical numerical approaches has an exponentially growing cost either with evolution time or with the system size. In this work, we present a polynomially scaling hybrid quantum-classical algorithm for time evolving a one-dimensional uniform system in the thermodynamic limit. This algorithm uses a layered uniform sequential qua… ▽ More Simulating time evolution of generic quantum many-body systems using classical numerical approaches has an exponentially growing cost either with evolution time or with the system size. In this work, we present a polynomially scaling hybrid quantum-classical algorithm for time evolving a one-dimensional uniform system in the thermodynamic limit. This algorithm uses a layered uniform sequential quantum circuit as a variational ansatz to represent infinite translation-invariant quantum states. We show numerically that this ansatz requires a number of parameters polynomial in the simulation time for a given accuracy. Furthermore, this favourable scaling of the ansatz is maintained during our variational evolution algorithm. All steps of the hybrid optimization are designed with near-term digital quantum computers in mind. After benchmarking the evolution algorithm on a classical computer, we demonstrate the measurement of observables of this uniform state using a finite number of qubits on a cloud-based quantum processing unit. With more efficient tensor contraction schemes, this algorithm may also offer improvements as a classical numerical algorithm. △ Less

Submitted 21 August, 2023; v1 submitted 7 October, 2022; originally announced October 2022.

Comments: 19 pages, 14 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Research 5, 033187 (2023)

Enhanced Hong-Ou-Mandel Manifolds and figures of merit for linear chains of identical micro-ring resonators

Authors: Peter L. Kaulfuss, Paul M. Alsing, A. Matthew Smith, Joseph Monteleone III, Edwin E. Hach III

Abstract: We present an exact analytic expression for the Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) curve for any number of identical Micro-Ring Resonators (MRRs) in a linear chain. We investigate the extreme stability of this HOM curve, showing that the HOM effect in linear arrays of MRRs is highly robust. We further use this expression to derive three figures of merit for the HOM curve of linear chains of MRRs: the minimum ta… ▽ More We present an exact analytic expression for the Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) curve for any number of identical Micro-Ring Resonators (MRRs) in a linear chain. We investigate the extreme stability of this HOM curve, showing that the HOM effect in linear arrays of MRRs is highly robust. We further use this expression to derive three figures of merit for the HOM curve of linear chains of MRRs: the minimum tau value ($τ_{c}$), the curvature ($\barξ_N$), and the $5\%$ tolerance in tau ($δτ_{N}$). We promote these metrics to characterize the pros and cons of various linear chains of MRRs and inform design and fabrication. △ Less

Submitted 24 April, 2023; v1 submitted 29 September, 2022; originally announced September 2022.

Comments: 11 pages,5 figures, 1 table; accepted: Physical Review Research 24Apr2023

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Research 5, 023097 (2023)

Data compression for quantum machine learning

Authors: Rohit Dilip, Yu-Jie Liu, Adam Smith, Frank Pollmann

Abstract: The advent of noisy-intermediate scale quantum computers has introduced the exciting possibility of achieving quantum speedups in machine learning tasks. These devices, however, are composed of a small number of qubits, and can faithfully run only short circuits. This puts many proposed approaches for quantum machine learning beyond currently available devices. We address the problem of efficientl… ▽ More The advent of noisy-intermediate scale quantum computers has introduced the exciting possibility of achieving quantum speedups in machine learning tasks. These devices, however, are composed of a small number of qubits, and can faithfully run only short circuits. This puts many proposed approaches for quantum machine learning beyond currently available devices. We address the problem of efficiently compressing and loading classical data for use on a quantum computer. Our proposed methods allow both the required number of qubits and depth of the quantum circuit to be tuned. We achieve this by using a correspondence between matrix-product states and quantum circuits, and further propose a hardware-efficient quantum circuit approach, which we benchmark on the Fashion-MNIST dataset. Finally, we demonstrate that a quantum circuit based classifier can achieve competitive accuracy with current tensor learning methods using only 11 qubits. △ Less

Submitted 1 June, 2022; v1 submitted 23 April, 2022; originally announced April 2022.

