Cited by 102Topological Materials and PhenomenaQuantum Information and CryptographyQuantum optics and atomic interactions

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 41 of the 41 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 6 of the 22 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Topological protection of two-photon quantum correlation on a photonic chip

Open access

Abstract

Low-decoherence regime plays a key role in constructing multi-particle quantum systems and has therefore been constantly pursued in order to build quantum simulators and quantum computers in a scalable fashion. Quantum error correction and quantum topological computing have been proved being able to protect quantumness but haven't been experimentally realized yet. Recently, topological boundary states are found inherently stable and are capable of protecting physical fields from dissipation and disorder, which inspires the application of such a topological protection on quantum correlation. Here, we present an experimental demonstration of topological protection of two-photon quantum states on a photonic chip. By analyzing the quantum correlation of photons out from the topologically nontrivial boundary state, we obtain a high cross-correlation and a strong violation of Cauchy-Schwarz inequality up to 30 standard deviations. Our results, together with our integrated implementation, provide an alternative way of protecting quantumness, and may inspire many more explorations in 'quantum topological photonics', a crossover between topological photonics and quantum information.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

The paper experimentally demonstrates topological protection of two-photon quantum correlation in a photonic chip using an off-diagonal Harper/Aubry-André lattice. Boundary-state photons retain high cross-correlation and violate the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality up to 30 standard deviations, while bulk-state photons spread and lose measurable quantum correlation.

Key findings

  • In the topological boundary state, the two photons simultaneously occupy the leftmost site with probability up to 94.6%, and the outgoing probability distribution is almost confined to that site.
  • The protected boundary-state cross-correlation is \(g^{(2)}_{s-i}=10.70\pm0.25\), close to the input value \(11.47\pm0.02\); the text also reports a leftmost-site value up to \(34.12\pm1.44\) compared with \(44.31\pm0.16\) before the chip.
  • The boundary state violates the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality with 30.48 standard deviations (Table I; abstract says up to 30 standard deviations), whereas bulk-state sites show much smaller cross-correlations, e.g. \(g^{(2)}_{s-i}=6.37(154)\), \(5.39(69)\), \(6.66(90)\), \(4.49(73)\), with large uncertainties and no clear violation.
  • Bulk-state photons spread across the lattice in a trivial quantum-walk-like manner, and the measured bulk cross-correlations are as low as about 6 with very large uncertainty, which the paper says would no longer allow derived entanglement to violate Bell inequality.

Methods

  • The lattice is an off-diagonal Harper/Aubry-André model with modulation amplitude \(\lambda=0.5\), site number \(N=50\), and phase \(\phi=0.2\pi\), fabricated in borosilicate glass by femtosecond laser direct writing; photons evolve for 35 mm.
  • Correlated 810 nm photon pairs are generated from a PPKTP crystal via spontaneous parametric down conversion, prepared to horizontal polarization with 25% probability, and injected into the leftmost site \(n=1\) for the boundary state or the middle site \(n=26\) for the bulk state.
  • Outgoing photon distributions are measured with an ICCD camera, while cross-correlations and auto-correlations are measured with APDs after a fiber beam splitter and an FPGA counter; coincidences are recorded over 300 seconds, and the analysis uses \(g^{(2)}_{s-i}=p_{s-i}/(p_s p_i)\) and the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality \(g^{(2)}_{s-i}{}^2 \le g^{(2)}_{s-s} g^{(2)}_{i-i}\).

Limitations

  • Stated: the paper says further work includes protection of quantum entanglement or implementation in higher-dimensional structures; no explicit limitations section is given.
  • Evident from the text: the demonstration uses a single parameter set (\(\lambda=0.5\), \(N=50\), \(\phi=0.2\pi\)) and two-photon states, so generality across phases, lattice sizes, and higher photon numbers is not shown.
  • Evident from the text: bulk-state measurements are limited by low coincidence counts and large uncertainties, making some sites difficult to measure; the reported cross-correlation values also vary between text passages and Table I, indicating dependence on pump/measurement conditions.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1364/optica.6.000955

Cites

41 of 41 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

6 of 22 cited sources checked · 5 supported · 0 flagged · accuracy not yet measured

  • Interpretationown data
    § Topological Protection of Two-photon Quantum Correlation on a Photonic Chip

    The quantum entanglement derived from the bulk-state cross-correlation will not be able to violate Bell inequality any more.

