Programmable photonic processing

TL;DR: A programmable photonic integrated circuit as discussed by the authors implements arbitrary linear optics transformations in the spatial mode basis with high fidelity under a realistic fabrication model, and it is shown that programmability dramatically improves device tolerance to fabrication imperfections and enables a single device to implement a broad range of both quantum and classical linear optics experiments.

Abstract: A programmable photonic integrated circuit implements arbitrary linear optics transformations in the spatial mode basis with high fidelity. Under a realistic fabrication model, we analyze programmed implementations of the CNOT gate, CPHASE gate, iterative phase estimation algorithm, state preparation, and quantum random walks. We find that programmability dramatically improves device tolerance to fabrication imperfections and enables a single device to implement a broad range of both quantum and classical linear optics experiments. Our results suggest that existing fabrication processes are sufficient to build such a device in the silicon photonics platform.