Heralded photon amplification for quantum communication

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a heralded noiseless photon amplifier at telecommunication wavelengths, showing its potential for long-distance quantum communication and device-independent quantum key distribution.

Contribution

The first experimental realization of a heralded photon amplifier operating at telecommunication wavelengths with high gain and no phase stability requirement.

Findings

Achieved a gain of approximately 2 in photon amplification.

No phase stability needed between signal and auxiliary photons.

Highlights potential for long-distance quantum communication and secure quantum key distribution.

Abstract

Heralded noiseless amplification based on single-photon sources and linear optics is ideally suited for long-distance quantum communication tasks based on discrete variables. We experimentally demonstrate such an amplifier, operating at telecommunication wavelengths. Coherent amplification is performed with a gain of G=1.98+/-0.2, for a state with a maximum expected gain G=2. We also demonstrate that there is no need for a stable phase reference between the initial signal state and the local auxiliary photons used by the amplifier. These results highlight the potential of heralded quantum amplifiers for long-distance quantum communication, and bring device-independent quantum key distribution one step closer.