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Research 4, 043007 (2022)

Quantum time dilation in a gravitational field

Authors: Jerzy Paczos, Kacper Dębski, Piotr T. Grochowski, Alexander R. H. Smith, Andrzej Dragan

Abstract: According to relativity, the reading of an ideal clock is interpreted as the elapsed proper time along its classical trajectory through spacetime. In contrast, quantum theory allows the association of many simultaneous trajectories with a single quantum clock, each weighted appropriately. Here, we investigate how the superposition principle affects the gravitational time dilation observed by a sim… ▽ More According to relativity, the reading of an ideal clock is interpreted as the elapsed proper time along its classical trajectory through spacetime. In contrast, quantum theory allows the association of many simultaneous trajectories with a single quantum clock, each weighted appropriately. Here, we investigate how the superposition principle affects the gravitational time dilation observed by a simple clock - a decaying two-level atom. Placing such an atom in a superposition of positions enables us to analyze a quantum contribution to a classical time dilation manifest in spontaneous emission. In particular, we show that the emission rate of an atom prepared in a coherent superposition of separated wave packets in a gravitational field is different from the emission rate of an atom in a classical mixture of these packets, which gives rise to a quantum gravitational time dilation effect. We demonstrate that this nonclassical effect also manifests in a fractional frequency shift of the internal energy of the atom that is within the resolution of current atomic clocks. In addition, we show the effect of spatial coherence on the atom's emission spectrum. △ Less

Submitted 3 May, 2024; v1 submitted 22 April, 2022; originally announced April 2022.

Comments: 10 + 7 pages

Journal ref: Quantum 8, 1338 (2024)

Finite-depth scaling of infinite quantum circuits for quantum critical points

Authors: Bernhard Jobst, Adam Smith, Frank Pollmann

Abstract: The scaling of the entanglement entropy at a quantum critical point allows us to extract universal properties of the state, e.g., the central charge of a conformal field theory. With the rapid improvement of noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices, these quantum computers present themselves as a powerful tool to study critical many-body systems. We use finite-depth quantum circuits suitabl… ▽ More The scaling of the entanglement entropy at a quantum critical point allows us to extract universal properties of the state, e.g., the central charge of a conformal field theory. With the rapid improvement of noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices, these quantum computers present themselves as a powerful tool to study critical many-body systems. We use finite-depth quantum circuits suitable for NISQ devices as a variational ansatz to represent ground states of critical, infinite systems. We find universal finite-depth scaling relations for these circuits and verify them numerically at two different critical points, i.e., the critical Ising model with an additional symmetry-preserving term and the critical XXZ model. △ Less

Submitted 22 August, 2022; v1 submitted 22 March, 2022; originally announced March 2022.

Comments: 9 pages, 5 figures (+ appendix 6 pages, 6 figures); published version

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Research 4, 033118 (2022)

Universal logic with encoded spin qubits in silicon

Authors: Aaron J. Weinstein, Matthew D. Reed, Aaron M. Jones, Reed W. Andrews, David Barnes, Jacob Z. Blumoff, Larken E. Euliss, Kevin Eng, Bryan Fong, Sieu D. Ha, Daniel R. Hulbert, Clayton Jackson, Michael Jura, Tyler E. Keating, Joseph Kerckhoff, Andrey A. Kiselev, Justine Matten, Golam Sabbir, Aaron Smith, Jeffrey Wright, Matthew T. Rakher, Thaddeus D. Ladd, Matthew G. Borselli

Abstract: Qubits encoded in a decoherence-free subsystem and realized in exchange-coupled silicon quantum dots are promising candidates for fault-tolerant quantum computing. Benefits of this approach include excellent coherence, low control crosstalk, and configurable insensitivity to certain error sources. Key difficulties are that encoded entangling gates require a large number of control pulses and high-… ▽ More Qubits encoded in a decoherence-free subsystem and realized in exchange-coupled silicon quantum dots are promising candidates for fault-tolerant quantum computing. Benefits of this approach include excellent coherence, low control crosstalk, and configurable insensitivity to certain error sources. Key difficulties are that encoded entangling gates require a large number of control pulses and high-yielding quantum dot arrays. Here we show a device made using the single-layer etch-defined gate electrode architecture that achieves both the required functional yield needed for full control and the coherence necessary for thousands of calibrated exchange pulses to be applied. We measure an average two-qubit Clifford fidelity of $97.1 \pm 0.2\%$ with randomized benchmarking. We also use interleaved randomized benchmarking to demonstrate the controlled-NOT gate with $96.3 \pm 0.7\%$ fidelity, SWAP with $99.3 \pm 0.5\%$ fidelity, and a specialized entangling gate that limits spreading of leakage with $93.8 \pm 0.7\%$ fidelity. △ Less

Submitted 7 February, 2022; originally announced February 2022.

