Quantum and optical technology

Abstract:

Weak values, emerging from weak measurements in pre- and postselection, exhibit complex-valued properties, enabling the direct characterization of quantum systems. However, conventional weak values do not account for system evolution, restricting their capability to capture quantum dynamical information. To overcome this limitation, we introduce the process weak value (PWV), which incorporates quantum evolution between observables during pre- and postselection. By establishing a connection between PWVs and the matrix elements of unitary operators, we develop a theoretical framework for the direct characterization of quantum processes. Our experimental validation encompasses single-photon and two-photon unitary processes, as well as non-Hermitian parity-time symmetric quantum processes. Compared to standard quantum process tomography, our method reduces the required bases for state preparation and measurements while circumventing complex reconstruction algorithms, enhancing efficiency and scalability. Our PWV formalism opens avenues for broader foundational investigations of weak measurements and enables efficient applications in characterizing sophisticated quantum processes.

Abstract:

High-precision optical frequency measurement underpins modern science and technology, yet conventional spectroscopic techniques struggle to resolve sublinewidth spectral features. Here we introduce a platform for super-resolved frequency estimation based on a mode-selective atomic Raman quantum memory implemented in warm caesium vapour. By precisely engineering the light–matter interaction, the memory coherently stores the optimal temporal mode with high fidelity and retrieves it on demand, achieving mode crosstalk as low as 0.34%. To estimate the separation between two spectral lines, we experimentally measure the mean squared error of the frequency estimate, reaching a sensitivity of 1/20 of the linewidth and a (34 ± 4)-fold enhancement in precision over direct intensity measurements. This enhanced frequency resolution, combined with on-demand storage, retrieval and mode-conversion capabilities, establishes a pathway towards multifunctional memory-based time–frequency sensors and their integration within quantum networks.