Abstract:

A classical optics setup to simulate the quantum teleportation process is presented. The analogy is based on the possibility of encoding a quantum state of a system with a 2N-dimensional Hilbert space as an image in the input of an optical system. The probability amplitude of each state of a basis is associated with the complex amplitude of the electromagnetic field in a given region of the laser wavefront. Temporal evolutions are represented as changes of the complex amplitude of the field when the wavefront is modified by different optical elements. The classical optics representation of quantum state as images and of universal quantum gates as optical processors is shown. The design and operation of an optical module that is used to simulate the quantum teleportation process are discussed. Experimental results where the teleportation of a one qbit state is simulated are shown. © 2008 Optical Society of America.