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Phys. Rev. A 63, 040305(R) (2001) [4 pages]

Experimental demonstration of optimal unambiguous state discrimination

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Roger B. M. Clarke1, Anthony Chefles2, Stephen M. Barnett1, and Erling Riis1
1Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, United Kingdom
2Department of Physical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, Herts, United Kingdom

Received 13 July 2000; published 21 March 2001

We present a full demonstration of unambiguous state discrimination between nonorthogonal quantum states. Using a free-space interferometer we have realized the optimum quantum measurement scheme for two nonorthogonal states of light, known as the Ivanovic-Dieks-Peres (IDP) measurement. We have gained access to all three possible outcomes of this measurement. All aspects of this generalized measurement scheme, including its superiority over a standard von Neumann measurement, have been demonstrated within 1.5% of the IDP predictions.

© 2001 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevA.63.040305
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevA.63.040305
PACS:
03.67.-a, 03.65.Ta, 42.50.-p
 
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