Experimental demonstration of four-photon entanglement and high-fidelity teleportation

Observation of quantum nonlocality in Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger entanglement on a silicon chip

Nonlocality is the defining feature of quantum entanglement. Entangled states with multiple particles are of crucial importance in fundamental tests of quantum physics as well as in many quantum information tasks. One of the archetypal multipartite quantum states, Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state, allows one to observe the striking conflict of quantum physics to local realism in the so-called all-versus-nothing way. This is profoundly different from Bell's theorem for two particles, which relies on statistical predictions. Here, we demonstrate an integrated photonic chip capable of generating and manipulating the four-photon GHZ state. We perform a complete characterization of the four-photon GHZ state using quantum state tomography and obtain a state fidelity of 0.729±0.006. We further use the all-versus-nothing test and the Mermin inequalities to witness the quantum nonlocality of GHZ entanglement. Our work paves the way to perform fundamental tests of quantum physics with complex integrated quantum devices.

Insecurity of Quantum Blockchains Based on Entanglement in Time

In this study, the security implications of utilizing the concept of entanglement in time in the quantum representation of a blockchain data structure are investigated. The analysis reveals that the fundamental idea underlying this representation relies on an uncertain interpretation of experimental results. A different perspective is provided by adopting the Copenhagen interpretation, which explains the observed correlations in the experiment without invoking the concept of entanglement in time. According to this interpretation, the qubits responsible for these correlations are not entangled, posing a challenge to the security foundation of the data structure. The study incorporates theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and experiments using real quantum hardware. By employing a dedicated circuit for detecting genuine entanglement, the existence of entanglement in the process of generating a quantum blockchain is conclusively excluded.

Witnessing Nonequilibrium Entanglement Dynamics in a Strongly Correlated Fermionic Chain

Many-body entanglement in condensed matter systems can be diagnosed from equilibrium response functions through the use of entanglement witnesses and operator-specific quantum bounds. Here, we investigate the applicability of this approach for detecting entangled states in quantum systems driven out of equilibrium. We use a multipartite entanglement witness, the quantum Fisher information, to study the dynamics of a paradigmatic fermion chain undergoing a time-dependent change of the Coulomb interaction. Our results show that the quantum Fisher information is able to witness distinct signatures of multipartite entanglement both near and far from equilibrium that are robust against decoherence. We discuss implications of these findings for probing entanglement in light-driven quantum materials with time-resolved optical and x-ray scattering methods.

Scalable Generation of Multiphoton Entangled States by Active Feed-Forward and Multiplexing

Multiphoton entangled quantum states are key to advancing quantum technologies such as multiparty quantum communications, quantum sensing, or quantum computation. Their scalable generation, however, remains an experimental challenge. Current methods for generating these states rely on stitching together photons from probabilistic sources, and state generation rates drop exponentially in the number of photons. Here, we implement a system based on active feed-forward and multiplexing that addresses this challenge. We demonstrate the scalable generation of four-photon and six-photon Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states, increasing generation rates by factors of 9 and 35, respectively. This is consistent with the exponential enhancement compared to the standard nonmultiplexed approach that is predicted by our theory. These results facilitate the realization of practical multiphoton protocols for photonic quantum technologies.

Test of Genuine Multipartite Nonlocality

While Bell nonlocality of a bipartite system is counterintuitive, multipartite nonlocality in our many-body world turns out to be even more so. Recent theoretical study reveals in a theory-agnostic manner that genuine multipartite nonlocal correlations cannot be explained by any causal theory involving fewer-partite nonclassical resources and global shared randomness. Here, we provide a Bell-type inequality as a test for genuine multipartite nonlocality in network by exploiting a matrix representation of the causal structure of a multipartite system. We further present experimental demonstrations that both four-photon GHZ state and generalized four-photon GHZ state significantly violate the inequality, i.e., the observed four-partite correlations resist explanations involving three-way nonlocal resources subject to local operations and common shared randomness, hence confirming that nature is boundless multipartite nonlocal.

