Nonperturbative theory of weak pre- and post-selected measurements

This paper starts with a brief review of the topic of strong and weak pre- and post-selected (PPS) quantum measurements, as well as weak values, and afterwards presents original work. In particular, we develop a nonperturbative theory of weak PPS measurements of an arbitrary system with an arbitrary meter, for arbitrary initial states of the system and the meter. New and simple analytical formulas are obtained for the average and the distribution of the meter pointer variable. These formulas hold to all orders in the weak value. In the case of a mixed preselected state, in addition to the standard weak value, an associated weak value is required to describe weak PPS measurements. In the linear regime, the theory provides the generalized Aharonov–Albert–Vaidman formula. Moreover, we reveal two new regimes of weak PPS measurements: the strongly-nonlinear regime and the inverted region (the regime with a very large weak value), where the system-dependent contribution to the pointer deflection decreases with increasing the measurement strength. The optimal conditions for weak PPS measurements are obtained in the strongly-nonlinear regime, where the magnitude of the average pointer deflection is equal or close to the maximum. This maximum is independent of the measurement strength, being typically of the order of the pointer uncertainty. In the optimal regime, the small parameter of the theory is comparable to the overlap of the pre- and post-selected states. We show that the amplification coefficient in the weak PPS measurements is generally a product of two qualitatively different factors. The effects of the free system and meter Hamiltonians are discussed. We also estimate the size of the ensemble required for a measurement and identify optimal and efficient meters for weak measurements. Exact solutions are obtained for a certain class of the measured observables. These solutions are used for numerical calculations, the results of which agree with the theory. Moreover, the theory is extended to allow for a completely general post-selection measurement. We also discuss time-symmetry properties of PPS measurements of any strength and the relation between PPS and standard (not post-selected) measurements.     

Efficient atomic quantum memory for photonic qubits in cavity QED

We investigate a scheme of atomic quantum memory to store photonic qubits of polarization in cavity QED. It is observed that the quantum state swapping between a single-photon pulse and a Λ-type atom can be made via scattering in an optical cavity [T. W. Chen, C. K. Law, P. T. Leung, Phys. Rev. A 69 (2004) 063810]. This swapping operates limitedly in the strong coupling regime for Λ-type atoms with equal dipole couplings. We extend this scheme in cavity QED to present a more feasible and efficient method for quantum memory combined with projective measurement. This method works without requiring such a condition on the dipole couplings. The fidelity is significantly higher than that of the swapping, and even in the moderate coupling regime it reaches almost unity by narrowing sufficiently the photon-pulse spectrum. This high performance is rather unaffected by the atomic loss, cavity leakage or detunings, while a trade-off is paid in the success probability for projective measurement.     

Parameter accuracy analysis of weak-value amplification process in the presence of noise

We theoretically introduce the statistical uncertainty of photon number and phase error to discuss the precision of parameters to be measured based on weak measurements. When the photon counting scheme is used, we discuss the relative accuracy of the system in the presence of phase error by using the orthogonal and nonorthogonal pre-and postselected states, respectively. When using the measurement scheme of pointer shift, we discuss the measurement accuracy in the presence of phase error, pointer resolution, and statistical uncertainty. These results give a guide way to get the smallest relative precision and deepen our understanding about weak measurement.     

基于非最大纠缠的五粒子Cluster态的高效量子态共享方案

本文提出了一个新的未知量子态共享方案,使用一个非最大纠缠的五粒子Cluster态作为量子通道来实现任意两粒子未知量子态的共享. 即就是发送方（Alice）,接收方（Bob）和控制方（Charlie）共享一个非最大纠缠的五粒子Cluster态. 与以前传统方案不同,在本方案中发送方引入一个辅助粒子,并对其手中的粒子进行正交完备基测量,而接收方不需要引入辅助粒子,只需要执行适当的幺正操作,即可以方便的完成信息的顺利接收. 控制方通过对自己手中的粒子做单粒子投影测量来控制和协助通信双方,使得任意两粒子的未知量子态共享方案得以成功实现. 关键词： 量子态共享 五粒子Cluster态 正交完备基测量 单粒子投影测量     

Controlled quantum state sharing of arbitrary two-qubit states with five-qubit cluster states

In this paper, we propose a controlled quantum state sharing scheme to share an arbitrary two-qubit state using a five-qubit cluster state and the Bell state measurement. In this scheme, the five-qubit cluster state is shared by a sender (Alice), a controller (Charlie), and a receiver (Bob), and the sender only needs to perform the Bell-state measurements on her particles during the quantum state sharing process, the controller performs a single-qubit projective measurement on his particles, then the receiver can reconstruct the arbitrary two-qubit state by performing some appropriate unitary transformations on his particles after he has known the measured results of the sender and the controller.     

