Zhu, J., Christensen, J., Jung, J., Martin-Moreno, L., Yin, X., Fok, L., et al. (2011). A holey-structured metamaterial for acoustic deep-subwavelength imaging. Nat. Phys., 7(1), 52–55.
Abstract: For classical waves such as light or sound, diffraction sets a natural limit on how finely the details of an object can be recorded on its image. Recently, various optical superlenses based on the metamaterials concept have shown the possibility of overcoming the diffraction limit. Similar two-dimensional (2D) acoustic hyperlens designs have also been explored. Here we demonstrate a 3D holey-structured metamaterial that achieves acoustic imaging down to a feature size of λ/50. The evanescent field components of a subwavelength object are efficiently transmitted through the structure as a result of their strong coupling with Fabry-Pérot resonances inside the holey plate. This capability of acoustic imaging at a very deep-subwavelength scale may open the door for a broad range of applications, including medical ultrasonography, underwater sonar and ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation.
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Kim, Y. - S., Lee, J. - C., Kwon, O., & Kim, Y. - H. (2012). Protecting entanglement from decoherence using weak measurement and quantum measurement reversal. Nat. Phys., 8(2), 117–120.
Abstract: Decoherence, often caused by unavoidable coupling with the environment, leads to degradation of quantum coherence. For a multipartite quantum system, decoherence leads to degradation of entanglement and, in certain cases, entanglement sudden death. Tackling decoherence, thus, is a critical issue faced in quantum information, as entanglement is a vital resource for many quantum information applications including quantum computing, quantum cryptography, quantum teleportation and quantum metrology. Here, we propose and demonstrate a scheme to protect entanglement from decoherence. Our entanglement protection scheme makes use of the quantum measurement itself for actively battling against decoherence and it can effectively circumvent even entanglement sudden death.
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Billangeon, P. - M., & Nakamura, Y. (2011). Superconducting devices: Quantum cups and balls. Nat. Phys., 7(8), 594–595.
Abstract: A single microwave photon in a superposition of two states of different frequency is now demonstrated using a superconducting quantum interference device to mediate the coupling between two harmonics of a resonator. Such quantum circuits bring closer the possibility of controlling photon-photon interactions at the single-photon level.
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Zakka-Bajjani, E., Nguyen, F. Ã. §ois, Lee, M., Vale, L. R., Simmonds, R. W., & Aumentado, J. (2011). Quantum superposition of a single microwave photon in two different 'colour' states. Nat. Phys., 7(8), 599–603.
Abstract: Fully controlled coherent coupling of arbitrary harmonic oscillators is an important tool for processing quantum information. Coupling between quantum harmonic oscillators has previously been demonstrated in several physical systems using a two-level system as a mediating element. Direct interaction at the quantum level has only recently been realized by means of resonant coupling between trapped ions. Here we implement a tunable direct coupling between the microwave harmonics of a superconducting resonator by means of parametric frequency conversion. We accomplish this by coupling the mode currents of two harmonics through a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) and modulating its flux at the difference (~7GHz) of the harmonic frequencies. We deterministically prepare a single-photon Fock state and coherently manipulate it between multiple modes, effectively controlling it in a superposition of two different 'colours'. This parametric interaction can be described as a beamsplitter-like operation that couples different frequency modes. As such, it could be used to implement linear optical quantum computing protocols on-chip.
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Bylander, J., Gustavsson, S., Yan, F., Yoshihara, F., Harrabi, K., Fitch, G., et al. (2011). Noise spectroscopy through dynamical decoupling with a superconducting flux qubit. Nat. Phys., 7(7), 565–570.
Abstract: Quantum coherence in natural and artificial spin systems is fundamental to applications ranging from quantum information science to magnetic-resonance imaging and identification. Several multipulse control sequences targeting generalized noise models have been developed to extend coherence by dynamically decoupling a spin system from its noisy environment. In any particular implementation, however, the efficacy of these methods is sensitive to the specific frequency distribution of the noise, suggesting that these same pulse sequences could also be used to probe the noise spectrum directly. Here we demonstrate noise spectroscopy by means of dynamical decoupling using a superconducting qubit with energy-relaxation time T1=12μs. We first demonstrate that dynamical decoupling improves the coherence time T2 in this system up to the T2=2T1 limit (pure dephasing times exceeding 100μs), and then leverage its filtering properties to probe the environmental noise over a frequency (f) range 0.2-20MHz, observing a 1/fα distribution with α<1. The characterization of environmental noise has broad utility for spin-resonance applications, enabling the design of optimized coherent-control methods, promoting device and materials engineering, and generally improving coherence.