Deterministic Entanglement Swapping with Hybrid Discrete- and Continuous-Variable Systems

The study of entanglement between discrete and continuous variables is an important theoretical and experimental topic in quantum information processing, for which entanglement swapping is one of the interesting elements. Entanglement swapping allows two particles without interacting with each other in any way, to form an entangled state by the action of another pair of entangled particles. In this paper, we propose an experimentally feasible scheme to realize deterministic entanglement swapping in the hybrid system with discrete and continuous variables. The process is achieved by preparing two pairs of entangled states, each is formed by a qubit and two quasi-orthogonal coherent state elements of a cavity, performing a Bell-state analysis through nonlocal operations on the continuous variable states of the two cavities, and projecting the two qubits into a maximally entangled state. The present scheme may be applied to other physical systems sustaining such hybrid discrete and continuous forms, providing a typical paradigm for entanglement manipulation through deterministic swapping operations.

Direct conversion of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state to Knill-Laflamme-Milburn state in decoherence-free subspace

Several schemes are proposed to realize the conversion of photonic polarized-entangled Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state to Knill-Laflamme-Milburn state in decoherence-free subspace (DFS) via weak cross-Kerr nonlinearity and X-quadrature homodyne measurement with high fidelity. DFS is introduced to decrease the decoherence effect caused by the coupling between the system and the environment. Optimizations to improve the success rate and utilization of residual states are further investigated. This study indicates important applications for quantum information processing in the future.

Bell nonlocality in networks

Bell's theorem proves that quantum theory is inconsistent with local physical models. It has propelled research in the foundations of quantum theory and quantum information science. As a fundamental feature of quantum theory, it impacts predictions far beyond the traditional scenario of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox. In the last decade, the investigation of nonlocality has moved beyond Bell's theorem to consider more sophisticated experiments that involve several independent sources which distribute shares of physical systems among many parties in a network. Network scenarios, and the nonlocal correlations that they give rise to, lead to phenomena that have no counterpart in traditional Bell experiments, thus presenting a formidable conceptual and practical challenge. This review discusses the main concepts, methods, results and future challenges in the emerging topic of Bell nonlocality in networks.

Entangled photon-pair sources based on three-wave mixing in bulk crystals

Entangled photon pairs are a critical resource in quantum communication protocols ranging from quantum key distribution to teleportation. The current workhorse technique for producing photon pairs is via spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) in bulk nonlinear crystals. The increased prominence of quantum networks has led to a growing interest in deployable high performance entangled photon-pair sources. This manuscript provides a review of the state-of-the-art bulk-optics-based SPDC sources with continuous wave pump and discusses some of the main considerations when building for deployment.

Representing Quantum Information with Digital Coding Metasurfaces

With the development of science and technology, the way to represent information becomes more powerful and diversified. Recent research on digital coding metasurfaces has built an alternative bridge between wave-behaviors and information science. Different from the logic information in traditional circuits, the digital bit in coding metasurfaces is based on wave-structure interaction, which is capable of exploiting multiple degrees of freedom (DoFs). However, to what extent the digital coding metasurface can expand the information representation has not been discussed. In this work, it is shown that classical metasurfaces have the ability to mimic qubit and quantum information. An approach for simulating a two-level spin system with meta-atoms is proposed, from which the superposition for two optical spin states is constructed. It is further proposed that using geometric-phase elements with nonseparable coding states can induce the classical entanglement between polarization and spatial modes, and give the condition to achieve the maximal entanglement. This study expands the information representing range of coding metasurfaces and provides an ultrathin platform to mimic quantum information.

Generation and manipulation of Schrödinger cat states in Rydberg atom arrays

Quantum entanglement involving coherent superpositions of macroscopically distinct states is among the most striking features of quantum theory, but its realization is challenging because such states are extremely fragile. Using a programmable quantum simulator based on neutral atom arrays with interactions mediated by Rydberg states, we demonstrate the creation of "Schrödinger cat" states of the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) type with up to 20 qubits. Our approach is based on engineering the energy spectrum and using optimal control of the many-body system. We further demonstrate entanglement manipulation by using GHZ states to distribute entanglement to distant sites in the array, establishing important ingredients for quantum information processing and quantum metrology.