Bloch Oscillations Along a Synthetic Dimension of Atomic Trap States

Authors: Christopher Oliver, Aaron Smith, Thomas Easton, Grazia Salerno, Vera Guarrera, Nathan Goldman, Giovanni Barontini, Hannah M. Price

Abstract: Synthetic dimensions provide a powerful approach for simulating condensed matter physics in cold atoms and photonics, whereby a set of discrete degrees of freedom are coupled together and re-interpreted as lattice sites along an artificial spatial dimension. However, atomic experimental realisations have been limited so far by the number of artificial lattice sites that can be feasibly coupled alo… ▽ More Synthetic dimensions provide a powerful approach for simulating condensed matter physics in cold atoms and photonics, whereby a set of discrete degrees of freedom are coupled together and re-interpreted as lattice sites along an artificial spatial dimension. However, atomic experimental realisations have been limited so far by the number of artificial lattice sites that can be feasibly coupled along the synthetic dimension. Here, we experimentally realise for the first time a very long and controllable synthetic dimension of atomic harmonic trap states. To create this, we couple trap states by dynamically modulating the trapping potential of the atomic cloud with patterned light. By controlling the detuning between the frequency of the driving potential and the trapping frequency, we implement a controllable force in the synthetic dimension. This induces Bloch oscillations in which atoms move periodically up and down tens of atomic trap states. We experimentally observe the key characteristics of this behaviour in the real space dynamics of the cloud, and verify our observations with numerical simulations and semiclassical theory. This experiment provides an intuitive approach for the manipulation and control of highly-excited trap states, and sets the stage for the future exploration of topological physics in higher dimensions. △ Less

Submitted 4 August, 2023; v1 submitted 20 December, 2021; originally announced December 2021.

Modeling atom interferometry experiments with Bose-Einstein condensates in power-law potentials

Authors: S. Thomas, C. Sapp, C. Henry, A. Smith, C. A. Sackett, C. W. Clark, M. Edwards

Abstract: Recent atom interferometry (AI) experiments involving Bose--Einstein condensates (BECs) have been conducted under extreme conditions of volume and interrogation time. Numerical solution of the standard mean-field theory applied to these experiments presents a nearly intractable challenge. We present an approximate variational model that provides rapid approximate solutions of the rotating-frame Gr… ▽ More Recent atom interferometry (AI) experiments involving Bose--Einstein condensates (BECs) have been conducted under extreme conditions of volume and interrogation time. Numerical solution of the standard mean-field theory applied to these experiments presents a nearly intractable challenge. We present an approximate variational model that provides rapid approximate solutions of the rotating-frame Gross--Pitaevskii equation for a power-law potential. This model is well-suited to the design and analysis of AI experiments involving BECs that are split and later recombined to form an interference pattern. We derive the equations of motion of the variational parameters for this model and illustrate how the model can be applied to the sequence of steps in a recent AI experiment where BECs were used to implement a dual-Sagnac atom interferometer rotation sensor. We use this model to investigate the impact of finite-size and interaction effects on the single-Sagnac-interferometer phase shift. △ Less

Submitted 9 December, 2021; originally announced December 2021.

Comments: 22 pages, 3 figures

Finite resolution ancilla-assisted measurements of quantum work distributions

Authors: Shadi Ali Ahmad, Alexander R. H. Smith

Abstract: Work is an observable quantity associated with a process, however there is no Hermitian operator associated with its measurement. We consider an ancilla-assisted protocol measuring the work done on a quantum system driven by a time-dependent Hamiltonian via two von-Neumann measurements of the system's energy carried out by a measuring apparatus modeled as a free particle of finite localization and… ▽ More Work is an observable quantity associated with a process, however there is no Hermitian operator associated with its measurement. We consider an ancilla-assisted protocol measuring the work done on a quantum system driven by a time-dependent Hamiltonian via two von-Neumann measurements of the system's energy carried out by a measuring apparatus modeled as a free particle of finite localization and interaction time with the system. We consider system Hamiltonians which both commute and do not commute at different times, finding corrections to fluctuation relations like the Jarzynski equality and the Crooks relation. This measurement model allows us to quantify the effect that measuring has on the estimated work distribution, and associated average work done on the system and average heat exchanged with the measuring apparatus. △ Less

Submitted 15 April, 2022; v1 submitted 30 November, 2021; originally announced November 2021.