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Ma, X. - S., Dakic, B., Naylor, W., Zeilinger, A., & Walther, P. (2011). Quantum simulation of the wavefunction to probe frustrated Heisenberg spin systems. Nat. Phys., 7(5), 399–405.
Abstract: Quantum simulators are controllable quantum systems that can reproduce the dynamics of the system of interest in situations that are not amenable to classical computers. Recent developments in quantum technology enable the precise control of individual quantum particles as required for studying complex quantum systems. In particular, quantum simulators capable of simulating frustrated Heisenberg spin systems provide platforms for understanding exotic matter such as high-temperature superconductors. Here we report the analogue quantum simulation of the ground-state wavefunction to probe arbitrary Heisenberg-type interactions among four spin-1/2 particles. Depending on the interaction strength, frustration within the system emerges such that the ground state evolves from a localized to a resonating-valence-bond state. This spin-1/2 tetramer is created using the polarization states of four photons. The single-particle addressability and tunable measurement-induced interactions provide us with insights into entanglement dynamics among individual particles. We directly extract ground-state energies and pairwise quantum correlations to observe the monogamy of entanglement.
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Kerr, A. R., Feldman, M. J., & Pan, S. - K. (1996). Receiver noise temperature, the quantum noise limit, and the role of the zero-point fluctuations. Electronics division internal report NO. 304, , 1–10.
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Shurakov, A., Tong, C. -yu E., Grimes, P., Blundell, R., & Golt'sman, G. (2015). A microwave reflection readout scheme for hot electron bolometric direct detector. IEEE Trans. THz Sci. Technol., 5, 81–84.
Abstract: In this paper, we propose and present data from a fast THz detector based on the repurpose of hot electron bolometer mixers (HEB) fabricated from superconducting NbN thinfilm. This detector is essentially a traditional NbN bolometer element that operates under the influence of a microwave pump. The in-jected microwave power serves the dual purpose of enhancing the detector sensitivity and reading out the impedance changes of the device in response to incidentTHz radiation. We have measured an optical Noise Equivalent Power of 4 pW/ Hz for our detector at a bath temperature of 4.2 K. The measurement frequency was 0.83 THz and the modulation frequency was 1.48 kHz. The readout
scheme is versatile and facilitates both high-speed operation as well as multi-pixel applications.
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Meledin D., Desmaris V., Ferm S.-E., Fredrixon M., Henke D., Lapkin I., et al. (2008). APEX Band T2: A 1.25 – 1.39 THz Waveguide Balanced HEB Receiver.181–185.
Abstract: A waveguide 1.25–1.39 THz Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) balanced receiver was successfully developed, characterized and installed at the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) telescope. The receiver employs a quadrature balanced scheme using a waveguide 90-degree 3 dB RF hybrid, HEB mixers and a 180-degree IF hybrid. The HEB mixers are based on ultrathin NbN film deposited on crystalline quartz with a MgO buffer layer. Integrated into the multi-channel APEX facility receiver (SHeFI), the results presented here demonstrate exceptional performance; a receiver noise temperature of 1000 K measured at the telescope at the center of the receiver IF band 2-4 GHz, and at an LO frequency of 1294 GHz. Stability of the receiver is fully in line with the SIS mixer bands of the SHeFI, and gives a spectroscopic Allan time of more than 200 s with a noise bandwidth of 1 MHz.
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Stucki, D., Barreiro, C., Fasel, S., Gautier, J. - D., Gay, O., Gisin, N., et al. (2009). Continuous high speed coherent one-way quantum key distribution. Opt. Express, 17(16), 13326–13334.
Abstract: Quantum key distribution (QKD) is the first commercial quantum technology operating at the level of single quanta and is a leading light for quantum-enabled photonic technologies. However, controlling these quantum optical systems in real world environments presents significant challenges. For the first time, we have brought together three key concepts for future QKD systems: a simple high-speed protocol; high performance detection; and integration both, at the component level and for standard fibre network connectivity. The QKD system is capable of continuous and autonomous operation, generating secret keys in real time. Laboratory and field tests were performed and comparisons made with robust InGaAs avalanche photodiodes and superconducting detectors. We report the first real world implementation of a fully functional QKD system over a 43dB-loss (150km) transmission line in the Swisscom fibre optic network where we obtained average real-time distribution rates over 3 hours of 2.5bps.
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