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Experimental Quantum Channel Purification
Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 110804 – Published 20 March, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/t8qx-hvz7
Abstract
Quantum networks, which integrate multiple quantum computers and the channels connecting them, are crucial for distributed quantum information processing but remain inherently susceptible to channel noise. Channel purification emerges as a promising technique for suppressing noise in quantum channels without complex encoding and decoding operations, making it particularly suitable for remote quantum information transmission in optical systems. In this Letter, we introduce an experimental setup for efficient channel purification, harnessing the spatial and polarization properties of photons. Our design employs two Fredkin gates to enable coherent interference between independent noise channels, achieving effective noise suppression across a wide range of noise levels and types. Through application to entanglement distribution, channel purification demonstrates a strong capability to preserve entanglement under channel noise, suggesting that it can serve as a complementary and resource-efficient alternative to conventional entanglement purification in quantum network tasks.