arXiv subjects

Shishir Khandelwal

Publications and source records attributed to Shishir Khandelwal.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Robust certification of non-projective measurements: theory and experiment

Determining the conditions under which positive operator-valued measures (POVMs), the most general class of quantum measurements, outperform projective measurements remains a challenging and largely unresolved problem. Of particular interest are projectively simulable POVMs, which can be realized through probabilistic mixtures of projective measurements, and therefore offer no advantage over projective schemes. Characterizing the boundary between simulable and non-simulable POVMs is, however, a difficult task, and existing tools either fail to scale efficiently, provide limited experimental feasibility or work only for specific POVMs. Here, we introduce and demonstrate a general method to certify non-simulability of a POVM by introducing a complete hierarchy of semidefinite programs. It provides upper bounds on the non-simulability measure of critical visibility of arbitrary POVMs which are tight in many cases and outperform previously known criteria. We experimentally certify the non-simulability of two- and three-dimensional POVMs using a trapped-ion qudit quantum processor by constructing non-simulability witnesses and introduce a modification of our framework that makes them robust against state preparation errors. Finally, we extend our results to the setting where an additional ancilla system is available.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Framework for (non-)adiabatic chiral state conversion: from non-Hermitian Hamiltonians to Liouvillians

Adiabatic chiral state conversion (CSC) is one of the many counterintuitive effects associated with non-Hermitian physics. In quantum systems, numerous works have demonstrated this phenomenon under both non-Hermitian Hamiltonian and Lindblad evolution. However, despite considerable progress, the physical mechanism behind it has been a subject of debate. In this work, we present a unified framework that explains CSC in any non-Hermitian system, encompassing non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, Lindblad, and hybrid settings. Our framework relies on perturbative, non-adiabatic corrections to adiabatic evolution and consistently predicts CSC with only the lowest-order corrections. We demonstrate its efficacy with models of single and coupled dissipative qubits, obtaining analytical solutions for the conversion fidelity. Our analysis further reveals the role of non-perturbative dynamics, which can be present even in apparently slow trajectories. We show that this property can be utilised to considerably enhance state conversion. Finally, we demonstrate that CSC can be observed in a model without the presence of exceptional points.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Maximally non-projective measurements are not always symmetric informationally complete

Standard quantum measurements are projective. However, the full scope of quantum measurements is represented by positive operator-valued measures (POVMs) and many of these break the limitations of projective measurements as resources in quantum information. It is therefore natural to consider how accurately an experimenter with access only to projective measurements and classical processing can simulate POVMs. The most well-known class of non-projective measurements is called symmetric informationally complete (SIC). Such measurements are both ubiquitous in the broader scope of quantum information theory and known to be the most strongly non-projective measurements in qubit systems. Here, we show that beyond qubit systems, the SIC property is in general not associated with the most non-projective measurement. For this, we put forward a semidefinite programming criterion for detecting genuinely non-projective measurements. This method allows us to determine quantitative simulability thresholds for generic POVMs and to put forward a conjecture on which qutrit and ququart measurements that are most strongly non-projective.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Emergent Liouvillian exceptional points from exact principles

Recent years have seen a surge of interest in exceptional points in open quantum systems. The natural approach in this area has been the use of Markovian master equations. While the resulting Liouvillian EPs have been seen in a variety of systems and have been associated to numerous exotic effects, it is an open question whether such degeneracies and their peculiarities can persist beyond the validity of master equations. In this work, taking the example of a dissipative double-quantum-dot system, we show that exact Heisenberg equations governing system and bath dynamics exhibit the same EPs as the corresponding master equations. To highlight the importance of this finding, we prove that the paradigmatic property associated to EPs - critical damping, persists well beyond the validity of master equations. Our results demonstrate that Liouvillian EPs can arise from underlying fundamental exact principles, rather than merely as a consequence of approximations involved in deriving master equations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Current-based metrology with two-terminal mesoscopic conductors

The traditional approach to quantum parameter estimation focuses on the quantum state, deriving fundamental bounds on precision through the quantum Fisher information. In most experimental settings, however, performing arbitrary quantum measurements is highly unfeasible. In open quantum systems, an alternative approach to metrology involves the measurement of stochastic currents flowing from the system to its environment. However, the present understanding of current-based metrology is mostly limited to Markovian master equations. Considering a parameter estimation problem in a two-terminal mesoscopic conductor, we identify the key elements that determine estimation precision within the Landauer-Büttiker formalism. Crucially, this approach allows us to address arbitrary coupling and temperature regimes. Furthermore, we obtain analytical results for the precision in linear-response and zero-temperature regimes. For the specific parameter estimation task that we consider, we demonstrate that the boxcar transmission function is optimal for current-based metrology in all parameter regimes.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Simulating quantum instruments with projective measurements and quantum post-processing

