Single Photon Sources and Single Quantum System enabled Communication

Sammanfattning: Quantum information is a highly interesting and fast emerging field that involves processing information encoded into quantum systems and their subsequent use in various information tasks. The use of quantum resources such as superposition and entanglement have shown to enhance information processing capabilities beyond classical means in a number of communication, information and computation tasks. In this thesis, we have used single photons to study the advantage of d-level quantum systems (qudits) for a communication task commonly known as random access codes (RACs). A successful experimental demonstration of quantum random access codes (QRACs) with four dimensions is realized to demonstrate that the higher dimensional QRACs not only outperform the classical RACs but also provide an advantage over their quantum bit (qubit) counterparts. QRACs are also studied in regards to two specific applications: certification of true randomness and for testing the non-classicality of quantum systems. A method for increased certification of generated randomness is realized for the former and a successful experimental demonstration of a test of non-classicality with arbitrarily low detection efficiency is provided for the latter. This is followed by an implementation of a QRAC in a one-path communication network consisting of preparation, transformation and measurement devices. We have shown that the distributed QRAC provides optimal success probabilities for a number of tasks. Moreover, a novel quantum protocol for the solution to the problem of dining cryptographers and anonymous veto voting is also presented. This single photon transmission based protocol provides an efficient solution, which is experimentally demonstrated for a 3-party description. Lastly, Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) center in diamond is studied as a potential resource for single photon emission and two methods to enhance the photon collection efficiency are successfully explored. Due to this enhancement, single photons from an NV center may also be used in similar single quantum system based communication experiments.