Damian Markham | LIP6 - Équipe QI

Composable simultaneous purification: when all communication scenarios reduce to spatial correlations

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Bell non-locality is a powerful framework to distinguish classical, quantum and post-quantum resources, which relies on non-communicating players. Under which restriction can we have the same separations, if we allow for communication? Non-signalling state assemblages, and the fact that they can always be simultaneously purified, turned out to be the key element to restrict the simplest bipartite communication scenario, the prepare-and-measure, to the standard bipartite Bell scenario. Yet, many distinctive features of quantum theory are genuinely multipartite and cannot be reduced to two-party behaviour. In this work we are interested in extending this simultaneous purification inspired result to all multipartite communication schemes. As a first step, we unify and extend the simultaneous purification result from states to instruments and super-instruments, which are composable structures, and open up the possibility to explore more complex communication scenarios. Our main contribution is to establish that arbitrary compositions of non-signalling assemblages cannot escape the standard spatial quantum Bell correlations set. As a consequence, any interactive quantum realization of correlations outside of this set must involve at least one signalling assemblage of quantum operations, even when the resulting correlations are non-signalling.

Translating Bell Non-Locality to Prepare-and-Measure Scenarios under Dimensional Constraints

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding the connections between different quantum information protocols has been proven fruitful for both theoretical insights and experimental applications. In this work, we explore the relationship between non-local and prepare-and-measure scenarios, proposing a systematic way to translate bipartite Bell inequalities into dimensionally-bounded prepare-and-measure tasks. We identify sufficient conditions under which the translation preserves the quantum bound and self-testing properties, enabling a wide range of certification protocols originally developed for the non-local setting to be adapted to the sequential framework of prepare-and-measure with a dimensional bound. While the dimensionality bound is not device-independent, it still is a practical and experimentally reasonable assumption in many cases of interest. In some instances, we find new experimentally-friendly certification protocols. In others, we demonstrate equivalences with already known prepare-and-measure protocols, where self-testing results were previously established using alternative mathematical methods. Our results unify different quantum correlation frameworks, and contribute to the ongoing research effort of studying the interplay between parallel and sequential protocols.

Quantum bounds for compiled XOR games and $d$-outcome CHSH games

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Nonlocal games play a crucial role in quantum information theory and have numerous applications in certification and cryptographic protocols. Kalai et al. (STOC 2023) introduced a procedure to compile a nonlocal game into a single-prover interactive proof, using a quantum homomorphic encryption scheme, and showed that their compilation method preserves the classical bound of the game. Natarajan and Zhang (FOCS 2023) then showed that the quantum bound is preserved for the specific case of the CHSH game. Extending the proof techniques of Natarajan and Zhang, we show that the compilation procedure of Kalai et al. preserves the quantum bound for two classes of games: XOR games and d-outcome CHSH games. We also establish that, for any pair of qubit measurements, there exists an XOR game such that its optimal winning probability serves as a self-test for that particular pair of measurements.

Formalizing contextuality in sequential scenarios

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This paper provides a framework for characterizing sequential scenarios, allowing for the identification of contextuality given empirical data, and then provides precise operational interpretations in terms of the possible hidden variable model explanations of that data. Sequential scenarios are different in essence from non-local scenarios as each measurement instrument is allowed to change the state as it enters subsequent measurement instruments. Thus, it is necessary to formulate the possible state update in any hidden variable model description. Here we develop such hidden variable models for sequential scenarios, and we propose the notion of no-disturbance: an instrument A does not disturb another instrument B if the statistics of B are independent of whether A was measured or not. We define non-contextuality inequalities for the sequential scenario, and show that violation implies that the data cannot be explained by a hidden variable model that is both deterministic and not disturbing in this sense. We further provide a translation from standard contextuality frameworks to ours, providing sequential versions which carry over the same inequalities and measures of contextuality, but now with the sequential interpretations stated.

Privacy in continuous-variable distributed quantum sensing

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Can a distributed network of quantum sensors estimate a global parameter while protecting every locally encoded value? We answer this question affirmatively by introducing and analysing a protocol for distributed quantum sensing in the continuous-variable regime. We consider a multipartite network in which each node encodes a local phase into a shared entangled Gaussian state. We show that the average phase can be estimated with high precision, exhibiting Heisenberg scaling in the total photon number, while individual phases are inaccessible. Although complete privacy - where all other combinations of phases remain entirely hidden - is unattainable for finite squeezing in multi-party settings, it emerges in the large-squeezing limit. We further investigate the impact of displacements and optical losses, revealing trade-offs between estimation accuracy and privacy. Finally, we benchmark the protocol against other continuous-variable resource states.

Robustly self-testing all maximally entangled states in every finite dimension

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We establish a device-independent, noise-tolerant certification of maximally entangled states in every finite dimension $d$. The core ingredient is a $d$-input, $d$-outcome Bell experiment that generalizes the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt test from qubits to qudits, where each setting is a non-diagonal Heisenberg-Weyl observable. For every odd prime $d \geq 3$, the associated Bell operator has an exact sum-of-positive-operators decomposition, yielding the Cirelson bound in closed form, from which we reconstruct the Heisenberg-Weyl commutation relations on the support of the state. We then extend the Mayers-Yao local isometry from qubits to prime-dimensional systems and show that any $ε$-near-optimal strategy below that bound is, up to local isometries, within trace distance $δ= \mathcal{O}(\sqrtε)$ of the ideal maximally entangled state; the implemented measurements are correspondingly close to the target observables. Via a tensor-factor argument, the prime-dimension result extends the self-testing protocol to every composite dimension $d$. The protocol uses standard Heisenberg-Weyl operations and non-Clifford phase gates that are diagonal in the computational basis, making it directly applicable to high-dimensional photonic and atomic platforms.

