Characterization of conditional state-engineering quantum processes by   coherent state quantum process tomography
  Conditional quantum optical processes enable a wide range of technologies from generation of highly non-classical states to implementation of quantum logic operations. The process fidelity that can be achieved in a realistic implementation depends on a number of system parameters. Here we experimentally examine Fock-state filtration, a canonical example of a broad class of conditional quantum operations acting on a single optical field mode. This operation is based upon interference of the mode to be manipulated with an auxiliary single-photon state at a beam splitter, resulting in the entanglement of the two output modes. A conditional projective measurement onto a single photon at one output mode heralds the success of the process. This operation, which implements a measurement-induced nonlinearity, is capable of suppressing particular photon-number probability amplitudes of an arbitrary quantum state. We employ coherent-state process tomography to determine the precise operation realized in our experiment. To identify the key sources of experimental imperfection, we develop a model of the process and identify three main contributions that significantly hamper its efficacy. The reconstructed tensor is compared with a model of the process taking into account sources of experimental imperfection with fidelity better than 0.95. This enables us to identify three key challenges to overcome in realizing a filter with high fidelity - namely the single-photon nature of the auxiliary state, high-mode overlap, and the need for number resolving detection when heralding. The results show that the filter does indeed exhibit a nonlinear response as a function of input photon number and preserves the phase relation between Fock layers of the output state, providing promise for future applications. 
Merlin Cooper, Eirion Slade, Michal Karpinski, Brian J. Smith
quant-ph