Measuring the temperature of the spin via weak measurement

In this study, we give a new proposal to measure the temperature of the spin in a sample in a magnetic resonance force microscopy system by using postselected weak measurement, and investigating the Fisher information to estimate the precision of the scheme. We show that in a high temperature regime the temperature of the spin can be measured via a weak measurement technique with proper postselection and our scheme is able to increase the precision of temperature estimation.     

Controlled Joint Remote Preparation of a Six-Qubit Cluster-Type State by Using GHZ States

A scheme for the controlled joint remote preparation of an arbitrary six-qubit cluster-type state by using only two sets of five-qubit GHZ states as quantum channel is proposed. In our scheme, Alice firstly performs two sets of two-qubit projective measurement according to the real coefficients and the complex coefficients of the desired six-qubit cluster-type state. Then, the controller Charlie must apply another two-qubit projective measurement according to the Alice’s measurement result. Finally, Bob can obtain the desired six-qubit cluster-type state according to an appropriate unitary operation. Our scheme can achieve unit success probability.

     

Deterministic Joint Remote Preparation of an Arbitrary Sevenqubit Cluster-type State

In this paper, we propose a scheme for joint remotely preparing an arbitrary seven-qubit cluster-type state by using several GHZ entangled states as the quantum channel. The coefficients of the prepared states can be not only real, but also complex. Firstly, Alice performs a three-qubit projective measurement according to the amplitude coefficients of the target state, and then Bob carries out another three-qubit projective measurement based on its phase coefficients. Next, one three-qubit state containing all information of the target state is prepared with suitable operation. Finally, the target seven-qubit cluster-type state can be prepared by introducing four auxiliary qubits and performing appropriate local unitary operations based on the prepared three-qubit state in a deterministic way. The receiver’s all recovery operations are summarized into a concise formula. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that our scheme is more novel and feasible with the present technologies than most other previous schemes.     

基于五粒子团簇态实现经济和简单的二粒子任意态的可控隐形传态

通过对五粒子团簇态新应用的研究,提出了一个经济和简单的二粒子任意态的可控隐形传态方案.在这个方案中,发送者（Alice）、控制者（Charlie）和接收者（Bob）共享一个五粒子团簇态,发送者只需要执行Bell基测量,而控制者也仅需要执行单粒子投影测量.接受者根据发送者和控制者的测量结果,对自己拥有的粒子做适当的幺正变换,就可以重建发送者的二粒子任意态.这个可控隐形传态方案是决定性的,成功的概率为100%.与使用相同的量子信道进行二粒子任意态的可控隐形传送方案相比,不需要执行多粒子的联合测量,从而使得这个方案更加简单.     

基于五粒子团簇态实现经济和简单的二粒子任意态的可控隐形传态(英文)

通过对五粒子团簇态新应用的研究,提出了一个经济和简单的二粒子任意态的可控隐形传态方案.在这个方案中,发送者(Alice)、控制者(Charlie)和接收者(Bob)共享一个五粒子团簇态,发送者只需要执行Bell基测量,而控制者也仅需要执行单粒子投影测量.接受者根据发送者和控制者的测量结果,对自己拥有的粒子做适当的幺正变换,就可以重建发送者的二粒子任意态.这个可控隐形传态方案是决定性的,成功的概率为100%.与使用相同的量子信道进行二粒子任意态的可控隐形传送方案相比,不需要执行多粒子的联合测量,从而使得这个方案更加简单.     

Negative probabilities and information gain in weak measurements

We study the outcomes in a general measurement with postselection, and derive upper bounds for the pointer readings in weak measurement. The probabilities inferred from weak measurements change along with the coupling strength; and the true probabilities can be obtained when the coupling is strong enough. By calculating the information gain of the measuring device about which path the particles pass through, we show that the “negative probabilities” only emerge for cases when the information gain is little due to very weak coupling between the measuring device and the particles. When the coupling strength increases, we can unambiguously determine whether a particle passes through a given path every time, hence the average shifts always represent true probabilities, and the strange “negatives probabilities” disappear.     

关于电路量子电动力学系统中光子自由度的消除方案

基于超导传输线和超导量子比特相互耦合的电路量子电动力学(quantum Electrodynamics, QED)系统, 是目前固态量子信息领域的一个倍受关注的物理系统, 也是研究量子测量和量子控制的理想实验平台. 由于其中涉及的驱动场和超导传输线谐振腔支持的光子频率都在微波区, 在量子测量和量子控制研究中往往遇到 大量光子数引起的状态空间维数过大带来的数值模拟方面的困难. 为了避免这个困难, 往往采取"消除"光子自由度的办法, 建立一个只保留量子比特状态自由度的有效描述方案. 本文通过对单比特的量子测量动力学的数值模拟, 检验了 "绝热消除"和"极化子变换"两种方案的适用条件. 结果表明, 在量子非破坏(quantum non-demolition, QND) 测量情况下, 极化子变换精确适用于 任意驱动强度和任意(光子)泄漏速率微腔; 但在非QND测量情况下, 极化子变换相对通常的绝热消除方案, 并无优势. 在强泄漏微腔和弱耦合情况下, 两种消除光子自由度的方法都可以较好地描述 测量动力学; 但如果微腔光子泄漏速率不是很大或量子比特与微腔耦合较强, 则需要纳入光子自由度做完整模拟, 此时的量子测量属性是一个尚待研究的课题.     