Experimental Fiber-Based Quantum Triangle-Network Nonlocality with a Telecom Al Ga As Multiplexed Entangled-Photon Source

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The exploration of the concept of nonlocality beyond standard Bell scenarios in quantum network architectures unveils fundamentally new forms of correlations that hold a strong potential for future applications of quantum communication networks. To materialize this potential, it is necessary to adapt theoretical advances to realistic configurations. Here, we consider a quantum triangle network, for which is has been shown in theory that, remarkably, quantum nonlocality without inputs can be demonstrated for sources with an arbitrarily small level of independence. We realize such correlated sources experimentally by carefully engineering the output state of a single Al Ga As multiplexed entangled-photon source, exploiting energy-matched channels cut in its broad spectrum. This simulated triangle network, based on standard fiber telecom components, is then used to violate experimentally a Bell-like inequality that we derive to capture the effect of noise in the correlations present in our system. We also rigorously validate our findings by analyzing the mutual information between the generated states. Our results allow us to deepen our understanding of network nonlocality while also pushing its practical relevance for quantum communication networks.

Experimental Fiber-Based Quantum Triangle-Network Nonlocality with a Telecom Al Ga As Multiplexed Entangled-Photon Source

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Noisy certification of continuous variables graph states

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Continuous variables (CV) offer a promising platform for the development of various applications, such as quantum communication, computing, and sensing, and CV graph states represent a family of powerful entangled resource states for all these areas. In many of these protocols, a crucial aspect is the certification of the quantum state subsequently used. While numerous protocols exist, most rely on assumptions unrealistic for physical continuous variable states, such as infinite precision in quadrature measurement or the use of states requiring infinite squeezing. In this work, we adapt existing protocols to deal with these unavoidable considerations, and use them to certify their application for different quantum information tasks. More specifically, we show how CV graph states can be efficiently verified and certified even in a noisy and imperfect setting. We then discuss how our findings impact the usability of states obtained after the protocol for different applications, including quantum teleportation, computing, and sensing.

Anonymous and private parameter estimation in networks of quantum sensors

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Anonymity and privacy are two key properties of modern communication networks. In quantum networks, distributed quantum sensing has emerged as a powerful use case, with applications to clock synchronisation, detecting gravitational effects and more. In this work, we develop a new protocol that, for the first time, combines the different cryptographic properties of anonymity and privacy for the task of distributed parameter estimation. That is, we present a protocol that allows a selected subset of network participants to anonymously collaborate in estimating the average of their private parameters. Crucially, this is achieved without disclosing either the individual parameter values or the identities of the participants, neither to each other nor to the broader network.

Experimentally Certified Transmission of a Quantum Message through an Untrusted and Lossy Quantum Channel via Bell's Theorem

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Quantum transmission links are central elements in essentially all protocols involving the exchange of quantum messages. Emerging progress in quantum technologies involving such links needs to be accompanied by appropriate certification tools. In adversarial scenarios, a certification method can be vulnerable to attacks if too much trust is placed on the underlying system. Here, we propose a protocol in a device-independent framework, which allows for the certification of practical quantum transmission links in scenarios in which minimal assumptions are made about the functioning of the certification setup. In particular, we take unavoidable transmission losses into account by modeling the link as a completely positive trace-decreasing map. We also, crucially, remove the assumption of independent identically distributed samples, which is known to be incompatible with adversarial settings. Particular emphasis is put on a one-sided device-independent scenario, in which the sender possesses trusted resources. Finally, in view of the use of the certified transmitted states for follow-up applications, our protocol moves beyond certification of the channel to allow us to estimate the quality of the transmitted quantum message itself. To illustrate the practical relevance and the feasibility of our protocol with currently available technology, we provide an experimental implementation in the one-sided device-independent setting, based on a state-of-the-art polarization-entangled photon-pair source in a Sagnac configuration, and analyze its robustness for realistic losses and errors.

Privacy in networks of quantum sensors

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We treat privacy in a network of quantum sensors where accessible information is limited to specific functions of the network parameters, and all other information remains private. We develop an analysis of privacy in terms of a manipulation of the quantum Fisher information matrix, and find the optimal state achieving maximum privacy in the estimation of linear combination of the unknown parameters in a network of quantum sensors. We also discuss the effect of uncorrelated noise on the privacy of the network. Moreover, we illustrate our results with an example where the goal is to estimate the average value of the unknown parameters in the network. In this example, we also introduce the notion of quasi-privacy ($\epsilon$-privacy), quantifying how close the state is to being private.

Section 06 Sciences de l’information : fondements de l’informatique, calculs, algorithmes, représentations, exploitations

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

La section 6 du Comité national de la recherche scientifique est, avec la section 7, une des deux sections traitant de la science informatique, et plus précisément de l’algorithmique et de la combinatoire, du calcul, du logiciel, de la sécurité, des réseaux et systèmes distribuées, des données et connaissances, de l’intelligence artificielle et de l’aide à la décision, ainsi que de la bio-informatique et de l’informatique quantique. Ce rapport présente le périmètre thématique de la section, discute de la place des femmes ainsi que des évolutions récentes des pratiques de recherche, présente la conjoncture des différents thèmes de recherche et enfin décrit les carrières au CNRS des chercheurs et chercheuses de la section.

