PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Optics & Photonics · Quantum Information & Technology · Physical realizations and quantum technologies
Quantum Information and Technology, Ch Trapped ions, neutral atoms, photons, NMR and spins in solids
Problem
A boson-sampling network is built so that, with no loss, it would output n=76 photons at its detectors, matching the largest reported click patterns (Zhong et al., Science 370, 1460 (2020)). Suppose the combined transmission-and-detection efficiency for each individual photon, through the network optics and detectors together, is 57%, a plausible order-of-magnitude figure for such an experiment.
((a)) Estimate the probability that all 76 photons survive to be detected in a single run, treating each photon's survival as an independent event.
((b)) If input states are produced and sent through the network at a rate of 106 per second, estimate the mean time needed for one run in which all 76 photons are detected, in seconds and in years.
((c)) State in one sentence what this means for why real multi-photon experiments report and analyse partial click patterns rather than requiring the full input photon number at the output.