Gaussian boson sampling with click-counting detectors (2305.00853v2)

Abstract: Gaussian boson sampling constitutes a prime candidate for an experimental demonstration of quantum advantage within reach with current technological capabilities. The original proposal employs photon-number-resolving detectors, however the latter are not widely available. On the other hand, inexpensive threshold detectors can be combined into a single click-counting detector to achieve approximate photon number resolution. We investigate the problem of sampling from a general multi-mode Gaussian state using click-counting detectors and show that the probability of obtaining a given outcome is related to a new matrix function which is dubbed as the Kensingtonian. We show how the latter relates to the Torontonian and the Hafnian, thus bridging the gap between known Gaussian boson sampling variants. We then prove that, under standard complexity-theoretical conjectures, the model can not be simulated efficiently.