arXiv subjects

Alok Kumar Pan

Publications and source records attributed to Alok Kumar Pan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Genuine Multipartite Nonlocality for Arbitrary Input: Maximal Randomness Generation and Robust Self-Testing

Bell nonlocality provides the foundation for device-independent (DI) certification of quantum devices. We introduce a Bell inequality capable of identifying genuine multipartite nonlocality (GMNL) in an arbitrary m-partite scenario with an arbitrary odd number of measurements per party. Since the multi-setting nature of this inequality precludes the use of Jordan's Lemma, we construct an analytical sum-of-squares (SOS) decomposition to obtain the optimal quantum violation without assuming any bound on the Hilbert space dimension. This, in turn, enables self-testing of the shared entangled state and the corresponding measurement observables, up to local isometries, whose existence we confirm using a swap-based certification scheme. In addition, we show that our framework enables the extraction of maximal global DI randomness (m bits) at the optimal quantum violation, thereby exceeding previous limitations in the GMNL regime. Finally, we demonstrate that the architecture of our inequality yields improved robustness to noise as the number of measurement settings grows, ensuring experimental feasibility.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Robust self-testing based on Gisin's arbitrary-input Bell inequality

Self-testing refers to the strongest device-independent (DI) certification method that validates the nature of a quantum system and devices solely based on the observed statistics. We demonstrate the self-testing of state and measurements based on the Gisin Bell inequality (GBI) featuring arbitrary inputs for both parties. We introduce a systematic and elegant sum-of-squares (SOS) approach that enables the dimension-independent derivation of the optimal quantum violation of GBI. We derive the state and the interrelation between the local observables directly from the optimization condition. Since the practical experimental scenario involves inevitable noise and imperfection, we present a comprehensive strategy for robust self-testing.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Temperature-induced measurement sensitivity enhancement via imaginary weak values

We investigate the potential of weak measurement and post-selection to enhance measurement sensitivity when the initial probe state is mixed. In our framework, the mixedness of the probe's density operator is controlled by temperature. We focus on two key quantities: the signal-to-noise ratio and the quantum Fisher information of the final probe state, evaluated after post-selection is applied on the system. Our analysis employs a rigorous, all-order coupling treatment of measurement, demonstrating that the signal-to-noise ratio can be enhanced in certain scenarios by increasing the temperature. However, this enhancement is fundamentally constrained by the validity conditions of the weak measurement regime. Regarding the quantum Fisher information, we find that for a pure probe state, incorporating post-selection does not improve precision beyond the standard (non-post-selected) strategy when the post-selection probability is accounted for. In contrast, when the initial probe state is mixed, the quantum Fisher information for the probe state after post-selection in the system can surpass that of the standard strategy. Notably, we show that the quantum Fisher information might diverge and grow unboundedly with temperature, illustrating a scenario where thermal noise can, counterintuitively, enhance metrological precision.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Robust self-testing and certified randomness based on chained Bell inequality

Self-testing is the strongest certification procedure that uniquely characterizes the physical system based on the observed statistics, without any knowledge of the inner workings of the devices. The optimal quantum violation of a Bell inequality enables such a device-independent (DI) self-testing of the source and the measurement devices. In this work, we demonstrate the DI self-testing based on the arbitrary-input chained Bell inequality. We devise a systematic and elegant sum-of-squares (SOS) technique enabling dimension-independent optimization of the quantum violation. Our approach enables the derivation of the state along with the relationship between the local observables directly from the optimization condition. One significant aspect is the robustness of such self-testing in real experimental situations involving noise and imperfection, leading to deviation from the optimal quantum violation. We provide an analytical technique for robust self-testing in the presence of noise. As an application of our scheme, we demonstrate the generation of two bit DI randomness and analyze the robustness of such randomness. Our optimization method is both simple and elegant, making it suitable for deriving the optimal quantum violation of various arbitrary-input Bell inequalities.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Sharing preparation contextuality in Bell experiment by arbitrary pair of sequential observers

Based on the quantum violation of bipartite Bell inequality, it has been demonstrated that the sharing of non-locality can be demonstrated for at most two sequential observers at one end and at most one-pair of observers at both ends. In this work, we study the sharing of non-locality and preparation contextuality based on a bipartite Bell inequality, involving arbitrary $n$ measurements by one party and $2^{n-1}$ measurements by other party. Such a Bell inequality has two bounds, the local bound and the preparation non-contextual bound, which is smaller than the local bound. We show that while non-locality can be shared only by first pair of the sequential observers, the preparation contextuality can be shared by arbitrary pair of independent sequential observers at both ends.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Nonlocal correlations in an asymmetric quantum network