Comments: 8+2 pages, 5 figures

Methods for simulating string-net states and anyons on a digital quantum computer

Authors: Yu-Jie Liu, Kirill Shtengel, Adam Smith, Frank Pollmann

Abstract: Finding physical realizations of topologically ordered states in experimental settings, from condensed matter to artificial quantum systems, has been the main challenge en route to utilizing their unconventional properties. We show how to realize a large class of topologically ordered states and simulate their quasiparticle excitations on a digital quantum computer. To achieve this we design a set… ▽ More Finding physical realizations of topologically ordered states in experimental settings, from condensed matter to artificial quantum systems, has been the main challenge en route to utilizing their unconventional properties. We show how to realize a large class of topologically ordered states and simulate their quasiparticle excitations on a digital quantum computer. To achieve this we design a set of linear-depth quantum circuits to generate ground states of general string-net models together with unitary open string operators to simulate the creation and braiding of abelian and non-abelian anyons. We show that the abelian (non-abelian) unitary string operators can be implemented with a constant (linear) depth quantum circuit. Our scheme allows us to directly probe characteristic topological properties, including topological entanglement entropy, braiding statistics, and fusion channels of anyons. Moreover, this set of efficiently prepared topologically ordered states has potential applications in the development of fault-tolerant quantum computers. △ Less

Submitted 24 October, 2022; v1 submitted 5 October, 2021; originally announced October 2021.

Comments: A mislabeling in Figure 1 and 2 is corrected

Journal ref: PRX Quantum 3, 040315 (2022)

Qubit Readout Error Mitigation with Bit-flip Averaging

Authors: Alistair W. R. Smith, Kiran E. Khosla, Chris N. Self, M. S. Kim

Abstract: Quantum computers are becoming increasingly accessible, and may soon outperform classical computers for useful tasks. However, qubit readout errors remain a significant hurdle to running quantum algorithms on current devices. We present a scheme to more efficiently mitigate these errors on quantum hardware and numerically show that our method consistently gives advantage over previous mitigation s… ▽ More Quantum computers are becoming increasingly accessible, and may soon outperform classical computers for useful tasks. However, qubit readout errors remain a significant hurdle to running quantum algorithms on current devices. We present a scheme to more efficiently mitigate these errors on quantum hardware and numerically show that our method consistently gives advantage over previous mitigation schemes. Our scheme removes biases in the readout errors allowing a general error model to be built with far fewer calibration measurements. Specifically, for reading out $n$-qubits we show a factor of $2^n$ reduction in the number of calibration measurements without sacrificing the ability to compensate for correlated errors. Our approach can be combined with, and simplify, other mitigation methods allowing tractable mitigation even for large numbers of qubits. △ Less

Submitted 28 September, 2021; v1 submitted 10 June, 2021; originally announced June 2021.

Journal ref: Science Advances, 7 (2021) 47

Skeleton of Matrix-Product-State-Solvable Models Connecting Topological Phases of Matter

Authors: Nick G. Jones, Julian Bibo, Bernhard Jobst, Frank Pollmann, Adam Smith, Ruben Verresen

Abstract: Models whose ground states can be written as an exact matrix product state (MPS) provide valuable insights into phases of matter. While MPS-solvable models are typically studied as isolated points in a phase diagram, they can belong to a connected network of MPS-solvable models, which we call the MPS skeleton. As a case study where we can completely unearth this skeleton, we focus on the one-dimen… ▽ More Models whose ground states can be written as an exact matrix product state (MPS) provide valuable insights into phases of matter. While MPS-solvable models are typically studied as isolated points in a phase diagram, they can belong to a connected network of MPS-solvable models, which we call the MPS skeleton. As a case study where we can completely unearth this skeleton, we focus on the one-dimensional BDI class -- non-interacting spinless fermions with time-reversal symmetry. This class, labelled by a topological winding number, contains the Kitaev chain and is Jordan-Wigner-dual to various symmetry-breaking and symmetry-protected topological (SPT) spin chains. We show that one can read off from the Hamiltonian whether its ground state is an MPS: defining a polynomial whose coefficients are the Hamiltonian parameters, MPS-solvability corresponds to this polynomial being a perfect square. We provide an explicit construction of the ground state MPS, its bond dimension growing exponentially with the range of the Hamiltonian. This complete characterization of the MPS skeleton in parameter space has three significant consequences: (i) any two topologically distinct phases in this class admit a path of MPS-solvable models between them, including the phase transition which obeys an area law for its entanglement entropy; (ii) we illustrate that the subset of MPS-solvable models is dense in this class by constructing a sequence of MPS-solvable models which converge to the Kitaev chain (equivalently, the quantum Ising chain in a transverse field); (iii) a subset of these MPS states can be particularly efficiently processed on a noisy intermediate-scale quantum computer. △ Less

Submitted 29 October, 2021; v1 submitted 25 May, 2021; originally announced May 2021.

