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Augusto Smerzi

Publications and source records attributed to Augusto Smerzi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Bounded-Error Quantum Simulation via Hamiltonian and Lindbladian Learning

Analog Quantum Simulators offer a route to exploring strongly correlated many-body dynamics beyond classical computation, but their predictive power remains limited by the absence of quantitative error estimation. Establishing rigorous uncertainty bounds is essential for elevating such devices from qualitative demonstrations to quantitative scientific tools. Here we introduce a general framework for bounded-error quantum simulation, which provides predictions for many-body observables with experimentally quantifiable uncertainties. The approach combines Hamiltonian and Lindbladian Learning--a statistically rigorous inference of the coherent and dissipative generators governing the dynamics--with the propagation of their uncertainties into the simulated observables, yielding confidence bounds directly derived from experimental data. We demonstrate this framework on trapped-ion quantum simulators implementing long-range Ising interactions with up to 51 ions, and validate it where classical comparison is possible. We analyze error bounds on two levels. First, we learn an open-system model from experimental data collected in an initial time window of quench dynamics, simulate the corresponding master equation, and quantitatively verify consistency between theoretical predictions and measured dynamics at long times. Second, we establish error bounds directly from experimental measurements alone, without relying on classical simulation--crucial for entering regimes of quantum advantage. The learned models reproduce the experimental evolution within the predicted bounds, demonstrating quantitative reliability and internal consistency. Bounded-error quantum simulation provides a scalable foundation for trusted analog quantum computation, bridging the gap between experimental platforms and predictive many-body physics. The techniques presented here directly extend to digital quantum simulation.

quant-ph↗

Irreducible Architectures of Multipartite Entanglement

Multipartite entanglement is commonly characterized by scalar notions such as separability and entanglement depth, which do not resolve the distribution of entangled cluster sizes. For mixed states, we introduce formation profiles that assign weights to the entanglement architectures appearing in pure-state decompositions. We show that after discarding every profile that admits a strictly weaker feasible replacement, the remaining irreducible structure need not be unique: a four-qubit example exhibits a continuous family of incomparable irreducible profiles. Monotone functions of the architectures recover widely used scalar quantifiers as special cases, whereas the full profile geometry retains additional information, including the minimum weight that every decomposition must assign outside a chosen architectural class. Finally, we derive experimentally accessible bounds on these weights from convex witnesses, including the quantum Fisher information, thereby connecting detailed formation structure with practical entanglement certification.

quant-ph↗

Maximal Fisher Budget Forces Blind Directions in Bipartite Collective SU(d) Metrology

For pure two-qudit probes used in a single fixed setting to estimate a common SU(d) transformation, maximal total Fisher sensitivity and full local identifiability are mutually exclusive. We derive exact identities that determine the trace of the quantum Fisher information matrix from two measurable probe properties: exchange symmetry and collective polarization. Every maximizer is exchange symmetric and maximally entangled. Its Fisher matrix has equal sensitivity in every visible direction, while $d(d-1)/2$ generator directions are blind. More generally, weak compatibility, defined by vanishing mean generator commutators, forces at least $\lfloor d/2\rfloor$ blind directions for every pure bipartite probe. A probe-defined antiunitary invariant classifies the complete Fisher spectrum at maximal entanglement, and approaches to the optimum that preserve exchange symmetry have a divergent Holevo cost. The bipartite obstruction is sharp in particle number: for $N\geq 3$, generalized GHZ probes can satisfy weak compatibility, attain the corresponding $N$-partite Fisher trace bound, and retain full local identifiability. Hence, Fisher sensitivity, weak compatibility, identifiability, and attainable precision are distinct resources in quantum metrology with noncommuting generators.

quant-ph↗

Finite-Shot Sensitivity for Moment Estimation in Quantum Metrology

The quantum Cramér-Rao bound can be saturated only asymptotically and does not specify how many measurements are needed for a concrete estimator to approach it. We develop a finite-measurement theory for method-of-moments estimation, where the parameter is inferred from the sample mean of a calibrating observable rather than from the full likelihood. For general quantum statistical models, the expansion is written in terms of the calibration curve and the central moments of the measured observable. Nonlinear calibration curves make the usual moment estimator biased at finite measurement number; we construct a bias-corrected estimator with bias $O(ν^{-3})$. This gives sensitivity corrections beyond the leading error-propagation term of the chosen moment protocol. We identify a general density-matrix condition under which the full $1/ν^2$ correction vanishes. In unitary examples, the leading residual correction appears at order $1/ν^3$, is governed by calibration curvature, and can be reduced or cancelled by higher-rank components of the same measured observable. The resulting thresholds quantify how many measurements are needed before the asymptotic sensitivity of a moment-estimation protocol is operationally visible.

