Experimental simulation of decoherence in photonics qudits

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates an experimental method to simulate open quantum system dynamics in photonic qudits using a spatial light modulator, enabling controlled studies of decoherence processes like dephasing and amplitude damping.

Contribution

It introduces a novel optical simulation technique for open quantum dynamics in single-qudit systems using dissipative maps implemented with a spatial light modulator.

Findings

Successful simulation of dephasing and amplitude damping in photonic qudits.

Controlled preparation of entangled qudit states.

Demonstration of a new analogy-dynamical experimental approach.

Abstract

We experimentally perform the simulation of open quantum dynamics in single-qudit systems. Using a spatial light modulator as a dissipative optical device, we implement dissipative-dynamical maps onto qudits encoded in the transverse momentum of spontaneous parametric down-converted photon pairs. We show a well-controlled technique to prepare entangled qudits states as well as to implement dissipative local measurements; the latter realize two specific dynamics: dephasing and amplitude damping. Our work represents a new analogy-dynamical experiment for simulating an open quantum system.