Squeezing-enhanced phase-shift-keyed binary communication in noisy channels

Abstract

We address binary phase-shift-keyed communication channels based on Gaussian states and prove that squeezing improves state discrimination at fixed energy of the channel, and also in the presence of phase diffusion. We then assess performances of homodyne detection against the ultimate quantum limits to discrimination and show that homodyning achieves optimality in the large-noise regime. Finally, we consider noise in the preparation of the seed signal (before phase encoding) and show that, also in this case, squeezing may improve state discrimination in realistic conditions.