Creation of memory-memory entanglement in a metropolitan quantum network.

Towards realizing the future quantum internet1,2, a pivotal milestone entails the transition from two-node proof-of-principle experiments conducted in laboratories to comprehensive multi-node set-ups on large scales. Here we report the creation of memory-memory entanglement in a multi-node quantum network over a metropolitan area. We use three independent memory nodes, each of which is equipped with an atomic ensemble quantum memory3 that has telecom conversion, together with a photonic server where detection of a single photon heralds the success of entanglement generation. The memory nodes are maximally separated apart for 12.5 kilometres. We actively stabilize the phase variance owing to fibre links and control lasers. We demonstrate concurrent entanglement generation between any two memory nodes. The memory lifetime is longer than the round-trip communication time. Our work provides a metropolitan-scale testbed for the evaluation and exploration of multi-node quantum network protocols and starts a stage of quantum internet research.

Postselected Entanglement between Two Atomic Ensembles Separated by 12.5 km.

Quantum internet gives the promise of getting all quantum resources connected, and it will enable applications far beyond a localized scenario. A prototype is a network of quantum memories that are entangled and well separated. In this Letter, we report the establishment of postselected entanglement between two atomic quantum memories physically separated by 12.5 km directly. We create atom-photon entanglement in one node and send the photon to a second node for storage via electromagnetically induced transparency. We harness low-loss transmission through a field-deployed fiber of 20.5 km by making use of frequency down-conversion and up-conversion. The final memory-memory entanglement is verified to have a fidelity of 90% via retrieving to photons. Our experiment makes a significant step forward toward the realization of a practical metropolitan-scale quantum network.

Improved Spatial Resolution Achieved by Chromatic Intensity Interferometry.

Interferometers are widely used in imaging technologies to achieve enhanced spatial resolution, but require that the incoming photons be indistinguishable. In previous work, we built and analyzed color erasure detectors, which expand the scope of intensity interferometry to accommodate sources of different colors. Here we demonstrate experimentally how color erasure detectors can achieve improved spatial resolution in an imaging task, well beyond the diffraction limit. Utilizing two 10.9-mm-aperture telescopes and a 0.8 m baseline, we measure the distance between a 1063.6 and a 1064.4 nm source separated by 4.2 mm at a distance of 1.43 km, which surpasses the diffraction limit of a single telescope by about 40 times. Moreover, chromatic intensity interferometry allows us to recover the phase of the Fourier transform of the imaged objects-a quantity that is, in the presence of modest noise, inaccessible to conventional intensity interferometry.

Non-Line-of-Sight Imaging with Picosecond Temporal Resolution.

Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) imaging enables monitoring around corners and is promising for diverse applications. The resolution of transient NLOS imaging is limited to a centimeter scale, mainly by the temporal resolution of the detectors. Here, we construct an up-conversion single-photon detector with a high temporal resolution of ∼1.4 ps and a low noise count rate of 5 counts per second (cps). Notably, the detector operates at room temperature, near-infrared wavelength. Using this detector, we demonstrate high-resolution and low-noise NLOS imaging. Our system can provide a 180 µm axial resolution and a 2 mm lateral resolution, which is more than 1 order of magnitude better than that in previous experiments. These results open avenues for high-resolution NLOS imaging techniques in relevant applications.

Optimizing up-conversion single-photon detectors for quantum key distribution.

High-performance single-photon detectors (SPDs) at 1550-nm band are critical for fiber-based quantum communications. Among many types of SPDs, the up-conversion SPDs based on periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides are of great interest. Combined with a strong pump laser, the telecom single-photons are converted into short wavelength ones and detected by silicon-based SPDs. However, due to the difficulty of precise controlling waveguide profile, the direct coupling between a single-mode fiber and the waveguide is not efficient. Here by utilizing fiber taper with proper diameter, optimal mode-matching is achieved and coupling efficiency up to 93% is measured. With an optimized design, a system detection efficiency of 36% and noise counting rate of 90 cps are realized. The maximum detection efficiency is characterized as 40% with a noise counting rate of 200 cps. Numerical simulation results indicate that our device can significantly improve the performance of QKD and extend the communication distance longer than 200 km.