Experimental Sample-Efficient and Device-Independent GHZ State Certification

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The certification of quantum resources is a critical tool in the development of quantum information processing. In particular, quantum state verification is a fundamental building block for communication and computation applications, determining whether the involved parties can trust the resources at hand or whether the application should be aborted. Self-testing methods have been used to tackle such verification tasks in a device-independent (DI) setting. However, these approaches commonly consider the limit of large (asymptotic), identically and independently distributed (IID) samples, which weakens the DI claim and poses serious challenges to their experimental implementation. Here we overcome these challenges by adopting a theoretical protocol enabling the certification of quantum states in the few-copies and non-IID regime and by leveraging a high-fidelity multipartite entangled photon source. This allows us to show the efficient and device-independent certification of a single copy of a four-qubit GHZ state that can readily be used for the robust and reliable implementation of quantum information tasks.

Learning properties of quantum states without the IID assumption

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

We develop a framework for learning properties of quantum states beyond the assumption of independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) input states. We prove that, given any learning problem (under reasonable assumptions), an algorithm designed for i.i.d. input states can be adapted to handle input states of any nature, albeit at the expense of a polynomial increase in training data size (aka sample complexity). Importantly, this polynomial increase in sample complexity can be substantially improved to polylogarithmic if the learning algorithm in question only requires non-adaptive, single-copy measurements. Among other applications, this allows us to generalize the classical shadow framework to the non-i.i.d. setting while only incurring a comparatively small loss in sample efficiency. We leverage permutation invariance and randomized single-copy measurements to derive a new quantum de Finetti theorem that mainly addresses measurement outcome statistics and, in turn, scales much more favorably in Hilbert space dimension.

Learning properties of quantum states without the IID assumption

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Private and Robust States for Distributed Quantum Sensing

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Distributed quantum sensing enables the estimation of multiple parameters encoded in spatially separated probes. While traditional quantum sensing is often focused on estimating a single parameter with maximum precision, distributed quantum sensing seeks to estimate some function of multiple parameters that are only locally accessible for each party involved. In such settings it is natural to not want to give away more information than is necessary. To address this, we use the concept of privacy with respect to a function, ensuring that only information about the target function is available to all the parties, and no other information. We define a measure of privacy (essentially how close we are to this condition being satisfied), and show it satisfies a set of naturally desirable properties of such a measure. Using this privacy measure, we identify and construct entangled resources states that ensure privacy for a given function under different resource distributions and encoding dynamics, characterized by Hamiltonian evolution. For separable and parallel Hamiltonians, we prove that the GHZ state is the only private state for certain linear functions, with the minimum amount of required resources, up to SLOCC. Recognizing the vulnerability of this state to particle loss, we create families of private states, that remain robust even against loss of qubits, by incorporating additional resources. We then extend our findings to different resource distribution scenarios and Hamiltonians, resulting in a comprehensive set of private and robust states for distributed quantum estimation. These results advance the understanding of privacy and robustness in multi-parameter quantum sensing.

Towards an Experimental Implementation of Efficient Verification of Boson Sampling

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Bell Nonlocality from Wigner Negativity in Qudit Systems

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Nonlocality is an essential concept that distinguishes quantum from classical models and has been extensively studied in systems of qubits. For higher-dimensional systems, certain results for their two-level counterpart, like Bell violations with stabilizer states and Clifford operators, do not generalize. On the other hand, similar to continuous variable systems, Wigner negativity is necessary for nonlocality in qudit systems. We propose a family of Bell inequalities that inquire correlations related to the Wigner negativity of stabilizer states under the adjoint action of a generalization of the qubit $\pi/8$ gate, which, in the bipartite case, is an abstraction of the CHSH inequality. The classical bound is simple to compute, and a specified stabilizer state maximally violates the inequality among all qudit states based on the Wigner negativity and an inequality between the 1-norm and the maximum norm. The Bell operator not only serves as a measure for the singlet fraction but also quantifies the volume of Wigner negativity. Furthermore, we give deterministic Bell violations, as well as violations with a constant number of measurements, for the Bell state relying on operators innate to higher-dimensional systems than the qudit at hand.

Self-Testing Graph States Permitting Bounded Classical Communication

Sun, 05 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Self-testing identifies quantum states and correlations that exhibit non-locality, distinguishing them, up to local transformations, from other quantum states. Due to their strong non-locality, all graph states can be self-tested with strictly local measurement devices. Moreover, graph states display non-local correlations even when bounded classical communication on the underlying graph is permitted, a feature that has found applications in proving a circuit-depth separation between classical and quantum computing. In the framework of bounded classical communication, we show that certain graph states with appropriate symmetry can be robustly self-tested, by providing an explicit self-test for the circular graph state and the honeycomb cluster state. Since communication generally obstructs self-testing of graph states, we further provide a procedure to robustly self-test any graph state from larger ones that exhibit non-local correlations in the communication scenario. Furthermore, in the standard setup without classical communication, we demonstrate that any graph state from an underlying connected graph with at least three vertices can be robustly self-tested using only Pauli measurements.

The power of shallow-depth Toffoli and qudit quantum circuits

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The relevance of shallow-depth quantum circuits has recently increased, mainly due to their applicability to near-term devices. In this context, one of the main goals of quantum circuit complexity is to find problems that can be solved by quantum shallow circuits but require more computational resources classically. Our first contribution in this work is to prove new separations between classical and quantum constant-depth circuits. Firstly, we show a separation between constant-depth quantum circuits with quantum advice $\mathsf{QNC}^0/\mathsf{qpoly}$, and $\mathsf{AC}^0[p]$, which is the class of classical constant-depth circuits with unbounded-fan in and $\pmod{p}$ gates. In addition, we show a separation between $\mathsf{QAC}^0$, which additionally has Toffoli gates with unbounded control, and $\mathsf{AC}^0[p]$. This establishes the first such separation for a shallow-depth quantum class that does not involve quantum fan-out gates. Secondly, we consider $\mathsf{QNC}^0$ circuits with infinite-size gate sets. We show that these circuits, along with (classical or quantum) prime modular gates, can implement threshold gates, showing that $\mathsf{QNC}^0[p]=\mathsf{QTC}^0$. Finally, we also show that in the infinite-size gateset case, these quantum circuit classes for higher-dimensional Hilbert spaces do not offer any advantage to standard qubit implementations.