quant-ph↗

Hong-Ou-Mandel interference of more than 10 indistinguishable atoms

When two indistinguishable bosons interfere at a beam splitter, they both exit through the same output port. This foundational quantum-mechanical phenomenon, known as the Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) effect, has become a cornerstone in the field of quantum information. It also extends to many indistinguishable particles, resulting in complex interference patterns. However, despite of its fundamental and applied interest, the many-particle effect has only been observed in notoriously lossy photonic systems, but a realization with atomic systems has remained elusive until now. Here, we demonstrate HOM interference with up to 12 indistinguishable neutral atoms in a system with negligible loss. Our single-particle counting clearly reveals parity oscillations, a bunching envelope and genuine multi-partite entanglement, defining features of the multi-particle HOM effect. Our technique offers the potential for scaling to much larger numbers, presenting promising applications in quantum information with indistinguishable particles and Heisenberg-limited atom interferometry.

quant-ph↗

Global Bounds beyond Local Quantum Metrology

Quantum Cramér--Rao theory is intrinsically local: it bounds precision near a specified parameter value, and its saturating measurement generally depends on that value. Barankin-type bounds use finite parameter displacements, but remain anchored to a chosen reference value. This leaves open a basic global-estimation problem: when the parameter is known only within a broad domain, what precision can be guaranteed by a single estimator and a single measurement strategy fixed before the true value is localized? We answer this question by introducing global score functions tied to a weighted variance over the whole parameter domain. Their correlations generate a hierarchy of precision bounds: global Cramér--Rao and Barankin-type bounds arise as restricted levels, whereas unrestricted score correlations yield a fully global bound for the prescribed weighted variance. The hierarchy recovers local Cramér--Rao theory in the many-repetition limit and reveals genuinely global precision limits for finite data over broad domains. In the quantum setting, the construction identifies when this fully global bound can be realized by a single parameter-independent measurement. The same framework extends to Bayesian estimation, recovering the Van Trees bound in the local limit while yielding stronger finite-width lower bounds on the Bayesian mean-square error beyond this limit.

quant-ph↗

Robust spin-squeezing with random interaction graphs: the lesson from universality

We establish the conditions under which scalable spin squeezing can be achieved in interacting spin ensembles embedded in arbitrary, inhomogeneous graph geometries. We identify two different forms of squeezing: OAT-like scalable squeezing is governed solely by the universal properties of the interaction graph and is controlled by its spectral dimension. In critical squeezing, on the other hand, the value of the spectral dimension only furnishes the necessary condition for scalable metrological gain, while the sufficient condition requires the model to lie below the symmetry breaking transition. Therefore, in systems with random interaction graphs, the scaling of the spin-squeezing critical point emerges from a nontrivial interplay between xy-ferromagnetic universality and percolation universality. We apply this general theoretical framework to several experimental scenarios and discuss sharp and experimentally relevant conditions for achieving robust metrological gain on generic inhomogeneous structures, giving a unifying perspective for designing scalable quantum sensors across diverse quantum simulation platforms.

quant-ph↗

Adversarial Stress Tests for Quantum Certification

We develop a practical framework for semi-device-independent (SDI) certification under operational deviations from the ideal protocol model. Apparent violations of classical benchmarks need not signal genuinely non-classical behaviour; they can arise from misalignment between (i) the scoring rule, (ii) the finite-sample statistical bound applied to that score, and (iii) the operational model realised in the experiment, including bias, memory, drift, and selection effects. We formalise a protocol-agnostic alignment principle based on a martingale-safe lower confidence bound and an operationally consistent effective classical ceiling. This yields a quantitative diagnostic, the \emph{robustness gap} $Δ_{\mathrm{rob}} = S_{\mathrm{low}} - S_{C,\mathrm{eff}}$, which separates statistical fluctuations from structural modelling errors. Statistical deviations vanish asymptotically, whereas model misalignment can produce persistent false certification unless the benchmark is corrected. Using the $2\!\to\!1$ random access code as a minimal SDI testbed, we show that postselection can inflate conditional scores, whereas unconditional scoring restores the correct operational meaning of the witness. We further show that adaptive learning-based classical agents do not enlarge the admissible classical set; rather, they recover the effective classical ceiling implied by the operational model. The resulting framework provides a systematic diagnostic for certification in realistic quantum communication and measurement settings with embedded classical control, adaptive processing, and nonideal data acquisition.

quant-ph↗

Quantum Chaos, Randomness and Universal Scaling of Entanglement in Various Krylov Spaces

