Abstract

Quantum computers are expected to increase the efficiency of solving problems such as factoring large integers. However an experimental implementation of even relatively simple quantum information processing with a few to a dozen qubits presents an enormous technological challenge. One of the earliest proposals for quantum computation is based on implementing a quantum bit with two optical modes containing one photon[1]. The proposal is appealing due to the ease with which photon interference can be observed. However these early proposals required huge single photon optical nonlinearities. Unfortunately currently available optical nonlinearities are too weak and too noisy to be useful.

© 2003 Optical Society of America