Classical simulation and quantum resource theory of non-Gaussian optics

Abstract: We propose efficient algorithms for classically simulating Gaussian unitaries and measurements applied to non-Gaussian initial states. The constructions are based on decomposing the non-Gaussian states into linear combinations of Gaussian states. We use an extension of the covariance matrix formalism to efficiently track relative phases in the superpositions of Gaussian states. We get an exact simulation algorithm which cost scales quadratically with the number of Gaussian states required to represent the initial state and an approximate simulation algorithm which cost scales linearly with the $l_1$ norm of the coefficients associated with the superposition. We define measures of non-Gaussianty quantifying this simulation cost, which we call the Gaussian rank and the Gaussian extent. From the perspective of quantum resource theories, we investigate the properties of this type of non-Gaussianity measure and compute optimal decomposition for states relevant to continuous-variable quantum computing.