Entanglement Swapping with Semiconductor-Generated Photons Violates Bell's Inequality

Transferring entangled states between photon pairs is essential in quantum communication. Semiconductor quantum dots are the leading candidate for generating polarization-entangled photons deterministically. Here we show for the first time swapping of entangled states between two pairs of photons emitted by a single dot. A joint Bell measurement heralds the successful generation of the Bell state Ψ^{+}, yielding a fidelity of 0.81±0.04 and violating the CHSH and Bell inequalities. Our photon source matches atomic quantum memory frequencies, facilitating implementation of hybrid quantum repeaters.

Experimental test of local observer independence

The scientific method relies on facts, established through repeated measurements and agreed upon universally, independently of who observed them. In quantum mechanics the objectivity of observations is not so clear, most markedly exposed in Wigner's eponymous thought experiment where two observers can experience seemingly different realities. The question whether the observers' narratives can be reconciled has only recently been made accessible to empirical investigation, through recent no-go theorems that construct an extended Wigner's friend scenario with four observers. In a state-of-the-art six-photon experiment, we realize this extended Wigner's friend scenario, experimentally violating the associated Bell-type inequality by five standard deviations. If one holds fast to the assumptions of locality and free choice, this result implies that quantum theory should be interpreted in an observer-dependent way.

Deterministic Entanglement Swapping in a Superconducting Circuit

Entanglement swapping, the process to entangle two particles without coupling them in any way, is one of the most striking manifestations of the quantum-mechanical nonlocal characteristic. Besides fundamental interest, this process has applications in complex entanglement manipulation and quantum communication. Here we report a high-fidelity, unconditional entanglement swapping experiment in a superconducting circuit. The measured concurrence characterizing the qubit-qubit entanglement produced by swapping is above 0.75, confirming most of the entanglement of one qubit with its partner is deterministically transferred to another qubit that has never interacted with it. We further realize delayed-choice entanglement swapping, showing whether two qubits previously behaved as in an entangled state or as in a separable state is determined by a later choice of the type of measurement on their partners. This is the first demonstration of entanglement-separability duality in a deterministic way.

Experimental observation of classical analogy of topological entanglement entropy

Long-range entanglement is an important aspect of the topological orders, so efficient methods to characterize the long-range entanglement are often needed. In this regard, topological entanglement entropy (TEE) is often used for such a purpose but the experimental observation of TEE in a topological order remains a challenge. Here, we propose a scheme to observe TEE in the topological order by constructing specific minimum entropy states (MESs). We then experimentally construct the classical microwave analogs of the MESs and simulate the nontrivial topological order with the TEE in Kitaev toric code, which is in agreement with theoretical predictions. We also experimentally simulate the transition from Z₂ topologically ordered state to topologically trivial state.

Quantum experiments and graphs II: Quantum interference, computation, and state generation

We present an approach to describe state-of-the-art photonic quantum experiments using graph theory. There, the quantum states are given by the coherent superpositions of perfect matchings. The crucial observation is that introducing complex weights in graphs naturally leads to quantum interference. This viewpoint immediately leads to many interesting results, some of which we present here. First, we identify an experimental unexplored multiphoton interference phenomenon. Second, we find that computing the results of such experiments is #P-hard, which means it is a classically intractable problem dealing with the computation of a matrix function Permanent and its generalization Hafnian. Third, we explain how a recent no-go result applies generally to linear optical quantum experiments, thus revealing important insights into quantum state generation with current photonic technology. Fourth, we show how to describe quantum protocols such as entanglement swapping in a graphical way. The uncovered bridge between quantum experiments and graph theory offers another perspective on a widely used technology and immediately raises many follow-up questions.

Experimental demonstration of quantum pigeonhole paradox

We experimentally demonstrate that when three single photons transmit through two polarization channels, in a well-defined pre- and postselected ensemble, there are no two photons in the same polarization channel by weak-strength measurement, a counterintuitive quantum counting effect called the quantum pigeonhole paradox. We further show that this effect breaks down in second-order measurement. These results indicate the existence of the quantum pigeonhole paradox and its operating regime.

