Topological Qubits as Carriers of Quantum Information in Optics
1
Quantum Communication and Measurement Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Division of Natural Science and Mathematics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
2
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stonehill College, 320 Washington Street, Easton, MA 02357, USA
3
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, 8 Saint Mary’s St., Boston, MA 02215, USA
4
Department of Physics, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(3), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9030575
Received: 13 December 2018 / Revised: 16 January 2019 / Accepted: 25 January 2019 / Published: 10 February 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantum Optics for Fundamental Quantum Mechanics)
Winding number is a topologically significant quantity that has found valuable applications in various areas of mathematical physics. Here, topological qubits are shown capable of formation from winding number superpositions and so of being used in the communication of quantum information in linear optical systems, the most common realm for quantum communication. In particular, it is shown that winding number qubits appear in several aspects of such systems, including quantum electromagnetic states of spin, momentum, orbital angular momentum, polarization of beams of particles propagating in free-space, optical fiber, beam splitters, and optical multiports.
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Keywords:
winding number; qubit; topology; quantum OAM; Berry phase; Guoy phase; SSH model; multiport; MBS; quantum optics
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MDPI and ACS Style
Jaeger, G.; Simon, D.S.; Sergienko, A.V. Topological Qubits as Carriers of Quantum Information in Optics. Appl. Sci. 2019, 9, 575.
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