Quantum integrated photonics requires large-scale linear optical circuitry, and for many applications it is desirable to have a universally programmable circuit, able to implement an arbitrary unitary transformation on a number of modes. This has been achieved using the Reck scheme, consisting of a network of Mach Zehnder interferometers containing a variable phase shifter in one path, as well as an external phase shifter after each Mach Zehnder. It subsequently became apparent that with symmetric Mach Zehnders containing a phase shift in both paths, the external phase shifts are redundant, resulting in a more compact circuit. The rectangular Clements scheme improves on the Reck scheme in terms of circuit depth, but it has been thought that an external phase-shifter was necessary after each Mach Zehnder. Here, we show that the Clements scheme can be realised using symmetric Mach Zehnders, requiring only a small number of external phase-shifters that do not contribute to the depth of the circuit. This will result in a significant saving in the length of these devices, allowing more complex circuits to fit onto a photonic chip, and reducing the propagation losses associated with these circuits. We also discuss how similar savings can be made to alternative schemes which have robustness to imbalanced beam-splitters.
Clifford Manipulations of Stabilizer States: A graphical rule book for Clifford unitaries and measurements on cluster states, and application to photonic quantum computing
NSF-ERC Center for Quantum Networks, Wyant College of Optical Sciences, The University of Arizona（亚利桑那大学怀特光学科学学院量子网络 NSF-ERC 中心）
Programmable pixel-mode linear interferometers using multi-plane light conversion
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park MD（马里兰大学电气与计算机工程系）；Wyant College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ（亚利桑那大学瓦扬光学学院）