Comments: 21 pages + appendix

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Research 3, 033265 (2021)

Realizing topologically ordered states on a quantum processor

Authors: K. J. Satzinger, Y. Liu, A. Smith, C. Knapp, M. Newman, C. Jones, Z. Chen, C. Quintana, X. Mi, A. Dunsworth, C. Gidney, I. Aleiner, F. Arute, K. Arya, J. Atalaya, R. Babbush, J. C. Bardin, R. Barends, J. Basso, A. Bengtsson, A. Bilmes, M. Broughton, B. B. Buckley, D. A. Buell, B. Burkett , et al. (73 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The discovery of topological order has revolutionized the understanding of quantum matter in modern physics and provided the theoretical foundation for many quantum error correcting codes. Realizing topologically ordered states has proven to be extremely challenging in both condensed matter and synthetic quantum systems. Here, we prepare the ground state of the toric code Hamiltonian using an effi… ▽ More The discovery of topological order has revolutionized the understanding of quantum matter in modern physics and provided the theoretical foundation for many quantum error correcting codes. Realizing topologically ordered states has proven to be extremely challenging in both condensed matter and synthetic quantum systems. Here, we prepare the ground state of the toric code Hamiltonian using an efficient quantum circuit on a superconducting quantum processor. We measure a topological entanglement entropy near the expected value of $\ln2$, and simulate anyon interferometry to extract the braiding statistics of the emergent excitations. Furthermore, we investigate key aspects of the surface code, including logical state injection and the decay of the non-local order parameter. Our results demonstrate the potential for quantum processors to provide key insights into topological quantum matter and quantum error correction. △ Less

Submitted 2 April, 2021; originally announced April 2021.

Comments: 6 pages 4 figures, plus supplementary materials

Journal ref: Science 374, 1237-1241 (2021)

Variational quantum algorithm with information sharing

Authors: Chris N. Self, Kiran E. Khosla, Alistair W. R. Smith, Frederic Sauvage, Peter D. Haynes, Johannes Knolle, Florian Mintert, M. S. Kim

Abstract: We introduce an optimisation method for variational quantum algorithms and experimentally demonstrate a 100-fold improvement in efficiency compared to naive implementations. The effectiveness of our approach is shown by obtaining multi-dimensional energy surfaces for small molecules and a spin model. Our method solves related variational problems in parallel by exploiting the global nature of Baye… ▽ More We introduce an optimisation method for variational quantum algorithms and experimentally demonstrate a 100-fold improvement in efficiency compared to naive implementations. The effectiveness of our approach is shown by obtaining multi-dimensional energy surfaces for small molecules and a spin model. Our method solves related variational problems in parallel by exploiting the global nature of Bayesian optimisation and sharing information between different optimisers. Parallelisation makes our method ideally suited to next generation of variational problems with many physical degrees of freedom. This addresses a key challenge in scaling-up quantum algorithms towards demonstrating quantum advantage for problems of real-world interest. △ Less

Submitted 23 July, 2021; v1 submitted 30 March, 2021; originally announced March 2021.

Comments: 10 pages, 6 figures, use of IBM Quantum devices

Journal ref: npj Quantum Inf 7, 116 (2021)

Quantum Relativity of Subsystems

Authors: Shadi Ali Ahmad, Thomas D. Galley, Philipp A. Hoehn, Maximilian P. E. Lock, Alexander R. H. Smith

Abstract: One of the most basic notions in physics is the partitioning of a system into subsystems, and the study of correlations among its parts. In this work, we explore these notions in the context of quantum reference frame (QRF) covariance, in which this partitioning is subject to a symmetry constraint. We demonstrate that different reference frame perspectives induce different sets of subsystem observ… ▽ More One of the most basic notions in physics is the partitioning of a system into subsystems, and the study of correlations among its parts. In this work, we explore these notions in the context of quantum reference frame (QRF) covariance, in which this partitioning is subject to a symmetry constraint. We demonstrate that different reference frame perspectives induce different sets of subsystem observable algebras, which leads to a gauge-invariant, frame-dependent notion of subsystems and entanglement. We further demonstrate that subalgebras which commute before imposing the symmetry constraint can translate into non-commuting algebras in a given QRF perspective after symmetry imposition. Such a QRF perspective does not inherit the distinction between subsystems in terms of the corresponding tensor factorizability of the kinematical Hilbert space and observable algebra. Since the condition for this to occur is contingent on the choice of QRF, the notion of subsystem locality is frame-dependent. △ Less

Submitted 28 April, 2022; v1 submitted 1 March, 2021; originally announced March 2021.