    “with which a quantum entanglement derived will not be able to violate Bell inequality any more [27,28].”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [27] Rechtsman, 2016, Optica source

      The Figure 4 caption (p. 10) says a defect destroys the nature of photon correlations in a topologically trivial array, and the discussion (p. 2) says scattering destroys maximally spatially entangled NOON states. Our copy does not say that entanglement derived from bulk-state cross-correlations can no longer violate a Bell inequality. (LLM, conf=0.79)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites [28] Mittal, 2016, Opt. Express source

      Checked before — its earlier verdict is held back until a new check runs.

  • Findingown data

    The calculated Floquet band structure shows two topologically nontrivial boundary modes in the gap connecting different bands.

    “We can see two topologically nontrivial boundary modes in the gap connecting different bands.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingreasoning

    For the bulk state, the photons are no longer confined in one or two sites and spread to other sites as a typical quantum walk in quasi-crystal.

    “As a comparison, for the bulk state, the photons are no longer confined in one or two sites and spread to other sites as a typical quantum walk in quasi-crystal.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data
    § Topological Protection of Two-photon Quantum Correlation on a Photonic Chip

    In the topologically nontrivial boundary state, the two-photon cross-correlation does not drop distinctly relative to the input.

    “We observe no distinct drop of cross-correlation in boundary state.”
    • Also stated in: § FIG. 2. Experimental setup. · hedged
      “The cross-correlation of the protected state is 10.70 ± 0.25, apparently very close to the value of 11.47 ± 0.02 before the photonic chip.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    In the bulk state, the two photons spread across the lattice, so coincidences in a few best measurable sites are much smaller than in the topological boundary state.

    “the two photons spread across the lattice, so that even the coincidences in a few best measurable sites are still much smaller than that in the topological boundary state.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 8
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 10
  • Probably not a substantial claim. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisecitation
    § Topological Protection of Two-photon Quantum Correlation on a Photonic Chip

    Many types of topological phases have been observed, implying the capability of protecting physical fields.

    “Many types of topological phases have been observed, for instance, Hall effect [16,17], edge states [18][19][20][21], topological insulators [22,23] and Weyl points [24,25], implying the capability of protecting physical fields.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim5 of 8 sources checked
    • cites [16] Wang, 2009, Nature source
    • cites [17] Hafezi, 2011, Nat. Phys. source
    • cites [18] Malkova, 2009, Opt. Lett. source
    • cites [19] Rechtsman, 2013, Phys. Rev. Lett. source
    • cites [20] Hafezi, 2013, Nat. Photonics source
    • cites [21] Kraus, 2012, Phys. Rev. Lett. source
    • cites [22] Rechtsman, 2013, Nature source
    • cites [23] Cheng, 2016, Nat. Mater. source
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingown data

    The protected state shows a clear violation of Cauchy-Schwarz inequality but the unprotected state does not.

    “Again, we can observe a clear violation of Cauchy-Schwarz inequality for the protected state but not for the unprotected state.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingown data

    The value of g(2)s-i for the leftmost site in the boundary state is up to 34.12 ± 1.44, comparable to 44.31 ± 0.16 obtained before the photonic chip.

    “The value of g (2) s-i for the leftmost site in the boundary state is up to 34.12 ± 1.44, which is still comparable to 44.31 ± 0.16 obtained before the photonic chip.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingown data

    The cross-correlation of the protected state is 10.70 ± 0.25, close to the input value of 11.47 ± 0.02.

    “The cross-correlation of the protected state is 10.70 ± 0.25, apparently very close to the value of 11.47 ± 0.02 before the photonic chip.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § Topological Protection of Two-photon Quantum Correlation on a Photonic Chip

    Two-particle quantum walk can be an algorithmic tool for the graph isomorphism problem.

    “two-particle quantum walk can be an algorithmic tool for the graph isomorphism problem [8]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [8] Peruzzo, 2010, Science source
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationown data

    The results extend the protection mechanism of topological phases into the quantum regime to directly protect quantum-correlated states, representing an emerging alternative way of protecting quantumness.

    “Our results extend the protection mechanism of topological phases into quantum regime to directly protect quantumcorrelated states, representing an emerging and alternative way of protecting quantumness.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § Topological Protection of Two-photon Quantum Correlation on a Photonic Chip

    Universal computation can be achieved by multiparticle quantum walk efficiently.

    “the universal computation can be achieved by multiparticle quantum walk efficiently [9].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [9] Childs, 2013, Science source
  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisecitation
    § Topological Protection of Two-photon Quantum Correlation on a Photonic Chip

    Both quantum error correction and quantum topological computing are promising candidates in theoretical predictions but are still in their initial stage for experimental implementations.