The nonlocality revealed in a multiparty multisource network Bell experiment is conceptually different than the standard multiparty Bell nonlocality involving a single common source. Here, by introducing variants of asymmetric bilocal as well as trilocal network scenarios, we go beyond the typical bilocal network scenario where both the edge parties have an equal number of measurement settings. We first introduce an asymmetric bilocal network where one of the edge parties (say, Alice) receives $2^{n-1}$ inputs and the other edge party (say, Charlie) receives $n$ inputs. We derive two variants of asymmetric bilocality inequalities and demonstrate their optimal quantum violations. Further, we explore two types of asymmetric trilocal scenarios: (i) when two edge parties receive $2^{n-1}$ inputs each and the other edge party receives $n$ inputs, and (ii) when one edge party receives $2^{n-1}$ inputs, and the other two edge parties have $n$ inputs each. We use an elegant sum-of-squares technique that enables us to evaluate the quantum optimal values of the proposed network inequalities without assuming the dimension of the systems for both the asymmetric bilocal as well as the trilocal scenarios. Further, we demonstrate the robustness of the quantum violations of the proposed inequalities in the presence of white noise.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Non-separable Optical Beam Shifts and Emergence of Position-position Classical entanglement

Under the introduction of any interface in its trajectory, an optical beam experiences polarization-dependent deflections in the longitudinal and transverse directions with respect to the plane of incidence. The physics of such optical beam shifts is connected to profound universal wave phenomena governed by the fine interference effects of wave packets and has opened up avenues towards metrological applications. Here, we reveal the inherent non-separability of the longitudinal and transverse beam shifts by considering a rather simple case of a partially reflecting Gaussian laser beam from a dielectric interface. This non-separability appears substantially in some particular regions in the corresponding parameter space. We further show that such non-separability manifests as a position-position classically entangled state of light. The tunability of the related experimental parameters offers control over the degree of entanglement. Uncovering of the inherent non-separability of the two types of beam shifts is expected to enrich the physical origin of this fundamental effect, impact the understanding of numerous analogous effects, and might find useful applications by exploiting the position-position-polarization classical entanglement in a fundamental Gaussian beam.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2021

Direct experimental test of commutation relation via weak value

The canonical commutation relation is the hallmark of quantum theory and Heisenberg's uncertainty relation is a direct consequence of it. But despite its fundamental role in quantum theory, surprisingly, its genuine direct experimental test has hitherto not been performed. In this article, we present a novel scheme to directly test the canonical commutation relation between two dichotomic observables, by exploiting the notion of weak measurement. The imaginary part of a suitably formulated weak value enables this direct test. The measurement of the weak value of a path-qubit observable in a neutron interferometer experiment is used to verify the approach. The experiment is realized using a newly developed technique in our neutron interferometric setup where the neutron's spin/energy degree of freedom serves as ancilla.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2015

Which verification qubits perform best for secure communication in noisy channel?

In secure quantum communication protocols, a set of single qubits prepared using 2 or more mutually unbiased bases or a set of $n$-qubit ($n\geq2$) entangled states of a particular form are usually used to form a verification string which is subsequently used to detect traces of eavesdropping. The qubits that form a verification string are referred to as decoy qubits, and there exists a large set of different quantum states that can be used as decoy qubits. In the absence of noise, any choice of decoy qubits provides equivalent security. In this paper, we examine such equivalence for noisy environment (e.g., in amplitude damping, phase damping, collective dephasing and collective rotation noise channels) by comparing the decoy-qubit assisted schemes of secure quantum communication that use single qubit states as decoy qubits with the schemes that use entangled states as decoy qubits. Our study reveals that the single qubit assisted scheme perform better in some noisy environments, while some entangled qubits assisted schemes perform better in other noisy environments. Specifically, single qubits assisted schemes perform better in amplitude damping and phase damping noisy channels, whereas a few Bell-state-based decoy schemes are found to perform better in the presence of the collective noise. Thus, if the kind of noise present in a communication channel (i.e., the characteristics of the channel) is known or measured, then the present study can provide the best choice of decoy qubits required for implementation of schemes of secure quantum communication through that channel.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Larmor precession reexamined: Testable correction and its ramifications

For a spin-polarized plane wave passing through a spin-rotator containing uniform magnetic field, we provide a detailed analysis for solving the appropriate Schrödinger equation. A modified expression for spin precession is obtained which reduces to the standard Larmor precession relation when kinetic energy is very large compared to the spin-magnetic field interaction. We show that there are experimentally verifiable regimes of departure from the standard Larmor precession formula. The treatment is then extended to the case of a spin-polarized wave packet passing through a uniform magnetic field. The results based on the standard expression for Larmor precession and that obtained from the modified formula are compared in various regimes of the experimental parameters.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2010