Comments: 8+10 pages, 1 figure

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 170401 (2022)

Orthogonal Quantum Many-body Scars

Authors: Hongzheng Zhao, Adam Smith, Florian Mintert, Johannes Knolle

Abstract: Quantum many-body scars have been put forward as counterexamples to the Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis. These atypical states are observed in a range of correlated models as long-lived oscillations of local observables in quench experiments starting from selected initial states. The long-time memory is a manifestation of quantum non-ergodicity generally linked to a sub-extensive generation o… ▽ More Quantum many-body scars have been put forward as counterexamples to the Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis. These atypical states are observed in a range of correlated models as long-lived oscillations of local observables in quench experiments starting from selected initial states. The long-time memory is a manifestation of quantum non-ergodicity generally linked to a sub-extensive generation of entanglement entropy, the latter of which is widely used as a diagnostic for identifying quantum many-body scars numerically as low entanglement outliers. Here we show that, by adding kinetic constraints to a fractionalized orthogonal metal, we can construct a minimal model with orthogonal quantum many-body scars leading to persistent oscillations with infinite lifetime coexisting with rapid volume-law entanglement generation. Our example provides new insights into the link between quantum ergodicity and many-body entanglement while opening new avenues for exotic non-equilibrium dynamics in strongly correlated multi-component quantum systems. △ Less

Submitted 8 October, 2021; v1 submitted 15 February, 2021; originally announced February 2021.

Comments: 5 pages + 4 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 150601 (2021)

Reconfigurable Integrated Optical Interferometer Network-Based Physically Unclonable Function

Authors: A. Matthew Smith, H S. Jacinto

Abstract: In this article we describe the characteristics of a large integrated linear optical device containing Mach-Zehnder interferometers and describe its potential use as a physically unclonable function. We propose that any tunable interferometric device of practical scale will be intrinsically unclonable and will possess an inherent randomness that can be useful for many practical applications. The d… ▽ More In this article we describe the characteristics of a large integrated linear optical device containing Mach-Zehnder interferometers and describe its potential use as a physically unclonable function. We propose that any tunable interferometric device of practical scale will be intrinsically unclonable and will possess an inherent randomness that can be useful for many practical applications. The device under test has the additional use-case as a general-purpose photonic manipulation tool, with various applications based on the experimental results of our prototype. Once our tunable interferometric device is set to work as a physically unclonable function, we find that there are approximately 6.85x10E35 challenge-response pairs, where each challenge can be quickly reconfigured by tuning the interferometer array for subsequent challenges. △ Less

Submitted 18 December, 2020; originally announced December 2020.

Journal ref: Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 38, no. 17, pp. 4599-4606, 1 Sept.1, 2020

Utilizing a Fully Optical and Reconfigurable PUF as a Quantum Authentication Mechanism

Authors: H S. Jacinto, A. Matthew Smith

Abstract: In this work the novel usage of a physically unclonable function composed of a network of Mach-Zehnder interferometers for authentication tasks is described. The physically unclonable function hardware is completely reconfigurable, allowing for a large number of seemingly independent devices to be utilized, thus imitating a large array of single-response physically unclonable functions. It is prop… ▽ More In this work the novel usage of a physically unclonable function composed of a network of Mach-Zehnder interferometers for authentication tasks is described. The physically unclonable function hardware is completely reconfigurable, allowing for a large number of seemingly independent devices to be utilized, thus imitating a large array of single-response physically unclonable functions. It is proposed that any reconfigurable array of Mach-Zehnder interferometers can be used as an authentication mechanism, not only for physical objects, but for information transmitted both classically and quantumly. The proposed use-case for a fully-optical physically unclonable function, designed with reconfigurable hardware, is to authenticate messages between a trusted and possibly untrusted party; verifying that the messages received are generated by the holder of the authentic device. △ Less

Submitted 18 December, 2020; originally announced December 2020.