All graph state verification protocols are composably secure

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Graph state verification protocols allow multiple parties to share a graph state while checking that the state is honestly prepared, even in the presence of malicious parties. Since graph states are the starting point of numerous quantum protocols, it is crucial to ensure that graph state verification protocols can safely be composed with other protocols, this property being known as composable security. Previous works [YDK21] conjectured that such a property could not be proven within the abstract cryptography framework: we disprove this conjecture by showing that all graph state verification protocols can be turned into a composably secure protocol with respect to the natural functionality for graph state preparation. Moreover, we show that any unchanged graph state verification protocols can also be considered as composably secure for a slightly different, yet useful, functionality. Finally, we show that these two results are optimal, in the sense that any such generic result, considering arbitrary black-box protocols, must either modify the protocol or consider a different functionality. Along the way, we show a protocol to generalize entanglement swapping to arbitrary graph states that might be of independent interest.

Experimental Certification of Quantum Transmission via Bell's Theorem

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Quantum transmission links are central elements in essentially all implementations of quantum information protocols. Emerging progress in quantum technologies involving such links needs to be accompanied by appropriate certification tools. In adversarial scenarios, a certification method can be vulnerable to attacks if too much trust is placed on the underlying system. Here, we propose a protocol in a device independent framework, which allows for the certification of practical quantum transmission links in scenarios where minimal assumptions are made about the functioning of the certification setup. In particular, we take unavoidable transmission losses into account by modeling the link as a completely-positive trace-decreasing map. We also, crucially, remove the assumption of independent and identically distributed samples, which is known to be incompatible with adversarial settings. Finally, in view of the use of the certified transmitted states for follow-up applications, our protocol moves beyond certification of the channel to allow us to estimate the quality of the transmitted state itself. To illustrate the practical relevance and the feasibility of our protocol with currently available technology we provide an experimental implementation based on a state-of-the-art polarization entangled photon pair source in a Sagnac configuration and analyze its robustness for realistic losses and errors.

Corrected Bell and Noncontextuality Inequalities for Realistic Experiments

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Contextuality is a feature of quantum correlations. It is crucial from a foundational perspective as a nonclassical phenomenon, and from an applied perspective as a resource for quantum advantage. It is commonly defined in terms of hidden variables, for which it forces a contradiction with the assumptions of parameter-independence and determinism. The former can be justified by the empirical property of non-signalling or non-disturbance, and the latter by the empirical property of measurement sharpness. However, in realistic experiments neither empirical property holds exactly, which leads to possible objections to contextuality as a form of nonclassicality, and potential vulnerabilities for supposed quantum advantages. We introduce measures to quantify both properties, and introduce quantified relaxations of the corresponding assumptions. We prove the continuity of a known measure of contextuality, the contextual fraction, which ensures its robustness to noise. We then bound the extent to which these relaxations can account for contextuality, via corrections terms to the contextual fraction (or to any noncontextuality inequality), culminating in a notion of genuine contextuality, which is robust to experimental imperfections. We then show that our result is general enough to apply or relate to a variety of established results and experimental setups.

Flow conditions for continuous variable measurement-based quantum computing

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In measurement-based quantum computing (MBQC), computation is carried out by a sequence of measurements and corrections on an entangled state. Flow, and related concepts, are powerful techniques for characterising the dependence of the corrections on previous measurement results. We introduce flow-based methods for quantum computation with continuous variables graph states, which we call CV-flow. These are inspired by, but not equivalent to, the notions of causal flow and g-flow for qubit MBQC. We also show that an MBQC with CV-flow approximates a unitary arbitrarily well in the infinite-squeezing limit, addressing issues of convergence which are unavoidable in the infinite-dimensional setting. In developing our proofs, we provide a method for converting a CV-MBQC computation into a circuit form, analogous to the circuit extraction method of Miyazaki et al, and an efficient algorithm for finding CV-flow when it exists based on the qubit version by Mhalla and Perdrix. Our results and techniques naturally extend to the cases of MBQC for quantum computation with qudits of prime local dimension.

Inflated Graph States Refuting Communication-Assisted LHV Models

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Standard Bell inequalities hold when distant parties are not allowed to communicate. Barrett et al. found correlations from Pauli measurements on certain network graphs refute a local hidden variable (LHV) description even allowing some communication along the graph. This has recently found applications in proving separation between classical and quantum computing, in terms of shallow circuits, and distributed computing. The correlations presented by Barrett et al. can be understood as coming from an extension of three party GHZ state correlations which can be embedded on a graph state. In this work, we propose systematic extensions of any graph state, which we dub inflated graph states such that they exhibit correlations which refute any communication assisted LHV model. We further show the smallest possible such example, with a 7-qubit linear graph state, as well as specially crafted smaller examples with 5 and 4 qubits. The latter is the smallest possible violation using binary inputs and outputs.

Outcome determinism in measurement-based quantum computation with qudits

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In measurement-based quantum computing (MBQC), computation is carried out by a sequence of measurements and corrections on an entangled state. Flow, and related concepts, are powerful techniques for characterising the dependence of the corrections on previous measurement outcomes. We introduce flow-based methods for MBQC with qudit graph states, which we call Zd-flow, when the local dimension is an odd prime. Our main results are proofs that Zd-flow is a necessary and sufficient condition for a strong form of outcome determinism. Along the way, we find a suitable generalisation of the concept of measurement planes to this setting and characterise the allowed measurements in a qudit MBQC. We also provide a polynomial-time algorithm for finding an optimal Zd-flow whenever one exists.

