Precise creation, characterization, and manipulation of single optical qubits

  • Authors:
  • Nicholas Peters;Joseph Altepeter;Evan Jeffrey;David Branning;Paul Kwiat

  • Affiliations:
  • Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois;Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois;Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois;Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois;Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois

  • Venue:
  • Quantum Information & Computation
  • Year:
  • 2003

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Abstract

We present the theoretical basis for and experimental verification of arbitrary single-qubit state generation, using the polarization of photons generated via spontaneous parametric downconversion. Our precision measurement and state reconstruction system has the capability to distinguish over 3 million states, all of which can be reproducibly generated using our state creation apparatus. In order to complete the triumvirate of single qubit control, there must be a way to not only manipulate single qubits after creation and before measurement, but a way to characterize the manipulations themselves. We present a general representation of arbitrary processes, and experimental techniques for generating a variety of single qubit manipulations, including unitary, decohering, and (partially) polarizing operations.