QuMIMO Diversity over Discrete-Variable Free-Space Optical Channels

Abstract

Free-space optical (FSO) links carry quantum states without fiber, but diffraction, pointing error, and atmospheric turbulence couple spatial modes and reduce end-to-end fidelity. Classical multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) uses spatial channels for multiplexing or diversity. For unknown quantum states, however, the no-cloning theorem prevents classical replication. We therefore formulate an FSO quantum multiple-input multiple-output (QuMIMO) link for an unknown polarization qubit as a single completely positive and trace-preserving (CPTP) map. It combines passive field transfer, bosonic pure loss lifted to Fock space, a receiver map to erasure-augmented polarization qubits, and effective per-port polarization noise. The plane-wave Rytov variance parameterizes turbulence, while an internal-state Gram matrix captures partial photon distinguishability and its effects on path coherence and multiphoton interference. Using Haar-averaged state fidelity, we compare direct transmission, fixed quantum error correction (QEC), approximate quantum cloning, coherent path superposition, and channel-adapted encoder and recovery maps, while distinguishing channel state information (CSI) from endpoint availability. With Full CSI on the two-rail channel, asymmetric cloning and coherent path superposition exceed the fixed single-input single-output (SISO) baseline in average fidelity. Adding rails and their admitted photon-number sectors enlarges the attained general-CPTP gain over the fixed SISO baseline, with the widest margin at moderate turbulence. Fixed stabilizer encoders perform poorly as turbulence makes rail survival unequal and produces errors unlike erasures at known code positions. Thus, QuMIMO realizes channel-adapted spatial diversity without requiring multiple copies of the logical qubit.