A generalized Hamiltonian approach for designing simple single-photon-based optical quantum devices
摘要
We present a Hamiltonian-based simulation platform for modeling single-photon dynamics in quantum-optical systems, emphasizing coherent evolution and time-resolved behavior. Using this framework, we demonstrate two key applications: a quantum random number generator (QRNG) based on beam splitter interference, and a photonic controlled-NOT (CNOT) gate simulation. Unlike conventional circuit-level or gate-abstracted tools, our simulator derives the evolution of photonic quantum states from first-principles Hamiltonian dynamics. The QRNG module models the probabilistic path of a single photon through a beam splitter, and randomness is extracted from the measurement projections of the time-evolved wavefunction. Generated sequences pass all NIST statistical tests, confirming high entropy. The CNOT gate is simulated using masked pulse evolution and a quantum non-demolition (QND) interaction embedded within a four-level Hamiltonian framework, achieving a fidelity of 0.995. These results validate the platform as a general-purpose, physics-grounded tool for simulating randomness and entanglement in linear optical quantum systems.