Quantum Metrology with Delegated Tasks

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

A quantum metrology scheme can be decomposed into three quantum tasks: state preparation, parameter encoding and measurements. Consequently, it is imperative to have access to the technologies which can execute the aforementioned tasks to fully implement a quantum metrology scheme. In the absence of one or more of these technologies, one can proceed by delegating the tasks to a third party. However, doing so has security ramifications: the third party can bias the result or leak information. In this article, we outline different scenarios where one or more tasks are delegated to an untrusted (and possibly malicious) third party. In each scenario, we outline cryptographic protocols which can be used to circumvent malicious activity. Further, we link the effectiveness of the quantum metrology scheme to the soundness of the cryptographic protocols.

Private network parameter estimation with quantum sensors

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Networks of quantum sensors are a central application of burgeoning quantum networks. A key question for the use of such networks will be their security, particularly against malicious participants of the network. We introduce a protocol to securely evaluate linear functions of parameters over a network of quantum sensors, ensuring that all parties only have access to the function value, and no access to the individual parameters. This has application to secure networks of clocks and opens the door to more general applications of secure multiparty computing to networks of quantum sensors.

Cryptographic approach to Quantum Metrology

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

We consider a cryptographically motivated framework for quantum metrology in the presence of a malicious adversary. We begin by devising an estimation strategy for a (potentially) altered resource (due to a malicious adversary) and quantify the amount of bias and the loss in precision as a function of the introduced uncertainty in the resource. By incorporating an appropriate cryptographic protocol, the uncertainty in the resource can be bounded with respect to the soundness of the cryptographic protocol. Thus the effectiveness of the quantum metrology problem can be directly related to the effectiveness of the cryptography protocol. As an example, we consider a quantum metrology problem in which resources are exchanged through an unsecured quantum channel. We then construct two protocols for this task which offer a trade-off between difficulty of implementation and efficiency.

Classical-quantum network coding: a story about tensor

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

We study here the conditions to perform the distribution of a pure state on a quantum network using quantum operations which can succeed with a non-zero probability, the Stochastic Local Operation and Classical Communication (SLOCC) operations. In their pioneering 2010 work, Kobayashi et al. showed how to convert any classical network coding protocol into a quantum network coding protocol. However, they left open whether the existence of a quantum network coding protocol implied the existence of a classical one. Motivated by this question, we characterize the set of distribution tasks achievable with non zero probability for both classical and quantum networks. We develop a formalism which encompasses both types of distribution protocols by reducing the solving of a distribution task to the factorization of a tensor with complex coefficients or real positive ones. Using this formalism, we examine the equivalences and differences between both types of distribution protocols exhibiting several elementary and fundamental relations between them as well as concrete examples of both convergence and divergence. We answer by the negative to the issue previously left open: some tasks are achievable in the quantum setting, but not in the classical one. We believe this formalism to be a useful tool for studying the extent of quantum network ability to perform multipartite distribution tasks.

Verification of graph states in an untrusted network

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Graph states are a large class of multipartite entangled quantum states that form the basis of schemes for quantum computation, communication, error correction, metrology, and more. In this work, we consider verification of graph states generated by an untrusted source and shared between a network of possibly dishonest parties. This has implications in certifying the application of graph states for various distributed tasks. We first provide a general protocol and analysis for the verification of any graph state in such a network, and then adapt it to reduce the resources required for specific examples such as cluster states, complete and cycle graph states. In each case, we demonstrate how parties in the network can efficiently test and assess the closeness of their shared state to the desired graph state, even in the presence of any number of dishonest parties.

Efficient verification of Boson Sampling

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The demonstration of quantum speedup, also known as quantum computational supremacy, that is the ability of quantum computers to outperform dramatically their classical counterparts, is an important milestone in the field of quantum computing. While quantum speedup experiments are gradually escaping the regime of classical simulation, they still lack efficient verification protocols and rely on partial validation. To that end, we derive an efficient protocol for verifying with single-mode Gaussian measurements the output states of a large class of continuous variable quantum circuits demonstrating quantum speedup, including Boson Sampling experiments, with and without i.i.d. assumption, thus enabling a convincing demonstration of quantum speedup with photonic computing. Beyond the quantum speedup milestone, our results also enable the efficient and reliable certification of a large class of intractable continuous variable multi-mode quantum states.

Efficient verification of Boson Sampling

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Optimal quantum-programmable projective measurements with coherent states

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

We consider a device which can be programed using coherent states of light to approximate a given projective measurement on an input coherent state. We provide and discuss three practical implementations of this programmable projective measurement device with linear optics, involving only balanced beam splitters and single photon threshold detectors. The three schemes optimally approximate any projective measurement onto a program coherent state. We further extend these to the case where there are no assumptions on the input state. In this setting, we show that our scheme enables an efficient verification of an unbounded untrusted source with only local coherent states, balanced beam splitters, and threshold detectors. Exploiting the link between programmable measurements and generalized swap test, we show as a direct application that our schemes provide an asymptotically quadratic improvement in existing quantum fingerprinting protocol to approximate the Euclidean distance between two unit vectors.