Multipartite entanglement is a crucial resource for advancing quantum technologies, with considerable research efforts directed toward achieving its rapid and scalable generation. In this work, we derive an analytical expression for the time-averaged quantum Fisher information (QFI), enabling the detection of scalable multipartite entanglement dynamically generated by all quantum chaotic systems governed by Dyson's ensembles. Our approach integrates concepts of randomness and quantum chaos, demonstrating that the QFI is universally determined by the structure and dimension of the Krylov space that confines the chaotic dynamics. In particular, the QFI ranges from $N^2/3$ for $N$ qubits in the permutation-symmetric subspace (e.g. for chaotic kicked top models with long-range interactions), to $N$ when the dynamics extend over the full Hilbert space with or without bit reversal symmetry or parity symmetry (e.g. in chaotic models with short-range Ising-like interactions). In the former case, the QFI reveals multipartite entanglement among $N/3$ qubits and highlights the power of chaotic collective spin systems in generating scalable multipartite entanglement. Interestingly this result can be related to isotropic substructures in the Wigner distribution of chaotic states and demonstrates the efficacy of quantum chaos for Heisenberg-scaling quantum metrology. Finally, our general expression for the QFI agrees with that obtained for random states and, differently from out-of-time-order-correlators, it can also distinguish chaotic from integrable unstable spin dynamics.

quant-ph↗

Universal Manipulation of Quantum Synchronization in Spin Oscillator Networks

Quantum synchronization (QS) in open many-body systems offers a promising route for controlling collective quantum dynamics, yet existing manipulation schemes often rely on dissipation engineering, which distorts limit cycles, lacks scalability, and is strongly system-dependent. Here, we propose a universal and scalable method for continuously tuning QS from maximal synchronization under isotropic interactions to complete synchronization blockade (QSB) under fully anisotropic coupling in spin oscillator networks. Our approach preserves intrinsic limit cycles and applies to both few-body and macroscopic systems. We analytically show that QS arises solely from spin flip-flop processes and their higher-order correlations, while anisotropic interactions induce non-synchronizing coherence. A geometric QS measure reveals a macroscopic QSB effect in the thermodynamic limit. The proposed mechanism is experimentally feasible using XYZ interactions and optical pumping, and provides a general framework for programmable synchronization control in complex quantum networks and dynamical phases of matter.

quant-ph↗

Scalable Network of Mach-Zehnder Interferometers with a Single Entangled Resource

Distributed quantum sensing exploits entanglement to enhance the estimation of multiple parameters across a network of spatially-separated sensors, achieving sensitivities beyond the classical limit. Potential applications cover a plethora of technologies, from precision navigation to biomedical imaging and environmental monitoring. However, practical implementations are challenged by the complex optimal distribution of entanglement throughout the sensing nodes, which affects scalability and robustness. Here we demonstrate a reconfigurable network of Mach-Zehnder interferometers entangled via a single shared squeezed-vacuum resource. We achieve joint noise suppression of $4.36 \pm 0.35$ dB below the standard quantum limit at the phase-uncertainty level of $10^{-9}$ . Furthermore, after full optimization in the low-intensity regime, we demonstrate a crossover from the standard quantum limit to the Heisenberg limit. The network estimates arbitrary linear combinations of phases, saturates the quantum Cramer-Rao bound in the ideal case, remains robust under realistic photon losses, and scales favorably with the number of sensors.

quant-ph↗

Mach-Zehnder atom interferometry with non-interacting trapped Bose Einstein condensates

The coherent manipulation of a quantum wave is at the core of quantum sensing. For instance, atom interferometers require linear splitting and recombination processes to map the accumulated phase shift into a measurable population signal. Although Bose Einstein condensates (BECs) are the archetype of coherent matter waves, their manipulation between trapped spatial modes has been limited by the strong interparticle collisions. Here, we overcome this problem by using BECs with tunable interaction trapped in an innovative array of double-well potentials and exploiting quantum tunneling to realize linear beam splitting. We operate several Mach-Zehnder interferometers in parallel, canceling common-mode potential instabilities by a differential analysis, thus demonstrating a trapped-atom gradiometer. Furthermore, by applying a spin-echo protocol, we suppress additional decoherence sources and approach unprecedented coherence times of one second. Our interferometer will find applications in precision measurements of forces with a high spatial resolution and in linear manipulation of quantum entangled states for sensing with sub shot-noise sensitivity.