Quantum instruments describe both the classical outcome and the updated state associated with a quantum measurement. We ask whether these processes can be simulated using only a natural subset of resources, namely projective measurements on the system and quantum processing of the post-measurement states. We show that the simulability of instruments can be connected to an entanglement classification problem. This leads to a computationally efficient necessary condition for simulation of generic instruments and to a complete characterisation for qubits. We use this to address relevant quantum information tasks, namely (i) the noise-tolerance of standard qubit unsharp measurements, (ii) non-projective advantages in information-disturbance trade-offs, and (iii) increased sequential Bell inequality violations under projective measurements. Moreover, we consider also $d$-dimensional Lüders instruments that correspond to weak versions of standard basis measurements and show that for large $d$ these can permit scalable noise-advantages over projective implementations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Maximal steady-state entanglement in autonomous quantum thermal machines

We devise an autonomous quantum thermal machine consisting of three pairwise-interacting qubits, two of which are locally coupled to thermal reservoirs. The machine operates autonomously, as it requires no time-coherent control, external driving or quantum bath engineering, and is instead propelled by a chemical potential bias. Under ideal conditions, we show that this out-of-equilibrium system can deterministically generate a maximally entangled steady-state between two of the qubits, or any desired pure two-qubit entangled state, emerging as a dark state of the system. We study the robustness of entanglement production with respect to several relevant parameters, obtaining nearly-maximally-entangled states well-away from the ideal regime of operation. Furthermore, we show that our machine architecture can be generalised to a configuration with $2n-1$ qubits, in which only a potential bias and two-body interactions are sufficient to generate genuine multipartite maximally entangled steady states in the form of a W state of $n$ qubits.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Exact finite-time correlation functions for multi-terminal setups: Connecting theoretical frameworks for quantum transport and thermodynamics

Transport in open quantum systems can be explored through various theoretical frameworks, including the quantum master equation, scattering matrix, and Heisenberg equation of motion. The choice of framework depends on factors such as the presence of interactions, the coupling strength between the system and environment, and whether the focus is on steady-state or transient regimes. Existing literature treats these frameworks independently, lacking a unified perspective. Our work addresses this gap by clarifying the role and status of these approaches using a minimal single-level quantum dot model in a two-terminal setup under voltage and temperature biases. We derive analytical expressions for particle and energy currents and their fluctuations in both steady-state and transient regimes. Exact results from the Heisenberg equation are shown to align with scattering matrix and master equation approaches within their respective validity regimes. Crucially, we establish a protocol for the weak-coupling limit, bridging the applicability of master equations at weak-coupling with Heisenberg or scattering matrix approaches at arbitrary coupling strength.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Chiral Bell-state transfer via dissipative Liouvillian dynamics

Chiral state transfer along closed loops in the vicinity of an exceptional point is one of the many counter-intuitive observations in non-Hermitian physics. The application of this property beyond proof-of-principle in quantum physics, is an open question. In this work, we demonstrate chiral state conversion between singlet and triplet Bell states through fully-quantum Liouvillian dynamics. Crucially, we demonstrate that this property can be used for the chiral production of Bell states from separable states with a high fidelity and for a large range of parameters. Additionally, we show that the removal of quantum jumps from the dynamics through postselection can result in near-perfect Bell states from initially separable states. Our work presents the first application of chiral state transfer in quantum information processing and demonstrates a novel way to control entangled states by means of dissipation engineering.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Finite-time dynamics of an entanglement engine: current, fluctuations and kinetic uncertainty relations

Entanglement engines are autonomous quantum thermal machines designed to generate entanglement from the presence of a particle current flowing through the device. In this work, we investigate the functioning of a two-qubit entanglement engine beyond the steady-state regime. Within a master equation approach, we derive the time-dependent state, the particle current, as well as the associated current correlation functions. Our findings establish a direct connection between coherence and internal current, elucidating the existence of a critical current that serves as an indicator for entanglement in the steady state. We then apply our results to investigate kinetic uncertainty relations (KURs) at finite times. We demonstrate that there are more than one possible definitions for KURs at finite times. While the two definitions agree in the steady-state regime, they lead to different parameter's ranges for violating KUR at finite times.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Dynamical nuclear polarization for dissipation-induced entanglement in NV centers