Classical simulation of Gaussian quantum circuits with non-Gaussian input states

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

We consider Gaussian quantum circuits supplemented with non-Gaussian input states and derive sufficient conditions for efficient classical strong simulation of these circuits. In particular, we generalise the stellar representation of continuous-variable quantum states to the multimode setting and relate the stellar rank of the input non-Gaussian states, a recently introduced measure of non- Gaussianity, to the cost of evaluating classically the output probability densities of these circuits. Our results have consequences for the strong simulability of a large class of near-term continuous-variable quantum circuits.

Quantum machine learning with adaptive linear optics

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

We study supervised learning algorithms in which a quantum device is used to perform a computational subroutine - either for prediction via probability estimation, or to compute a kernel via estimation of quantum states overlap. We design implementations of these quantum subroutines using Boson Sampling architectures in linear optics, supplemented by adaptive measurements. We then challenge these quantum algorithms by deriving classical simulation algorithms for the tasks of output probability estimation and overlap estimation. We obtain different classical simulability regimes for these two computational tasks in terms of the number of adaptive measurements and input photons. In both cases, our results set explicit limits to the range of parameters for which a quantum advantage can be envisaged with adaptive linear optics compared to classical machine learning algorithms: we show that the number of input photons and the number of adaptive measurements cannot be simultaneously small compared to the number of modes. Interestingly, our analysis leaves open the possibility of a near-term quantum advantage with a single adaptive measurement.

Quantum machine learning with adaptive linear optics

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Experimental Approach to Demonstrating Contextuality for Qudits

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

We propose a method to experimentally demonstrate contextuality with a family of tests for qudits. The experiment we propose uses a qudit encoded in the path of a single photon and its temporal degrees of freedom. We consider the impact of noise on the effectiveness of these tests, taking the approach of ontologically faithful non-contextuality. In this approach, imperfections in the experimental set up must be taken into account in any faithful ontological (classical) model, which limits how much the statistics can deviate within different contexts. In this way we bound the precision of the experimental setup under which ontologically faithful non-contextual models can be refuted. We further consider the noise tolerance through different types of decoherence models on different types of encodings of qudits. We quantify the effect of the decoherence on the required precision for the experimental setup in order to demonstrate contextuality in this broader sense.

Certifying dimension of quantum systems by sequential projective measurements

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

This work analyzes correlations arising from quantum systems subject to sequential projective measurements to certify that the system in question has a quantum dimension greater than some d. We refine previous known methods and show that dimension greater than two can be certified in scenarios which are considerably simpler than the ones presented before and, for the first time in this sequential projective scenario, we certify quantum systems with dimension strictly greater than three. We also perform a systematic numerical analysis in terms of robustness and conclude that performing random projective measurements on random pure qutrit states allows a robust certification of quantum dimensions with very high probability.

Certification of Non-Gaussian States with Operational Measurements

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

We derive a theoretical framework for the experimental certification of non-Gaussian features of quantum states using double homodyne detection. We rank experimental non-Gaussian states according to the recently defined stellar hierarchy and we propose practical Wigner negativity witnesses. We simulate various use-cases ranging from fidelity estimation to witnessing Wigner negativity. Moreover, we extend results on the robustness of the stellar hierarchy of non-Gaussian states. Our results illustrate the usefulness of double homodyne detection as a practical measurement scheme for retrieving information about continuous-variable quantum states, and show that certification of high-order non-Gaussian features can be carried out experimentally with current technology.

Practical Limits of Error Correction for Quantum Metrology

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Noise is the greatest obstacle in quantum metrology that limits it achievable precision and sensitivity. There are many techniques to mitigate the effect of noise, but this can never be done completely. One commonly proposed technique is to repeatedly apply quantum error correction. Unfortunately, the required repetition frequency needed to recover the Heisenberg limit is unachievable with the existing quantum technologies. In this article we explore the discrete application of quantum error correction with current technological limitations in mind. We establish that quantum error correction can be beneficial and highlight the factors which need to be improved so one can reliably reach the Heisenberg limit level precision.

Authenticated teleportation and verification in a noisy network

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Authenticated teleportation aims to certify the transmission of a quantum state through teleportation, even in the presence of an adversary. This scenario can be pictured in terms of an untrusted source distributing a Bell state between two parties who wish to verify it using some simple tests. We propose a protocol that achieves this goal in a practical way, and analyse its performance and security when the parties have noisy measurement devices. Further, we model a realistic experimental scenario where the state is subject to noise and dephasing. We finally apply our analysis to the verification of graph states with noisy measurement devices.

Fault-tolerant quantum speedup from constant depth quantum circuits

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

A defining feature in the field of quantum computing is the potential of a quantum device to outperform its classical counterpart for a specific computational task. By now, several proposals exist showing that certain sampling problems can be done efficiently quantumly, but are not possible efficiently classically, assuming strongly held conjectures in complexity theory. A feature dubbed quantum speedup. However, the effect of noise on these proposals is not well understood in general, and in certain cases it is known that simple noise can destroy the quantum speedup. Here we develop a fault-tolerant version of one family of these sampling problems, which we show can be implemented using quantum circuits of constant depth. We present two constructions, each taking $poly(n)$ physical qubits, some of which are prepared in noisy magic states. The first of our constructions is a constant depth quantum circuit composed of single and two-qubit nearest neighbour Clifford gates in four dimensions. This circuit has one layer of interaction with a classical computer before final measurements. Our second construction is a constant depth quantum circuit with single and two-qubit nearest neighbour Clifford gates in three dimensions, but with two layers of interaction with a classical computer before the final measurements. For each of these constructions, we show that there is no classical algorithm which can sample according to its output distribution in $poly(n)$ time, assuming two standard complexity theoretic conjectures hold. The noise model we assume is the so-called local stochastic quantum noise. Along the way, we introduce various new concepts such as constant depth magic state distillation (MSD), and constant depth output routing, which arise naturally in measurement based quantum computation (MBQC), but have no constant-depth analogue in the circuit model.

