Beyond Stellar Rank: Control Parameters for Scalable Optical Non-Gaussian State Generation

Abstract

Advanced quantum technologies rely on non-Gaussian states of light, essential for universal quantum computation, fault-tolerant error correction, and quantum sensing. Their practical realization, however, faces hurdles: simulating large multi-mode generators is computationally demanding, and benchmarks such as the \emph{stellar rank} do not capture how effectively photon detections yield useful non-Gaussianity. We address these challenges by introducing the \emph{non-Gaussian control parameters} $(s_0,\delta_0)$, a continuous and operational measure that goes beyond stellar rank. Leveraging these parameters, we develop a universal optimization method that reduces photon-number requirements and greatly enhances success probabilities while preserving state quality. Applied to the Gottesman--Kitaev--Preskill (GKP) state generation, for example, our method cuts the required photon detections by a factor of three and raises the preparation probability by nearly $10^8$. Demonstrations across cat states, cubic phase states, GKP states, and even random states confirm broad gains in experimental feasibility. Our results provide a unifying principle for resource-efficient non-Gaussian state generation, charting a practical route toward scalable optical quantum technologies and fault-tolerant quantum computation.