Realization of an Optimally Distinguishable Multiphoton Quantum Superposition

Abstract

We report the realization of an entangled quantum superposition of M approximately 12 photons by multiple universal cloning of a single-photon qubit via the high gain, quantum-injected optical parametric amplification. The system has been found extremely resilient to decoherence. By quantum tomography, the nonseparability and the quantum superposition are demonstrated for the mesoscopic output state of the dynamic "closed system."