Investigating the Effects of the Interaction Intensity in a Weak Measurement.

Measurements are crucial in quantum mechanics, for fundamental research as well as for applicative fields like quantum metrology, quantum-enhanced measurements and other quantum technologies. In the recent years, weak-interaction-based protocols like Weak Measurements and Protective Measurements have been experimentally realized, showing peculiar features leading to surprising advantages in several different applications. In this work we analyze the validity range for such measurement protocols, that is, how the interaction strength affects the weak value extraction, by measuring different polarization weak values on heralded single photons. We show that, even in the weak interaction regime, the coupling intensity limits the range of weak values achievable, setting a threshold on the signal amplification effect exploited in many weak measurement based experiments.

Quantifying backflash radiation to prevent zero-error attacks in quantum key distribution.

Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) are the most widespread commercial solution for single-photon counting in quantum key distribution applications. However, the secondary photon emission that arises from the avalanche of charge carriers that occurs during the detection of a photon may be exploited by an eavesdropper to gain information without inducing errors in the transmission key. In this paper, we characterize such backflash light in gated InGaAs/InP SPADs and discuss its spectral and temporal characterization for different detector models and different operating parameters. We qualitatively bound the maximum information leakage due to backflash light and propose solutions for preventing such leakage.

Electrical stimulation of non-classical photon emission from diamond color centers by means of sub-superficial graphitic electrodes.

Focused MeV ion beams with micrometric resolution are suitable tools for the direct writing of conductive graphitic channels buried in an insulating diamond bulk, as already demonstrated for different device applications. In this work we apply this fabrication method to the electrical excitation of color centers in diamond, demonstrating the potential of electrical stimulation in diamond-based single-photon sources. Differently from optically-stimulated light emission from color centers in diamond, electroluminescence (EL) requires a high current flowing in the diamond subgap states between the electrodes. With this purpose, buried graphitic electrode pairs, 10 µm spaced, were fabricated in the bulk of a single-crystal diamond sample using a 6 MeV C microbeam. The electrical characterization of the structure showed a significant current injection above an effective voltage threshold of 150 V, which enabled the stimulation of a stable EL emission. The EL imaging allowed to identify the electroluminescent regions and the residual vacancy distribution associated with the fabrication technique. Measurements evidenced isolated electroluminescent spots where non-classical light emission in the 560-700 nm spectral range was observed. The spectral and auto-correlation features of the EL emission were investigated to qualify the non-classical properties of the color centers.

Detection of multimode spatial correlation in PDC and application to the absolute calibration of a CCD camera.

We propose and demonstrate experimentally a new method based on the spatial entanglement for the absolute calibration of analog detectors. The idea consists on measuring the sub-shot-noise intensity correlation between two branches of parametric down conversion, containing many pairwise correlated spatial modes. We calibrate a scientific CCD camera and a preliminary evaluation of the uncertainty indicates the metrological interest of the method.

Experimental estimation of entanglement at the quantum limit.

Entanglement is the central resource of quantum information processing and the precise characterization of entangled states is a crucial issue for the development of quantum technologies. This leads to the necessity of a precise, experimental feasible measure of entanglement. Nevertheless, such measurements are limited both from experimental uncertainties and intrinsic quantum bounds. Here we present an experiment where the amount of entanglement of a family of two-qubit mixed photon states is estimated with the ultimate precision allowed by quantum mechanics.

Measurement of sub-shot-noise spatial correlations without background subtraction.

In this Letter we present the measurement of sub-shot-noise spatial correlations without any subtraction of background, a result paving the way to realize sub-shot-noise imaging of weak objects.

Experimental test of nonclassicality for a single particle.

In a recent paper [R. Alicki and N. Van Ryn, J. Phys. A: Math. Theor., 41, 062001 (2008)] a test of nonclassicality for a single qubit was proposed. Here, we discuss the class of hidden variables theories to which this test applies and present an experimental realization.

Analysis of the possibility of analog detectors calibration by exploiting stimulated parametric down conversion.

Spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) has been largely exploited as a tool for absolute calibration of photon-counting detectors, i.e detectors registering very small photon fluxes. In [J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 23, 2185 (2006)] we derived a method for absolute calibration of analog detectors using SPDC emission at higher photon fluxes, where the beam is seen as a continuum by the detector. Nevertheless intrinsic limitations appear when high-gain regime of SPDC is required to reach even larger photon fluxes. Here we show that stimulated parametric down conversion allow one to avoid this limitation, since stimulated photon fluxes are increased by the presence of the seed beam.

Experimental reconstruction of photon statistics without photon counting.

Experimental reconstructions of photon number distributions of both continuous-wave and pulsed light beams are reported. Our scheme is based on on/off avalanche photo-detection assisted by maximum-likelihood estimation and does not involve photon counting. Reconstructions of the distribution for both semiclassical and quantum states of light are reported for single-mode as well as for multi-mode beams.