Photonic quantum information processing: a review

Photonic quantum technologies represent a promising platform for several applications, ranging from long-distance communications to the simulation of complex phenomena. Indeed, the advantages offered by single photons do make them the candidate of choice for carrying quantum information in a broad variety of areas with a versatile approach. Furthermore, recent technological advances are now enabling first concrete applications of photonic quantum information processing. The goal of this manuscript is to provide the reader with a comprehensive review of the state of the art in this active field, with a due balance between theoretical, experimental and technological results. When more convenient, we will present significant achievements in tables or in schematic figures, in order to convey a global perspective of the several horizons that fall under the name of photonic quantum information.

12-Photon Entanglement and Scalable Scattershot Boson Sampling with Optimal Entangled-Photon Pairs from Parametric Down-Conversion

Entangled-photon sources with simultaneously near-unity heralding efficiency and indistinguishability are the fundamental elements for scalable photonic quantum technologies. We design and realize a degenerate telecommunication wavelength entangled-photon source from an ultrafast pulsed laser pumped spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), which shows simultaneously 97% heralding efficiency and 96% indistinguishability between independent single photons without narrow-band filtering. Such a beamlike and frequency-uncorrelated SPDC source allows generation of the first 12-photon genuine entanglement with a state fidelity of 0.572±0.024. We further demonstrate a blueprint of scalable scattershot boson sampling using 12 SPDC sources and a 12×12 mode interferometer for three-, four-, and five-boson sampling, which yields count rates more than 4 orders of magnitude higher than all previous SPDC experiments.

18-Qubit Entanglement with Six Photons' Three Degrees of Freedom

Full control of multiple degrees of freedom of multiple particles represents a fundamental ability for quantum information processing. We experimentally demonstrate an 18-qubit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger entanglement by simultaneous exploiting three different degrees of freedom of six photons, including their paths, polarization, and orbital angular momentum. We develop high-stability interferometers for reversible quantum logic operations between the photons' different degrees of freedom with precision and efficiencies close to unity, enabling simultaneous readout of 2^{18}=262 144 outcome combinations of the 18-qubit state. A state fidelity of 0.708±0.016 is measured, confirming the genuine entanglement of all 18 qubits.

A solid state source of photon triplets based on quantum dot molecules

Producing advanced quantum states of light is a priority in quantum information technologies. In this context, experimental realizations of multipartite photon states would enable improved tests of the foundations of quantum mechanics as well as implementations of complex quantum optical networks and protocols. It is favourable to directly generate these states using solid state systems, for simpler handling and the promise of reversible transfer of quantum information between stationary and flying qubits. Here we use the ground states of two optically active coupled quantum dots to directly produce photon triplets. The formation of a triexciton in these ground states leads to a triple cascade recombination and sequential emission of three photons with strong correlations. We record 65.62 photon triplets per minute under continuous-wave pumping, surpassing rates of earlier reported sources. Our structure and data pave the way towards implementing multipartite photon entanglement and multi-qubit readout schemes in solid state devices.

Multipartite photon states are desirable in quantum information technology but their generation in optical systems is less efficient with poor scaling. Here the authors demonstrate time-ordered photon triplets from a quantum dot molecule in a direct generation process with increased efficiency.

Entanglement by Path Identity

Quantum entanglement is one of the most prominent features of quantum mechanics and forms the basis of quantum information technologies. Here we present a novel method for the creation of quantum entanglement in multipartite and high-dimensional systems. The two ingredients are (i) superposition of photon pairs with different origins and (ii) aligning photons such that their paths are identical. We explain the experimentally feasible creation of various classes of multiphoton entanglement encoded in polarization as well as in high-dimensional Hilbert spaces-starting only from nonentangled photon pairs. For two photons, arbitrary high-dimensional entanglement can be created. The idea of generating entanglement by path identity could also apply to quantum entities other than photons. We discovered the technique by analyzing the output of a computer algorithm. This shows that computer designed quantum experiments can be inspirations for new techniques.