Entanglement of two quantum memories via fibres over dozens of kilometres.

A quantum internet that connects remote quantum processors1,2 should enable a number of revolutionary applications such as distributed quantum computing. Its realization will rely on entanglement of remote quantum memories over long distances. Despite enormous progress3-12, at present the maximal physical separation achieved between two nodes is 1.3 kilometres10, and challenges for longer distances remain. Here we demonstrate entanglement of two atomic ensembles in one laboratory via photon transmission through city-scale optical fibres. The atomic ensembles function as quantum memories that store quantum states. We use cavity enhancement to efficiently create atom-photon entanglement13-15 and we use quantum frequency conversion16 to shift the atomic wavelength to telecommunications wavelengths. We realize entanglement over 22 kilometres of field-deployed fibres via two-photon interference17,18 and entanglement over 50 kilometres of coiled fibres via single-photon interference19. Our experiment could be extended to nodes physically separated by similar distances, which would thus form a functional segment of the atomic quantum network, paving the way towards establishing atomic entanglement over many nodes and over much longer distances.

1.064-µm-band up-conversion single-photon detector.

Based on the technique of periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide, up-conversion single-photon detection at 1.064-µm is demonstrated. We have achieved a system photon detection efficiency of 32.5% with a very low noise count rate of 45 counts per second by pumping with a 1.55-µm-band single frequency laser using the long-wavelength pumping technique and exploiting volume Bragg grating as a narrow band filter. Replacing the volume Bragg grating with a combination of adequate dielectric filters, a detection efficiency of up to 38% with a noise count rate of 700 counts per second is achieved, making the overall system stable and practical. The up-conversion single-photon detector operating at 1.064 µm can be a promising robust counter and find usage in many fields.

[Isolation, degradation and phylogenetic analysis of methylparathion degradative strain X4].

The strain X4 was isolated from polluted wastes of Shandong Huayang Pesticide Chemical Industry Group Co., Ltd. It was cultured with methylparathion and p-nitrophenol, a kind of intermediate during methylparathion degrading process, and used them as the sole carbon source and decomposed them into carbon dioxide and wastes. It is identified as Arthrobacter sp. by means of a series of tests, and it has visible sphere-pole variable cycle. It is bacilliform when it is cultured in nutrient broth medium within 36h, then it become short gradually, and ultimately become uniform sphericity. Bacilliform strains array in "V" or "Y" shape. It has flagellum, moveable, no sporangium, oxidates glucose: The degradative ability to pesticides of X4 was determined by gas chromatography (GC) and spectrophotometer, and the degradative rate for methylparathion at 50mg/L and rho - nitrophenol at 50mg/L is above 99% within 7h. Moreover, X4 also can degrade other organophosphate pesticides quickly. The degradative rate for methamidophos, chlorpyrifos and carbofuran is 64%, 54% and 68%, respectively. The maximal tolerant concentration of X4 to MP, PNP, methamidophos, chlorpyrifos and carbofuran is 1700mg/L, 500mg/L, 500mg/L, 300mg/L and 300mg/L, respectively. All of the above tests were determined at 30 degrees C , pH7, with an inoculum of 30% . At the same time, 16S rRNA sequence of X4 is obtained, and the similar sequences to X4 were selected from GenBank by BLAST program and the phylogenetic tree with these sequences was constructed, the relationship between X4 and referenced strains was worked out. At present, methylparathion and p-nitrophenol degradative strains reported are mostly Pseudomonas sp., Flavobacterium, Alcaligenes sp. and so on. Furthermore, those strains can only degrade MP and PNP partially. It is reported firstly here that Arthrobacter sp. can degrade both MP and PNP to small molecule synchronously and effectively. Finally, the strain X4 shows a huge potential to be used in a bioremediation application for the treatment of methlparation residues, and further research may lead to an alternative route of disposal for use in agriculture or industry.