Quantum certification and benchmarking

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Concomitant with the rapid development of quantum technologies, challenging demands arise concerning the certification and characterization of devices. The promises of the field can only be achieved if stringent levels of precision of components can be reached and their functioning guaranteed. This Expert Recommendation provides a brief overview of the known characterization methods of certification, benchmarking, and tomographic recovery of quantum states and processes, as well as their applications in quantum computing, simulation, and communication.

Quantum certification and benchmarking

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Building trust for continuous variable quantum states

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

We first introduce heterodyne quantum state tomography, a reliable method for continuous variable quantum state certification which directly yields the elements of the density matrix of the state considered and analytical confidence intervals, using heterodyne detection. This method neither needs mathematical reconstruction of the data, nor discrete binning of the sample space, and uses a single Gaussian measurement setting. Beyond quantum state tomography and without its identical copies assumption, we also derive a general protocol for verifying continuous variable pure quantum states with Gaussian measurements against fully malicious adversaries. In particular, we make use of a De Finetti reduction for infinite-dimensional systems. As an application, we consider verified universal continuous variable quantum computing, with a computational power restricted to Gaussian operations and an untrusted non-Gaussian states source. These results are obtained using a new analytical estimator for the expected value of any operator acting on a continuous variable quantum state with bounded support over Fock basis, computed with samples from heterodyne detection of the state.

Graph States as a Resource for Quantum Metrology

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

By using highly entangled states, quantum metrology guarantees precision impossible with classical measurements. Unfortunately such states can be very susceptible to noise, and it is a great challenge of the field to maintain quantum advantage in realistic conditions. In this study we investigate the practicality of graph states for quantum metrology. Graph states are a natural resource for much of quantum information, and here we characterize their quantum Fisher information (QFI) for an arbitrary graph state. We then construct families of graph states which approximately achieves the Heisenberg limit, we call these states bundled graph states. We demonstrate that bundled graph states maintain a quantum advantage after being subjected to iid dephasing or finite erasures. This shows that these graph states are good resources for robust quantum metrology. We also quantify the number of n qubit stabilizer states that are useful as a resource for quantum metrology.

Stellar representation of non-Gaussian quantum states

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

The so-called stellar formalism allows to represent the non-Gaussian properties of single-mode quantum states by the distribution of the zeros of their Husimi Q-function in phase-space. We use this representation in order to derive an infinite hierarchy of single-mode states based on the number of zeros of the Husimi Q-function, the stellar hierarchy. We give an operational characterisation of the states in this hierarchy with the minimal number of single-photon additions needed to engineer them, and derive equivalence classes under Gaussian unitary operations. We study in detail the topological properties of this hierarchy with respect to the trace norm, and discuss implications for non-Gaussian state engineering, and continuous variable quantum computing.

Stellar representation of non-Gaussian quantum states

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

A simple protocol for certifying graph states and applications in quantum networks

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

We present a simple protocol for certifying graph states in quantum networks using stabiliser measurements. The certification statements can easily be applied to different protocols using graph states. We see for example how it can be used to for measurement based verified quantum compu- tation, certified sampling of random unitaries and quantum metrology and sharing quantum secrets over untrusted channels.

Distributing Graph States Over Arbitrary Quantum Networks

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Multipartite entangled states are great resources for quantum networks. In this work we study the distribution, or routing, of entangled states over fixed, but arbitrary, physical networks. Our simplified model represents each use of a quantum channel as the sharing of a Bell pair; local operations and classical communications are considered to be free. We introduce two protocols to distribute respectively Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states and arbitrary graph states over arbitrary quantum networks. The GHZ states distribution protocol takes a single step and is optimal in terms of the number of Bell pairs used; the graph state distribution protocol uses at most twice as many Bell pairs and steps than the optimal routing protocol for the worst case scenario.

Robust quantum metrology with explicit symmetric states

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Quantum metrology is a promising practical use case for quantum technologies, where physical quantities can be measured with unprecedented precision. In lieu of quantum error correction procedures, near term quantum devices are expected to be noisy, and we have to make do with noisy probe states. With carefully chosen symmetric probe states inspired by the quantum error correction capabilities of certain symmetric codes, we prove that quantum metrology can exhibit an advantage over classical metrology, even after the probe states are corrupted by a constant number of erasure and dephasing errors. These probe states prove useful for robust metrology not only in the NISQ regime, but also in the asymptotic setting where they achieve Heisenberg scaling. This brings us closer towards making robust quantum metrology a technological reality.

Unitary $t$-designs from $relaxed$ seeds

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

In this work we reduce the requirements for generating $t$-designs, an important tool for randomisation with applications across quantum information and physics. We show that random quantum circuits with support over families of $relaxed$ finite sets of unitaries which are approximately universal in $U(4)$ (we call such sets $seeds$), converge towards approximate unitary $t$-designs efficiently in $poly(n,t)$ depth, where $n$ is the number of inputs of the random quantum circuit, and $t$ is the order of the design. We show this convergence for seeds which are relaxed in the sense that every unitary matrix in the seed need not have an inverse in the seed, nor be composed entirely of algebraic entries in general, two requirements which have restricited previous constructions. We suspect the result found here is not optimal, and can be improved. Particularly because the number of gates in the relaxed seeds introduced here grows with $n$ and $t$. We conjecture that constant sized seeds such as those in (Brand~ao, Harrow, and Horodecki, Commun. Math. Phys. 2016) are sufficient.