On the possibility of empirically probing the Bohmian model in terms of the testability of quantum arrival/transit time distribution

The present article focuses on studying the extent to which the nonuniqueness that is inherent in the standard quantum mechanical calculation of arrival/transit time distribution can be exploited to enable an empirical scrutiny of any causal trajectory model such as the Bohmian scheme. For this purpose, we consider the example of spin-1/2 neutral particles corresponding to a wave packet which passes through a spin rotator(SR) that contains constant magnetic field confined within a region - in such a case, the transit time distribution can be measured in terms of the spin distribution of particles emerging from the SR. In particular, we investigate the way one can compare the Bohmian predictions obtained for this example with that using one of the quantum approaches, say, the probability current density based scheme. Here the Bohmian calculational procedure involves a couple of critical subtleties that lead to some specific directions for further studies.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2010

A variant of Peres-Mermin proof for testing noncontextual realist models

For any state in four-dimensional system, the quantum violation of an inequality based on the Peres-Mermin proof for testing noncontextual realist models has experimentally been corroborated. In the Peres-Mermin proof, an array of nine holistic observables for two two-qubit system was used. We, in this letter, present a new symmetric set of observables for the same system which also provides a contradiction of quantum mechanics with noncontextual realist models in a state-independent way. The whole argument can also be cast in the form of a new inequality that can be empirically tested.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2010

Quantum mechanical effect of path-polarization contextuality for a single photon

Using measurements pertaining to a suitable Mach-Zehnder(MZ) type setup, a curious quantum mechanical effect of contextuality between the path and the polarization degrees of freedom of a polarized photon is demonstrated, without using any notion of realism or hidden variables - an effect that holds good for the product as well as the entangled states. This form of experimental context-dependence is manifested in a way such that at \emph{either} of the two exit channels of the MZ setup used, the empirically verifiable \emph{subensemble} statistical properties obtained by an arbitrary polarization measurement depend upon the choice of a commuting(comeasurable) path observable, while this effect disappears for the \emph{whole ensemble} of photons emerging from the two exit channels of the MZ setup.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2010

Reply to the "Comment on 'Contextuality within quantum mechanics manifested in subensemble mean values[Phys. Lett. A 373(2009)3430, arXiv:0912.3570]' "

In this reply, we point out that the claim by De Zela[2] is unjustified because the setup he discusses is \emph{not} equivalent to the setup analysed in our paper[1]. Hence his subsequent argument claiming the reproducibility of our demonstrated quantum effect of path-spin contextuality by the Kochen-Specker realist model is \emph{not} relevant.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2009

Contextuality within quantum mechanics manifested in subensemble mean values

For spin-1/2 particles, using a suitable Mach-Zehnder-type setup with a spin-flipper, we argue that it is a direct consequence of the quantum mechanical treatment that an experimentally verifiable \textit{subensemble} mean of the measured values of an arbitrarily chosen spin variable exhibits dependence on the choice of a comeasurable `path' observable. This, in turn, enables inferring path-spin contextuality at the level of individual measured values of spin that are predetermined using a relevant hidden-variable model applied to our setup.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2009

State-independent quantum violation of noncontextuality in four dimensional space using five observables and two settings

Recently, a striking experimental demonstration [G. Kirchmair \emph{et al.}, Nature, \textbf{460}, 494(2009)] of the state-independent quantum mechanical violation of non-contextual realist models has been reported for any two-qubit state using suitable choices of \emph{nine} product observables and \emph{six} different measurement setups. In this report, a considerable simplification of such a demonstration is achieved by formulating a scheme that requires only \emph{five} product observables and \emph{two} different measurement setups. It is also pointed out that the relevant empirical data already available in the experiment by Kirchmair \emph{et al.} corroborate the violation of the NCR models in accordance with our proof.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2009

An interplay between nonlocality and quantum violation of path-spin noncontextuality

In terms of a suitable variant of the EPR-Bohm example, we argue that the quantum mechanically predicted and experimentally verified violation of a Bell-type path-spin noncontextual realist inequality for an `intraparticle' path-spin entanglement involving single neutrons can be used to infer a form of nonlocality, distinct from Bell-type nonlocality, that is required for any relevant hidden variable model to be compatible with the quantum mechanical treatment of an EPR-Bohm-type `interparticle' entanglement.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2009

Using the no-signaling condition for constraining the nonidealness of a Stern-Gerlach setup

On the basis of a variant of the EPR-Bohm example, we show that the no-signaling condition can be employed as a useful tool for deriving a constraint on a suitably defined measure of the `nonidealness' of a Stern-Gerlach(SG) setup. In this demonstration, a key ingredient is provided by the characteristics of the exact solution of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation as applied to a most general SG setup.

quant-ph↗