Generation of two pairs of qudits using four photons and a single degree of freedom

Qudits, d-level quantum systems, have been shown to provide a better resource for quantum key distribution and other Quantum Information protocols. It is customary to generate photonic qudits using more than one degree of freedom of the same photon. In much the same way, multi-qubit states are generated using only a pair of photons and ingenious ways to manipulate more than one degree of freedom independently. In contrast to such costly implementations in terms of quantum resources, we present the controlled generation of two copies of two-qudit states using four photons and a single degree of freedom, transverse momentum. The degree of entanglement within each pair was inferred by exploiting the availability of two copies of the same state, without the need of a full tomographic reconstruction of the states, and both highly-entangled and separable states were generated. We show theoretically that the set of states obtainable using our setup is very diverse, ranging from maximally entangled states of qudits to separable states.

Generation and applications of an ultrahigh-fidelity four-photon Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state

High-quality entangled photon pairs generated via spontaneous parametric down-conversion have made great contributions to the modern quantum information science and the fundamental tests of quantum mechanics. However, the quality of the entangled states decreases sharply when moving from biphoton to multiphoton experiments, mainly due to the lack of interactions between photons. Here, for the first time, we generate a four-photon Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state with a fidelity of 98%, which is even comparable to the best fidelity of biphoton entangled states. Thus, it enables us to demonstrate an ultrahigh-fidelity entanglement swapping-the key ingredient in various quantum information tasks. Our results push the fidelity of multiphoton entanglement generation to a new level and would be useful in some demanding tasks, e.g., we successfully demonstrate the genuine multipartite nonlocality of the observed state in the nonsignaling scenario by violating a novel Hardy-like inequality, which requires very high state-fidelity.

Deterministic conversion of a four-photon GHZ state to a W state via homodyne measurement

We propose a specific method for converting a four-photon Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state to a W state in a deterministic way by using linear optical elements, cross-Kerr nonlinearities, and homodyne measurement. We consider the effects of the quadrature homodyne measurements on the fidelity of the W state and the experimental feasibility of the proposed scheme. This might provide great prospects for converting multipartite entangled states into each other for future optical quantum information processing (QIP).

Exploration of multiphoton entangled states by using weak nonlinearities

We propose a fruitful scheme for exploring multiphoton entangled states based on linear optics and weak nonlinearities. Compared with the previous schemes the present method is more feasible because there are only small phase shifts instead of a series of related functions of photon numbers in the process of interaction with Kerr nonlinearities. In the absence of decoherence we analyze the error probabilities induced by homodyne measurement and show that the maximal error probability can be made small enough even when the number of photons is large. This implies that the present scheme is quite tractable and it is possible to produce entangled states involving a large number of photons.

Hong-Ou-Mandel Interference with a Single Atom

The Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) effect is widely regarded as the quintessential quantum interference phenomenon in optics. In this work we examine how nonlinearity can smear statistical photon bunching in the HOM interferometer. We model both the nonlinearity and a balanced beam splitter with a single two-level system and calculate a finite probability of anti-bunching arising in this geometry. We thus argue that the presence of such nonlinearity would reduce the visibility in the standard HOM setup, offering some explanation for the diminution of the HOM visibility observed in many experiments. We use the same model to show that the nonlinearity affects a resonant two-photon propagation through a two-level impurity in a waveguide due to a “weak photon blockade” caused by the impossibility of double-occupancy and argue that this effect might be stronger for multi-photon propagation.

Qudit-teleportation for photons with linear optics

Quantum Teleportation, the transfer of the state of one quantum system to another without direct interaction between both systems, is an important way to transmit information encoded in quantum states and to generate quantum correlations (entanglement) between remote quantum systems. So far, for photons, only superpositions of two distinguishable states (one “qubit”) could be teleported. Here we show how to teleport a “qudit”, i.e. a superposition of an arbitrary number d of distinguishable states present in the orbital angular momentum of a single photon using d beam splitters and d additional entangled photons. The same entanglement resource might also be employed to collectively teleport the state of d/2 photons at the cost of one additional entangled photon per qubit. This is superior to existing schemes for photonic qubits, which require an additional pair of entangled photons per qubit.

Resource efficient source of multiphoton polarization entanglement

Current photon entangling schemes require resources that grow with the photon number. We present a new approach that generates quantum entanglement between many photons, using only a single source of entangled photon pairs. The different spatial modes, one for each photon as required by other schemes, are replaced by different time slots of only two spatial modes. States of any number of photons are generated with the same setup, solving the scalability problem caused by the previous need for extra resources. Consequently, entangled photon states of larger numbers than before are practically realizable.