Authenticated teleportation with one-sided trust

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +0000

We introduce a protocol for authenticated teleportation, which can be proven secure even when the receiver does not trust their measurement devices, and is experimentally accessible. We use the technique of self-testing from the device-independent approach to quantum information, where we can characterise quantum states and measurements from the exhibited classical correlations alone. First, we derive self-testing bounds for the Bell state and Pauli $\sigma_X, \sigma_Z$ measurements, that are robust enough to be implemented in the lab. Then, we use these to determine a lower bound on the fidelity of an untested entangled state to be used for teleportation. Finally, we apply our results to propose an experimentally feasible protocol for one-sided device-independent authenticated teleportation. This can be interpreted as a first practical authentication of a quantum channel, with additional one-sided device-independence.

Random coding for sharing bosonic quantum secrets

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

We consider a protocol for sharing quantum states using continuous variable systems. Specifically we introduce an encoding procedure where bosonic modes in arbitrary secret states are mixed with several ancillary squeezed modes through a passive interferometer. We derive simple conditions on the interferometer for this encoding to define a secret sharing protocol and we prove that they are satisfied by almost any interferometer. This implies that, if the interferometer is chosen uniformly at random, the probability that it may not be used to implement a quantum secret sharing protocol is zero. Furthermore, we show that the decoding operation can be obtained and implemented efficiently with a Gaussian unitary using a number of single-mode squeezers that is at most twice the number of modes of the secret, regardless of the number of players. We benchmark the quality of the reconstructed state by computing the fidelity with the secret state as a function of the input squeezing.

Anonymity for Practical Quantum Networks

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Quantum communication networks have the potential to revolutionize information and communication technologies. Here we are interested in a fundamental property and formidable challenge for any communication network, that of guaranteeing the anonymity of a sender and a receiver when a message is transmitted through the network, even in the presence of malicious parties. We provide the first practical protocol for anonymous communication in realistic quantum networks.

Efficient approximate unitary t-designs from partially invertible universal sets and their application to quantum speedup

Tue, 07 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

At its core a $t$-design is a method for sampling from a set of unitaries in a way which mimics sampling randomly from the Haar measure on the unitary group, with applications across quantum information processing and physics. We construct new families of quantum circuits on $n$-qubits giving rise to $\varepsilon$-approximate unitary $t$-designs efficiently in $O(n^3t^2)$ depth. These quantum circuits are based on a relaxation of technical requirements in previous constructions. In particular, the construction of circuits which give efficient approximate $t$-designs by Brandao, Harrow, and Horodecki (F.G.S.L Brandao, A.W Harrow, and M. Horodecki, Commun. Math. Phys. (2016).) required choosing gates from ensembles which contained inverses for all elements, and that the entries of the unitaries are algebraic. We reduce these requirements, to sets that contain elements without inverses in the set, and non-algebraic entries, which we dub partially invertible universal sets. We then adapt this circuit construction to the framework of measurement based quantum computation(MBQC) and give new explicit examples of $n$-qubit graph states with fixed assignments of measurements (graph gadgets) giving rise to unitary $t$-designs based on partially invertible universal sets, in a natural way. We further show that these graph gadgets demonstrate a quantum speedup, up to standard complexity theoretic conjectures. We provide numerical and analytical evidence that almost any assignment of fixed measurement angles on an $n$-qubit cluster state give efficient $t$-designs and demonstrate a quantum speedup.

Probabilistic Fault-Tolerant Universal Quantum Computation and Sampling Problems in Continuous Variables

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Continuous-Variable (CV) devices are a promising platform for demonstrating large-scale quantum information protocols. In this framework, we define a general quantum computational model based on a CV hardware. It consists of vacuum input states, a finite set of gates - including non-Gaussian elements - and homodyne detection. We show that this model incorporates encodings sufficient for probabilistic fault-tolerant universal quantum computing. Furthermore, we show that this model can be adapted to yield sampling problems that cannot be simulated efficiently with a classical computer, unless the polynomial hierarchy collapses. This allows us to provide a simple paradigm for short-term experiments to probe quantum advantage relying on Gaussian states, homodyne detection and some form of non-Gaussian evolution. We finally address the recently introduced model of Instantaneous Quantum Computing in CV, and prove that the hardness statement is robust with respect to some experimentally relevant simplifications in the definition of that model.

Optimal quantum-programmable projective measurement with linear optics

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

We present a scheme for a universal device which can be programed by quantum states to approximate a chosen projective measurement to a given precision. Our scheme can be viewed as an extension of the swap test to the instance where one state is supplied many times. As such, it has many potential applications given the variety of quantum information tasks which make use of the swap test. In particular, we show that our scheme is optimal for state discrimination under the one-sided error requirement, and optimally approximates any projective measurement. Furthermore, we propose a practical implementation of our scheme with passive linear optics, which involves a simple interferometer composed only of balanced beam splitters.

Optimal quantum-programmable projective measurement with linear optics

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Demonstration of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Steering Using Hybrid Continuous- and Discrete-Variable Entanglement of Light

Fri, 26 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Violating Bell inequalities with entangled optical frequency combs and multi-pixel homodyne detection

Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

We have theoretically investigated the possibility of using any of several continuous-variable Bell-type inequalities - for which the dichotomic measurements are achieved with coarse-grained quadrature (homodyne) measurements - in a multi-party configuration where each participant is given a section, in the frequency domain, of the output of an optical parametric oscillator which has been synchronously-pumped with a frequency comb. Such light sources are undergoing intense study due to their novel properties, including the potential for production of light entangled in many hundreds of physical modes - a critical component for many proposals in optical or hybrid-optical quantum computation proposals. The situation we study notably uses only highly-efficient optical homodyne detection, meaning that in such systems the fair-sampling loophole would be relatively easy to avoid.