arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Sandu Popescu.
We report the experimental realization of teleporting an entangled qubit. The qubit is physically implemented by a two-dimensional subspace of states of a mode of the electromagnetic field, specifically, the space spanned by the vacuum and the one photon state. Our experiment follows along lines suggested by H. W. Lee and J. Kim, Phys. Rev. A, 63, 012305 (2000) and E.Knill, R.Laflamme and G.Milburn Nature 409: 46 (2001).
Results obtained in two recent papers, \cite{Kaszlikowski} and \cite{Durt}, seem to indicate that the nonlocal character of the correlations between the outcomes of measurements performed on entangled systems separated in space is not robust in the presence of noise. This is surprising, since entanglement itself is robust. Here we revisit this problem and argue that the class of gedanken-experiments considered in \cite{Kaszlikowski} and \cite{Durt} is too restrictive. By considering a more general class, involving sequences of measurements, we prove that the nonlocal correlations are in fact robust.
Classical-realistic analysis of entangled systems have lead to retrodiction paradoxes, which ordinarily have been dismissed on the grounds of counter-factuality. Instead, we claim that such paradoxes point to a deeper logical structure inherent to quantum mechanics, which is naturally described in the language of weak values, and which is accessible experimentally via weak measurements. Using as an illustration, a gedanken-experiment due to Hardy\cite{hardy}, we show that there is in fact an exact numerical coincidence between a) a pair of classically contradictory assertions about the locations of an electron and a positron, and b) the results of weak measurements of their location. The internal consistency of these results is due to the novel way by which quantum mechanics "resolves" the paradox: first, by allowing for two distinguishable manifestations of how the electron and positron can be at the same location: either as single particles or as a pair; and secondly, by allowing these properties to take either sign. In particular, we discuss the experimental meaning of a {\em negative} number of electron-positron pairs.
In an effort to simplify the classification of pure entangled states of multi (m) -partite quantum systems, we study exactly and asymptotically (in n) reversible transformations among n'th tensor powers of such states (ie n copies of the state shared among the same m parties) under local quantum operations and classical communication (LOCC). With regard to exact transformations, we show that two states whose 1-party entropies agree are either locally-unitarily (LU) equivalent or else LOCC-incomparable. In particular we show that two tripartite Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states are LOCC-incomparable to three bipartite Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) states symmetrically shared among the three parties. Asymptotic transformations result in a simpler classification than exact transformations. We show that m-partite pure states having an m-way Schmidt decomposition are simply parameterizable, with the partial entropy across any nontrivial partition representing the number of standard ``Cat'' states (|0^m>+|1^m>) asymptotically interconvertible to the state in question. For general m-partite states, partial entropies across different partitions need not be equal, and since partial entropies are conserved by asymptotically reversible LOCC operations, a multicomponent entanglement measure is needed, with each scalar component representing a different kind of entanglement, not asymptotically interconvertible to the other kinds. In particular the m=4 Cat state is not isentropic to, and therefore not asymptotically interconvertible to, any combination of bipartite and tripartite states shared among the four parties. Thus, although the m=4 cat state can be prepared from bipartite EPR states, the preparation process is necessarily irreversible, and remains so even asymptotically.
We show that quantum operations on multi-particle systems have a non-local content; this mirrors the non-local content of quantum states. We introduce a general framework for discussing the non-local content of quantum operations, and give a number of examples. Quantitative relations between quantum actions and the entanglement and classical communication resources needed to implement these actions are also described. We also show how entanglement can catalyse classical communication from a quantum action.
Suppose two distant observers Alice and Bob share a pure bipartite quantum state. By applying local operations and communicating with each other using a classical channel, Alice and Bob can manipulate it into some other states. Previous investigations of entanglement manipulations have been largely limited to a small number of strategies and their average outcomes. Here we consider a general entanglement manipulation strategy and go beyond the average property. For a pure entangled state shared between two separated persons Alice and Bob, we show that the mathematical interchange symmetry of the Schmidt decomposition can be promoted into a physical symmetry between the actions of Alice and Bob. Consequently, the most general (multi-step two-way-communications) strategy of entanglement manipulation of a pure state is, in fact, equivalent to a strategy involving only a single (generalized) measurement by Alice followed by one-way communications of its result to Bob. We also prove that strategies with one-way communications are generally more powerful than those without communications. In summary, one-way communications is necessary and sufficient for the entanglement manipulations of a pure bipartite state. The supremum probability of obtaining a maximally entangled state (of any dimension) from an arbitrary state is determined and a strategy for achieving this probability is constructed explicitly. One important question is whether collective manipulations in quantum mechanics can greatly enhance the probability of large deviations from the average behavior. We answer this question in the negative for a specific problem.
Entanglement bits or ``ebits'' have been proposed as a quantitative measure of a fundamental resource in quantum information processing. For such an interpretation to be valid, it is important to show that the same number of ebits in different forms or concentrations are inter-convertible in the asymptotic limit. Here we draw attention to a very important but hitherto unnoticed aspect of entanglement manipulation --- the classical communication cost. We construct an explicit procedure which demonstrates that for bi-partite pure states, in the asymptotic limit, entanglement can be concentrated or diluted with vanishing classical communication cost. Entanglement of bi-partite pure states is thus established as a truly inter-convertible resource.