The biaxial nonlinear crystal BiB₃O₆ as a polarization entangled photon source using non-collinear type-II parametric down-conversion

We describe the full characterization of the biaxial nonlinear crystal BiB₃O₆ (BiBO) as a polarization entangled photon source using non-collinear type-II parametric down-conversion. We consider the relevant parameters for crystal design, such as cutting angles, polarization of the photons, effective nonlinearity, spatial and temporal walk-offs, crystal thickness and the effect of the pump laser bandwidth. Experimental results showing entanglement generation with high rates and a comparison to the well investigated β-BaB₂O₄ (BBO) crystal are presented as well. Changing the down-conversion crystal of a polarization entangled photon source from BBO to BiBO enhances the generation rate as if the pump power was increased by 2.5 times. Such an improvement is currently required for the generation of multiphoton entangled states.

Correlated multiphoton holes: absence of multiphoton coincidence events

We generate bipartite states of light which exhibit an absence of multiphoton coincidence events between two modes amid a constant background flux. These "correlated photon holes" are produced by mixing a coherent state and relatively weak spontaneous parametric down-conversion by using a balanced beam splitter. Correlated holes with arbitrarily high photon numbers may be obtained by adjusting the relative phase and amplitude of the inputs. We measure states of up to five photons and verify their nonclassicality. The scheme provides a route for observation of high-photon-number nonclassical correlations without requiring intense quantum resources.

Parametric amplification of vacuum fluctuations in a spinor condensate

Parametric amplification of vacuum fluctuations is crucial in modern quantum optics, enabling the creation of squeezing and entanglement. We demonstrate the parametric amplification of vacuum fluctuations for matter waves using a spinor F=2 87Rb condensate. Interatomic interactions lead to correlated pair creation in the mF=±1 states from an initial mF=0 condensate, which acts as a vacuum for mF≠0. Although this pair creation from a pure mF=0 condensate is ideally triggered by vacuum fluctuations, unavoidable spurious initial mF=±1 atoms induce a classical seed which may become the dominant triggering mechanism. We show that pair creation is insensitive to a classical seed for sufficiently large magnetic fields, demonstrating the dominant role of vacuum fluctuations. The presented system thus provides a direct path towards the generation of nonclassical states of matter.

Hong-Ou-Mandel dip measurements of polarization-entangled photon pairs at 1550 nm

We performed a quantum interference experiment using two polarization-entangled photon pairs at 1550 nm, created in periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides. Using four-fold coincidences, a Hong-Ou-Mandel dip at diagonal polarization was observed with a visibility of 74.5% before subtracting accidental coincidences. This experiment lays a foundation for demonstrating polarization-based entanglement swapping and for realizing a quantum relay.

Experimental multiparticle entanglement swapping for quantum networking

This Letter reports the first experimental demonstration of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) entanglement swapping. We start with three pairs of entangled photons. Upon projection of three single photons, each from an entangled pair, into a GHZ state, the other three originally independent photons are entangled in a GHZ state-creation of multiparticle entanglement without any direct interaction. This scheme may facilitate networks for quantum telephone exchange, multiparty quantum communication and distributed quantum computation.

Operational determination of multiqubit entanglement classes via tuning of local operations

We present a physical setup with which it is possible to produce arbitrary symmetric long-lived multiqubit entangled states in the internal ground levels of photon emitters, including the paradigmatic Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger and W states. In the case of three emitters, where each tripartite entangled state belongs to one of two well-defined entanglement classes, we prove a one-to-one correspondence between well-defined sets of experimental parameters, i.e., locally tunable polarizer orientations, and multiqubit entanglement classes inside the symmetric subspace.

