On photonic controlled phase gates

As primitives for entanglement generation, controlled phase gates have a central role in quantum computing. Especially in ideas realizing instances of quantum computation in linear optical gate arrays, a closer look can be rewarding. In such architectures, all effective nonlinearities are induced by measurements. Hence the probability of success is a crucial parameter of such quantum gates. In this paper, we discuss this question for controlled phase gates that implement an arbitrary phase with one and two control qubits. Within the class of post-selected gates in dual-rail encoding with vacuum ancillas, we identify the optimal success probabilities. We construct networks that allow for implementation using current experimental capabilities in detail. The methods employed here appear specifically useful with the advent of integrated linear optical circuits, providing stable interferometers on monolithic structures.