Photon number states via iterated photon addition in a loop

TL;DR

This paper proposes a simple interferometric feedback loop setup to generate photon number states through iterated photon addition, demonstrating feasible success rates and fidelities for up to four photons.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, practical scheme for probabilistic photon number state generation using a feedback loop with a beam splitter and non-ideal detector.

Findings

Successful generation of up to 4-photon states

Reasonable success probabilities and fidelities achieved

Feasible implementation with simple interferometric setup

Abstract

We consider the probabilistic generation of time-bin photon number states from a train of single photon pulses. We propose a simple interferometric feedback loop setup having a beam splitter and a possibly non-idel detector. This Hong-Ou-Mandel type scheme implements iterated photon additions. Our detailed study shows that up to 4 photons this simple setup can provide reasonable success probabilities and fidelities.