Demonstrating anyonic fractional statistics with a six-qubit quantum simulator

Anyons are exotic quasiparticles living in two dimensions that do not fit into the usual categories of fermions and bosons, but obey a new form of fractional statistics. Following a recent proposal [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 150404 (2007)], we present an experimental demonstration of the fractional statistics of anyons in the Kitaev spin lattice model using a photonic quantum simulator. We dynamically create the ground state and excited states (which are six-qubit graph states) of the Kitaev model Hamiltonian, and implement the anyonic braiding and fusion operations by single-qubit rotations. A phase shift of pi related to the anyon braiding is observed, confirming the prediction of the fractional statistics of Abelian 1/2 anyons.

Multistage entanglement swapping

We report an experimental demonstration of entanglement swapping over two quantum stages. By successful realizations of two cascaded photonic entanglement swapping processes, entanglement is generated and distributed between two photons, that originate from independent sources and do not share any common past. In the experiment we use three pairs of polarization entangled photons and conduct two Bell-state measurements: one between the first and second pair, and one between the second and third pair. This results in projecting the remaining two outgoing photons from pair 1 and 3 into an entangled state, as characterized by an entanglement witness. The experiment represents an important step towards a full quantum repeater where multiple entanglement swapping is a key ingredient.

Entanglement of distant flux qubits mediated by non-classical electromagnetic field

The mechanism for entanglement of two flux qubits each interacting with a single mode electromagnetic field is discussed. By performing a Bell state measurement (BSM) on photons we find the two qubits in an entangled state depending on the system parameters. We discuss the results for two initial states and take into consideration the influence of decoherence.

Experimental observation of an entire family of four-photon entangled states

A single linear-optical setup is used to observe an entire family of four-photon entangled states. This approach breaks with the inflexibility of present linear-optical setups usually designed for the observation of a particular multipartite entangled state only. The family includes several prominent entangled states that are known to be highly relevant for quantum information applications.

Generation of symmetric Dicke states of remote qubits with linear optics

We propose a method for generating all symmetric Dicke states, either in the long-lived internal levels of N massive particles or in the polarization degrees of freedom of photonic qubits, using linear optical tools only. By means of a suitable multiphoton detection technique, erasing Welcher-Weg information, our proposed scheme allows the generation and measurement of an important class of entangled multiqubit states.

Experimental observation of four-photon entangled Dicke state with high fidelity

We present the experimental observation of the symmetric four-photon entangled Dicke state with two excitations |D_{4};{(2)}. A simple experimental setup allowed quantum state tomography yielding a fidelity as high as 0.844+/-0.008. We study the entanglement persistency of the state using novel witness operators and focus on the demonstration of a remarkable property: depending on the orientation of a measurement on one photon, the remaining three photons are projected into both inequivalent classes of genuine tripartite entanglement, the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger and W class. Furthermore, we discuss possible applications of |D_{4};{(2)} in quantum communication.

Experimental violation of Bell's inequality beyond Tsirelson's bound

The correlations between two qubits belonging to a three-qubit system can violate the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt-Bell inequality beyond Tsirelson's bound [A. Cabello, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 060403 (2002)]. We experimentally demonstrate such a violation by 7 standard deviations by using a three-photon polarization-entangled Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state produced by Type-II spontaneous parametric down-conversion. In addition, using part of our results, we obtain a violation of the Mermin inequality by 39 standard deviations.

Enhancing the violation of the einstein-podolsky-rosen local realism by quantum hyperentanglement

Mermin's observation [Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 1838 (1990)] that the magnitude of the violation of local realism, defined as the ratio between the quantum prediction and the classical bound, can grow exponentially with the size of the system is demonstrated using two-photon hyperentangled states entangled in polarization and path degrees of freedom, and local measurements of polarization and path simultaneously.

Scalable generation of graph-state entanglement through realistic linear optics

We propose a scheme for efficient construction of graph states using realistic linear optics, imperfect photon source, and single-photon detectors. For any many-body entanglement represented by tree-graph states, we prove that the overall preparation and detection efficiency scales nearly polynomially with the size of the graph, no matter how small the efficiencies for the photon source and the detectors.

Measuring multipartite concurrence with a single factorizable observable

We show that, for any composite system with an arbitrary number of finite-dimensional subsystems, it is possible to directly measure the multipartite concurrence of pure states by detecting only one single factorizable observable, provided that two copies of the composite state are available. This result can be immediately put into practice in trapped-ion and entangled-photon experiments.