    “Both of them are promising candidates in theoretical predictions but are still in their initial stage for experimental implementations [10][11][12][13].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 4 sources checked
    • cites [10] Chiaverini, 2004, Nature source
    • cites [11] Terhal, 2015, Rev. Mod. Phys. source
    • cites [12] Nayak, 2008, Rev. Mod. Phys. source
    • cites [13]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisecitation
    § Topological Protection of Two-photon Quantum Correlation on a Photonic Chip

    Quantum error correction is proposed to preserve logical quantum states in a subspace and rectify errors according to the measurement outcomes of ancillary particles.

    “Quantum error correction is proposed to preserve logical quantum states in a subspace and rectify errors according to the measurement outcomes of ancillary particles [10,11].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [10] Chiaverini, 2004, Nature source
    • cites [11] Terhal, 2015, Rev. Mod. Phys. source
  • Probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § Topological Protection of Two-photon Quantum Correlation on a Photonic Chip

    Topological photonics aims to topologically protect photons from inevitable fabrication-induced dissipation and disorder.

    “Topological photonics, derived from the discovery of topological phases in condensed-matter physics, aims to topologically protect photons from the inevitable fabrication-induced dissipation and disorder [14,15].”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [14] Lu, 2014, Nat. Photonics source
    • cites [15] Ozawa, 2019, Rev. Mod. Phys. source
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationown data

    The two-photon quantum-correlated states can be well preserved in the topologically nontrivial boundary state and substantially thermalize in the bulk state.

    “The measurement on the cross-correlation and the violation of Cauchy-Schwarz inequality indicate that the two-photon quantum-correlated states can be well preserved in the topologically nontrivial boundary state, and substantially thermalize in the bulk state.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § Topological Protection of Two-photon Quantum Correlation on a Photonic Chip

    Quantum topological computing strives to store and manipulate quantum information with topological protection in a nonlocal manner using non-Abelian anyons.

    “Quantum topological computing, meanwhile, strives to store and manipulate quantum information with topological protection in a nonlocal manner using non-Abelian anyons [12].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [12] Nayak, 2008, Rev. Mod. Phys. source
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationown data

    The boundary state preserves not only the photon probability but also the quantum correlation.

    “That means the boundary state preserves not only the photon probability but also their quantum correlation.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Study design and conductreasoning

    The photon flux is the same for all measurement scenarios because a polarizer was added before the half wave plate.

    “We add one polarizer before the half wave plate to make sure the photon flux the same for all measurement scenarios.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
14 of 14
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Topological boundary states are inherently stable and capable of protecting physical fields from dissipation and disorder.

    “Recently, topological boundary states are found inherently stable and are capable of protecting physical fields from dissipation and disorder, which inspires the application of such a topological protection on quantum correlation.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Quantum error correction and quantum topological computing have been proved able to protect quantumness but have not been experimentally realized yet.

    “Quantum error correction and quantum topological computing have been proved being able to protect quantumness but haven't been experimentally realized yet.”
2 of 2

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

  • Bulk-state violation contradicts the stated conclusion

    Minor

    The text says there is no clear Cauchy-Schwarz violation for the unprotected state, but Table I reports a 4.29-standard-deviation violation for the Bulk36 site.

  • Figure 3 caption assigns the bulk image to both c and d

    Minor

    The caption introduces the accumulated images as panels b and c, but then identifies the bulk-state image as panel d.

  • Different phase values given for the boundary-state lattice

    Minor

    The Fig. 1 caption gives the boundary-state phase as φ = 0.2, while the fabrication description gives φ = 0.2π. The text does not state that the caption uses units of π.

3 of 3

Citations

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Aubry, 1980, Ann. Isr. Phys. Soc., 3, 133

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Metadata

Authors
Wang, Y., Pang, X.-L., Lu, Y.-H., Gao, J., Chang, Y.-J., Qiao, L.-F., Jiao, Z.-Q., Tang, H., & Jin, X.-M.
Affiliations
Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
Venue
Optica
Published
2019-07-25
Volume
6
Issue
8
Pages
955
ISSN
2334-2536 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2963116858
Cited by
102
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 4
FWCI
7.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Optica (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Funders
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (11690033, 11761141014, 61734005)
  • National Key RD Program of China (2017YFA0303700)
  • Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (STCSM) (15QA1402200, 16JC1400405, 17JC1400403)
  • Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (SMEC) (16SG09, 2017-01-07-00-02-E00049)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Condensed Matter Physics › Topological Materials and Phenomena
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum Information and Cryptography
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum optics and atomic interactions
Keywords
topological protection, topological boundary states, integrated photonics, Cauchy-Schwarz inequality violation, cross correlation function, quantum error correction, topological photonics, quantum simulation

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