Direct experimental certification of quantum non-Gaussian character and Wigner function negativity of single-photon detectors

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to directly verify the quantum non-Gaussianity and Wigner function negativity of single-photon detectors using only classical states, demonstrated experimentally despite noise.

Contribution

It presents a novel, minimal-measurement procedure for certifying nonclassical features of quantum detectors, specifically targeting quantum non-Gaussianity and Wigner negativity.

Findings

Successfully certified quantum non-Gaussianity of detectors

Demonstrated Wigner function negativity under noise

Used only classical states for characterization

Abstract

Highly nonclassical character of optical quantum detectors, such as single-photon detectors, is essential for preparation of quantum states of light and a vast majority of applications in quantum metrology and quantum information processing. Therefore, it is both fundamentally interesting and practically relevant to investigate the nonclassical features of optical quantum measurements. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate a procedure for direct certification of quantum non-Gaussianity and Wigner function negativity, two crucial nonclassicality levels, of photonic quantum detectors. Remarkably, we characterize the highly nonclassical properties of the detector by probing it with only two classical thermal states and a vacuum state. We experimentally demonstrate the quantum non-Gaussianity of single-photon avalanche diode even under the presence of background noise, and we also certify the negativity of the Wigner function of this detector. Our results open the way for direct benchmarking of photonic quantum detectors with a few measurements on classical states.