We consider quantum computing with pseudo-pure states. This framework arises in certain implementations of quantum computing using NMR. We analyze quantum computational protocols which aim to solve exponential classical problems with polynomial resources and ask whether or not entanglement of the pseudo-pure states is needed to achieve this aim. We show that for a large class of such protocols, including Shor's factorization, entanglement is necessary. We also show that achieving entanglement is not sufficient: if the noise in the state is sufficiently large, exponential resources are needed even if entanglement is present.
We argue that the halting problem for quantum computers which was first raised by Myers, is by no means solved, as has been claimed recently. We explicitly demonstrate the difficulties that arise in a quantum computer when different branches of the computation halt at different, unknown, times.
Quantum mechanics permits nonlocality - both nonlocal correlations and nonlocal equations of motion - while respecting relativistic causality. Is quantum mechanics the unique theory that reconciles nonlocality and causality? We consider two models, going beyond quantum mechanics, of nonlocality: "superquantum" correlations, and nonlocal "jamming" of correlations. These models are consistent with some definitions of nonlocality and causality.
We point out formal correspondences between thermodynamics and entanglement. By applying them to previous work, we show that entropy of entanglement is the unique measure of entanglement for pure states.
A certain class of parametric down-conversion Bell type experiments has the following features. In the idealized perfect situation it is in only 50% of cases that each observer receives a photon; in the other 50% of cases one observer receives both photons of a pair while the other observer receives none. The standard approach is to discard the events of the second type. Only the remaining ones are used as the data input to some Bell inequalities. This raises justified doubts whether such experiments could be ever genuine tests of local realism. We propose to take into account these "unfavorable" cases and to analyze the entire pattern of polarization and localization correlations. This departure from the standard reasoning enables one to show that indeed the experiments are true test of local realism.
Quantum mechanics permits nonlocality---both nonlocal correlations and nonlocal equations of motion---while respecting relativistic causality. Is quantum mechanics the unique theory that reconciles nonlocality and causality? We consider two models, going beyond quantum mechanics, of nonlocality---``superquantum" correlations, and nonlocal ``jamming" of correlations---and derive new results for the jamming model. In one space dimension, jamming allows reversal of the sequence of cause and effect; in higher dimensions, however, effect never precedes cause.
Two separated observers, by applying local operations to a supply of not-too-impure entangled states ({\em e.g.} singlets shared through a noisy channel), can prepare a smaller number of entangled pairs of arbitrarily high purity ({\em e.g.} near-perfect singlets). These can then be used to faithfully teleport unknown quantum states from one observer to the other, thereby achieving faithful transfrom one observer to the other, thereby achieving faithful transmission of quantum information through a noisy channel. We give upper and lower bounds on the yield $D(M)$ of pure singlets ($\ket{Ψ^-}$) distillable from mixed states $M$, showing $D(M)>0$ if $\bra{Ψ^-}M\ket{Ψ^-}>\half$.
If two separated observers are supplied with entanglement, in the form of $n$ pairs of particles in identical partly-entangled pure states, one member of each pair being given to each observer; they can, by local actions of each observer, concentrate this entanglement into a smaller number of maximally-entangled pairs of particles, for example Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen singlets, similarly shared between the two observers. The concentration process asymptotically conserves {\em entropy of entanglement}---the von Neumann entropy of the partial density matrix seen by either observer---with the yield of singlets approaching, for large $n$, the base-2 entropy of entanglement of the initial partly-entangled pure state. Conversely, any pure or mixed entangled state of two systems can be produced by two classically-communicating separated observers, drawing on a supply of singlets as their sole source of entanglement.
As is well known, quantum mechanical behavior cannot, in general, be simulated by a local hidden variables model. Most -if not all- the proofs of this incompatibility refer to the correlations which arise when each of two (or more) systems separated in space is subjected to a single ideal measurement. This setting is good enough to show contradictions between local hidden variables models and quantum mechanics in the case of pure states. However, as shown here, it is not powerful enough in the case of mixtures. This is illustrated by an example. In this example, the correlations which arise when each of two systems separated in space is subjected to a single ideal measurement are classical; only when each system is subjected to a {\it sequence} of ideal measurements non-classical correlations are obtained. We also ask whether there are situations for which even this last procedure is not powerful enough and non-ideal measurements have to be considered as well.
A teleportation method using standard present day optical technology is presented.
An analysis of errors in measurement yields new insight into classically forbidden quantum processes. In addition to "physical" values, a realistic measurement can yield "unphysical" values; we show that in {\it sequences} of measurements, the "unphysical" values can form a consistent pattern. An experiment to isolate a particle in a classically forbidden region obtains a negative value for its kinetic energy. It is the {\it weak value} of kinetic energy between past and future state vectors.