Bayesian Quantum Multiphase Estimation Algorithm

Quantum phase estimation (QPE) is the key subroutine of several quantum computing algorithms as well as a central ingredient in quantum computational chemistry and quantum simulation. While QPE strategies have focused on the estimation of a single phase, applications to the simultaneous estimation of several phases may bring substantial advantages; for instance, in the presence of spatial or temporal constraints. In this work, we study a Bayesian algorithm for the parallel (simultaneous) estimation of multiple arbitrary phases. The protocol gives access to correlations in the Bayesian multiphase distribution resulting in covariance matrix elements scaling as O(NT-2), with respect to the total number of quantum resources NT. The parallel estimation allows to surpass the sensitivity of sequential single-phase estimation strategies for optimal linear combinations of phases. Furthermore, the algorithm proves a certain noise resilience and can be implemented using single photons and standard optical elements in currently accessible experiments.