We are proud to highlight the following work, partially carried out at Polifab and recently published on Nature Photonics.
A brief description by the authors:
Generating and manipulating randomness is essential for numerous information technology applications, ranging from simulation of physical systems to cryptography. Quantum mechanics has proven to offer distinct advantages in this area. A notable model for randomness manipulation is the Bernoulli factory, which enables the controlled adjustment of the bias in Bernoulli random processes. Initially, this framework was explored entirely within a classical context. However, recent advancements have extended this model into the quantum realm, allowing for a more diverse set of randomness manipulation functions.
A group of researchers, including IFN-CNR, Politecnico di Milano, Sapienza University in Rome and the International Iberian Nanotechnology Labs (INL), has implemented the Bernoulli factory by exploiting an integrated quantum photonic processor whose thermal phase shifters were fabricated at PoliFAB. By modifying the configuration of the circuit within this platform, it was possible to evolve the dynamics of single photons, and the quantum information states they carry, in the desired way. Given the statistical behavior that characterizes the evolution of single photons within these devices, it was possible to generate randomly distributed results more effectively than a simulation performed by a classical computer.
Full article: F. Hoch, et al., “Modular quantum-to-quantum Bernoulli factory in an integrated photonic processor” Nature Photonics (2024).
