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Linear optics and photodetection achieve near-optimal unambiguous coherent state discrimination

ORAL

Abstract

Coherent states of the quantum electromagnetic field, the quantum description of ideal laser light, are prime candidates as information carriers for optical communications.

A large body of literature exists on their quantum-limited estimation and discrimination. However, very little is known about the practical realizations of receivers for unambiguous state discrimination (USD) of coherent states. Here we fill this gap and outline a theory of USD with receivers that are allowed to employ: passive multimode linear optics, phase-space displacements, auxiliary vacuum modes, and on-off photon detection. Our results indicate that, in some regimes, these currently-available optical components are typically sufficient to achieve near-optimal unambiguous discrimination of multiple, multimode coherent states.

Publication: arXiv:2109.00008: https://arxiv.org/abs/2109.00008

Presenters

  • Jasminder S Sidhu

    University of Strathclyde

Authors

  • Jasminder S Sidhu

    University of Strathclyde

  • Michael S Bullock

    University of Arizona

  • Saikat Guha

    The University of Arizona, University of Arizona

  • Cosmo Lupo

    Politecnico di Bari