Continuous-variable quantum key distribution based on non-Gaussian operations with on-off detection.

Quantum key distribution (QKD) with continuous variable (CV) is an effective method for achieving the high key rate, but is also limited to a short transmission distance. To overcome this limitation, some solutions have been proposed, including non-Gaussian operations, such as photon addition and photon subtraction using ideal photon source and number-resolving detection. Here we consider the effect of non-Gaussian operation for realistic photon source and ideal on-off photon detection. In the realistic case, it is shown that the performance of CVQKD can not be improved by both photon-subtraction/addition on the right side before the entangled source reaches the channel and photon-subtraction on the left side preceding the entangled source to the sender Alice before performing heterodyne detection, but be enhanced by the photon addition on the left side in a long distance case. These results may provide a useful reference for quantum information with continuous variable.

Neurons in Primary Motor Cortex Encode External Perturbations during an Orientation Reaching Task.

When confronting an abrupt external perturbation force during movement, subjects continuously adjust their behaviors to adapt to changes. Such adaptation is of great importance for realizing flexible motor control in varied environments, but the potential cortical neuronal mechanisms behind it have not yet been elucidated. Aiming to reveal potential neural control system compensation for external disturbances, we applied an external orientation perturbation while monkeys performed an orientation reaching task and simultaneously recorded the neural activity in the primary motor cortex (M1). We found that a subpopulation of neurons in the primary motor cortex specially created a time-locked activity in response to a "go" signal in the adaptation phase of the impending orientation perturbation and did not react to a "go" signal under the normal task condition without perturbation. Such neuronal activity was amplified as the alteration was processed and retained in the extinction phase; then, the activity gradually faded out. The increases in activity during the adaptation to the orientation perturbation may prepare the system for the impending response. Our work provides important evidence for understanding how the motor cortex responds to external perturbations and should advance research about the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying motor learning and adaptation.

Transparency and tunable slow-fast light in a hybrid cavity optomechanical system.

We theoretically investigate the optomechanically induced transparency (OMIT) phenomenon in a hybrid optomechanical system composing of an optomechanical cavity and a traditional one. A Kerr medium is inserted in the optomechanical cavity and the other traps the atomic ensemble. We demonstrate the appearance of electromagnetically and optomechanically induced transparency when there is only Kerr medium or atoms in the system. We give an explicit explanation for the mechanism of the transparency. Moreover, we set up new scheme for the measurement of Kerr coefficient and the single atom-photon coupling strength. It is shown that Kerr nonlinearity can inhibit the normal mode splitting (NMS) when the tunnel strength is strong coupling. Furthermore, in the output field, slow light and fast light are converted to realize the tunable switch from slow light to fast light. This study has some important guiding significance in the fields of the high precision measurement and quantum information processing.

Multi-bit quantum random number generation by measuring positions of arrival photons.

We report upon the realization of a novel multi-bit optical quantum random number generator by continuously measuring the arrival positions of photon emitted from a LED using MCP-based WSA photon counting imaging detector. A spatial encoding method is proposed to extract multi-bits random number from the position coordinates of each detected photon. The randomness of bits sequence relies on the intrinsic randomness of the quantum physical processes of photonic emission and subsequent photoelectric conversion. A prototype has been built and the random bit generation rate could reach 8 Mbit/s, with random bit generation efficiency of 16 bits per detected photon. FPGA implementation of Huffman coding is proposed to reduce the bias of raw extracted random bits. The random numbers passed all tests for physical random number generator.