Measurement-Induced Strong Kerr Nonlinearity for Weak Quantum States of Light

Year: 2017

Authors: Costanzo L. S., Coelho A. S., Biagi N., Fiurášek J., Bellini M., Zavatta A.

Autors Affiliation: CNR, INO, Largo E Fermi 6, I-50125 Florence, Italy; Univ Firenze, LENS, I-50019 Florence, Italy; Univ Firenze, Dept Phys, I-50019 Florence, Italy; Univ Fed Piaui, Dept Engn Mecan, BR-64049550 Teresina, Piaui, Brazil; Palacky Univ, Dept Opt, 17 Listopadu 1192-12, CZ-77146 Olomouc, Czech Republic.

Abstract: Strong nonlinearity at the single photon level represents a crucial enabling tool for optical quantum technologies. Here we report on experimental implementation of a strong Kerr nonlinearity by measurement-induced quantum operations on weak quantum states of light. Our scheme coherently combines two sequences of single photon addition and subtraction to induce a nonlinear phase shift at the single photon level. We probe the induced nonlinearity with weak coherent states and characterize the output non-Gaussian states with quantum state tomography. The strong nonlinearity is clearly witnessed as a change of sign of specific off-diagonal density matrix elements in the Fock basis.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS

Volume: 119 (1)      Pages from: 013601-1  to: 013601-6

More Information: L. S. C., N. B., M. B. and A.Z. gratefully acknowledge the support of Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze and of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR), under the “Progetto Premiale: QSecGroundSpace.´ J. F. acknowledges financial support by the Czech Science Foundation (GB14-36681G).
KeyWords: Optical Kerr effect; Particle beams; Phase shift; Photons; Quantum optics, Density matrix elements; Nonlinear phase shift; Quantum operations; Quantum state tomography; Quantum technologies; Single-photon level; Strong nonlinearity; Weak coherent state, Quantum theory
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.013601

Citations: 29
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