Phase estimation of time-bin qudits by time-resolved single-photon counting

Abstract: We present a comprehensive framework for quantum state tomography (QST) of time-bin qudits sent through a fiber. Starting from basic assumptions, we define a positive-operator valued measure (POVM) which is then applied to the quantum state reconstruction problem. A realistic scenario is considered where the time uncertainty of the detector is treated as a source of experimental noise. The performance of the quantum tomography framework is examined through a series of numerical simulations conducted for different parameters describing the apparatus. The quality of state recovery, quantified by the notion of minimum fidelity, is depicted on graphs for a range of fiber lengths. Special attention is paid to relative phase reconstruction for qubits and qutrits. The results present relevant interdependence between the fiber length and the detector jitter.