quant-ph↗

Time dilation of quantum clocks in a relativistic gravitational potential

We study the dynamical evolution of two quantum clocks interacting with a relativistic gravitational potential. We find a time dilation effect for the clocks in agreement with the gravitational time dilation as obtained from the Schwarzschild solution in General Relativity. We perform our investigation via the Page and Wootters quantum time formalism, exploring the dynamics of clocks assuming them in both a product state and a more general (entangled) state. The gravitational redshift, as emerging from our framework, is also proposed and discussed.

gr-qc↗

Joint estimation of phase and uncorrelated dephasing in a differential quantum interferometer

Precise measurements in optical and atomic systems often rely on differential interferometry. This method allows to handle large and correlated phase noise contributions -- such as environmental vibrations, thermal fluctuations, or instrumental drifts -- preventing them from blurring the signal. To date, this approach has primarily focused on extracting the differential phase shift. However, valuable information about the system is also contained in the width of uncorrelated phase fluctuations. In this work, we present a maximum likelihood approach for the simultaneous estimation of both the differential phase shift and the width of uncorrelated phase noise. Unlike conventional methods, our technique explicitly accounts for the data spreading and outperforms traditional ellipse fitting in terms of both precision and accuracy. We demonstrate our methodology using a quantum mechanical model of coupled interferometers, where uncorrelated dephasing arises from projection noise and interparticle interactions. Our results establish a novel approach to data analysis in differential interferometry that is readily applicable to current experiments.

quant-ph↗

Metrological usefulness of entanglement and nonlinear Hamiltonians

A central task in quantum metrology is to exploit quantum correlations to outperform classical sensitivity limits. Metrologically useful entanglement is identified when the quantum Fisher information (QFI) exceeds a separability bound for a given parameter-encoding Hamiltonian. However, so far, only results for linear Hamiltonians are well-established. Here, we characterize metrologically useful entanglement for nonlinear Hamiltonians, presenting separability bounds for collective angular momenta. Also, we provide a general expression for entangled states maximizing the QFI, which can be written as the superposition between the GHZ-like and singlet states. Finally, we compare the metrological usefulness of linear and nonlinear cases, in terms of entanglement detection and random symmetric states.

quant-ph↗

Advances in multiparameter quantum sensing and metrology

Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in understating the limitations imposed by quantum noise in precision measurements and devising techniques to reduce it. The attention is currently turning to the simultaneously estimation of several parameters of interest, driven by its promising potential across a wide range of sensing applications as well as fueled by experimental progress in various optical and atomic platforms. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of key research directions in multiparameter quantum sensing and metrology, highlighting both opportunities and challenges. We introduce the basic framework, discuss ultimate sensitivity bounds, optimal measurement strategies, and the role of quantum incompatibility, showing important differences with respect to single-parameter estimation. Additionally, we discuss emerging experimental implementations in distributed quantum sensing, including cutting-edge optimization techniques. This review aims to bridge the gap between theory and experiments, paving the way for the next-generation of quantum sensors and their integration with other quantum technologies.

quant-ph↗

Self-induced Josephson oscillations and self-trapping in a supersolid dipolar quantum gas

The Josephson effect characterizes superfluids and superconductors separated by a weak link, the so-called Josephson junction. A recent experiment has shown that Josephson oscillations can be observed also in a supersolid, where the weak link is not due to an external barrier, but is self-induced by interparticle interactions. Here we show theoretically that supersolids -- despite their self-induced character -- feature all the standard properties of bosonic Josephson junction arrays, including macroscopic quantum self-trapping. We focus on the harmonically trapped dipolar supersolids of interest for current experiments, and show that they can be described with a generalized Josephson model that takes into account spatial inhomogeneities. Our work shades new light on the dynamics of supersolids and opens the way to the study of a novel class of Josephson junctions.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

Squeezing-enhanced accurate differential sensing under large phase noise

Atom interferometers are reaching sensitivities fundamentally constrained by quantum fluctuations. A main challenge is to integrate entanglement into quantum sensing protocols to enhance precision while ensuring robustness against noise and systematics. Here, we theoretically investigate differential phase measurements with two atom interferometers using spin-squeezed states, accounting for common-mode phase noise spanning the full $2π$ range. We estimate the differential signal using model-free ellipse fitting, a robust method requiring no device calibration and resilient to additional noise sources. Our results show that spin-squeezing enables sensitivities below the standard quantum limit. Specifically, we identify optimal squeezed states that minimize the differential phase variance, scaling as $N^{-2/3}$, while eliminating bias inherent in ellipse fitting methods. We benchmark our protocol against the Cramér-Rao bound and compare it with hybrid methods that incorporate auxiliary classical sensors. Our findings provide a pathway to robust and high-precision atom interferometry, in realistic noisy environments and using readily available states and estimation methods.

quant-ph↗