We propose a practical implementation of a two-qubit entanglement engine which denotes a scheme to generate quantum correlations through purely dissipative processes. On a diamond platform, the electron spin transitions of two Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centers play the role of artificial atoms (qubits), interacting through a dipole-dipole Hamiltonian. The surrounding Carbon-13 nuclear spins act as spin baths playing the role of thermal reservoirs at well-defined temperatures and exchanging heat through the NV center qubits. In our scheme, a key challenge is therefore to create a temperature gradient between two spin baths surrounding each NV center, for which we propose the exploit the recent progresses in dynamical nuclear polarization, combined with microscopy superresolution methods. We discuss how these techniques should allow us to initialize such a long lasting out-of-equilibrium polarization situation between them, effectively leading to suitable conditions to run the entanglement engine successfully. Within a quantum master equation approach, we make theoretical predictions using state-of-the-art values for experimental parameters. We obtain promising values for the concurrence, reaching theoretical maxima.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Characterizing the performance of heat rectifiers

A physical system connected to two thermal reservoirs at different temperatures is said to act as a heat rectifier when it is able to bias the heat current in a given direction, similarly to an electronic diode. We propose to quantify the performance of a heat rectifier by mapping out the trade-off between heat currents and rectification. By optimizing over the system's parameters, we obtain Pareto fronts, which can be efficiently computed using general coefficients of performance. This approach naturally highlights the fundamental trade-off between heat rectification and conduction, and allows for a meaningful comparison between different devices for heat rectification. We illustrate the practical relevance of these ideas on three minimal models for spin-boson nanoscale rectifiers, i.e., systems consisting of one or two interacting qubits coupled to bosonic reservoirs biased in temperature. Our results demonstrate the superiority of two strongly-interacting qubits for heat rectification.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Signatures of Liouvillian exceptional points in a quantum thermal machine

Viewing a quantum thermal machine as a non-Hermitian quantum system, we characterize in full generality its analytical time-dependent dynamics by deriving the spectrum of its non-Hermitian Liouvillian for an arbitrary initial state. We show that the thermal machine features a number of Liouvillian exceptional points (EPs) for experimentally realistic parameters, in particular a third-dorder exceptional point that leaves signatures both in short and long-time regimes. Remarkably, we demonstrate that this EP corresponds to a regime of critical decay for the quantum thermal machine towards its steady state, bearing a striking resemblance with a critically damped harmonic oscillator. These results open up exciting possibilities for the precise dynamical control of quantum thermal machines exploiting exceptional points from non-Hermitian physics and are amenable to state-of-the-art solid-state platforms such as semiconducting and superconducting devices.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Universal quantum modifications to general relativistic time dilation in delocalised clocks

The theory of relativity associates a proper time with each moving object via its world line. In quantum theory however, such well-defined trajectories are forbidden. After introducing a general characterisation of quantum clocks, we demonstrate that, in the weak-field, low-velocity limit, all "good" quantum clocks experience time dilation as dictated by general relativity when their state of motion is classical (i.e. Gaussian). For nonclassical states of motion, on the other hand, we find that quantum interference effects may give rise to a significant discrepancy between the proper time and the time measured by the clock. The universality of this discrepancy implies that it is not simply a systematic error, but rather a quantum modification to the proper time itself. We also show how the clock's delocalisation leads to a larger uncertainty in the time it measures -- a consequence of the unavoidable entanglement between the clock time and its center-of-mass degrees of freedom. We demonstrate how this lost precision can be recovered by performing a measurement of the clock's state of motion alongside its time reading.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Critical heat current for operating an entanglement engine

Autonomous entanglement engines have recently been proposed to generate steady-state bipartite and multipartite entanglement exploiting only incoherent interactions with thermal baths at different temperatures. In this work, we investigate the interplay between heat current and entanglement in a two-qubit entanglement engine, deriving a critical heat current for successful operation of the engine, i.e. a cut-off above which entanglement is present. The heat current can thus be seen as a witness to the presence of entanglement. In the regime of weak-inter qubit coupling, we also investigate the effect of two experimentally relevant parameters for the qubits, the energy detuning and tunnelling, on the entanglement production. Finally, we show that the regime of strong inter-qubit coupling provides no clear advantage over the weak regime, in the context of out-of-equilibrium entanglement engines.

quant-ph↗