在四能级系统中实现单粒子及两粒子量子态的远程制备

本文提出两种协议来实现远程态制备.第一个方案描述基于两体最大纠缠信道,如何远程制备四能级系统中的任意单粒子量子态.然后由第一个方案概括出第二个方案,即在四能级系统中实现两粒子纠缠态的远程制备方案.在两种制备的过程中, 需要分别实施一个单粒子投影测量和一个两粒子投影测量.结果表明,两个方案都能以大于25%的几率忠信地实现.此外,对于两类特殊态,即赤道态和实数态,其成功概率大大提高至100%,此时我们几率的协议转变为决定性的协议.     

在四能级系统中实现单粒子及两粒子量子态的远程制备

本文提出两种协议来实现远程态制备.第一个方案描述基于两体最大纠缠信道,如何远程制备四能级系统中的任意单粒子量子态.然后由第一个方案概括出第二个方案,即在四能级系统中实现两粒子纠缠态的远程制备方案.在两种制备的过程中, 需要分别实施一个单粒子投影测量和一个两粒子投影测量.结果表明,两个方案都能以大于25%的几率忠信地实现.此外,对于两类特殊态,即赤道态和实数态,其成功概率大大提高至100%,此时我们几率的协议转变为决定性的协议.     

High-dimensional quantum state transfer in a noisy network environment

We propose and analyze an efficient high-dimensional quantum state transfer protocol in an XX coupling spin network with a hypercube structure or chain structure. Under free spin wave approximation, unitary evolution results in a perfect high-dimensional quantum swap operation requiring neither external manipulation nor weak coupling. Evolution time is independent of either distance between registers or dimensions of sent states, which can improve the computational efficiency. In the low temperature regime and thermodynamic limit, the decoherence caused by a noisy environment is studied with a model of an antiferromagnetic spin bath coupled to quantum channels via an Ising-type interaction. It is found that while the decoherence reduces the fidelity of state transfer, increasing intra-channel coupling can strongly suppress such an effect. These observations demonstrate the robustness of the proposed scheme.     

Asymmetric Bidirectional Controlled Remote State Preparation by Using a Seven-Particle Entangled State

We demonstrate that a seven-particle entangled state can be used to realize the deterministic asymmetric bidirectional controlled remote state preparation. That is to say Alice can remotely prepare an arbitrary known single-particle state for Bob and at the same time Bob can remotely prepare an arbitrary known two-particle state for Alice with the help of the supervisor Charlie. In our scheme, only single-particle projective measurements and two-particle projective measurement are needed.     

Notes on nonlocal projective measurements in relativistic systems

In quantum mechanical bipartite systems, naive extensions of von Neumann’s projective measurement to nonlocal variables can produce superluminal signals and thus violate causality. We analyze the projective quantum nondemolition state-verification in a two-spin system and see how the projection introduces nonlocality without entanglement. For the ideal measurements of “R-nonlocal” variables, we argue that causality violation can be resolved by introducing further restrictions on the post-measurement states, which makes the measurement “Q-nonlocal”. After we generalize these ideas to quantum mechanical harmonic oscillators, we look into the projective measurements of the particle number of a single mode or a wave-packet of a relativistic quantum field in Minkowski space. It turns out that the causality-violating terms in the expectation values of the local operators, generated either by the ideal measurement of the “R-nonlocal” variable or the quantum nondemolition verification of a Fock state, are all suppressed by the IR and UV cutoffs of the theory. Thus relativistic quantum field theories with such projective measurements are effectively causal.     

Controlled-Joint Remote Preparation of an Arbitrary Two-Qubit State via Non-maximally Entangled Channel

In this paper, we make a study on how to efficiently transmit an arbitrary two-qubit pure state to remote receiver via non-maximal entangled quantum channel. As a special case, in the first section we present a controlled-joint remote state preparation scheme based on maximally entangled channel. By some local convertible projective measurement bases, two message carriers and one controller can help the receiver Charlie reconstruct the desired state with success probability p=100 %. Then, we extend it to the case of non-maximally entangled channel. Utilizing positive operator-valued measure (POVM) measurement instead of projective measurement, the controller can assist the two senders to fulfill the task. Compared with some previous schemes, our protocol will succeed with a higher probability. And success or failure will only depend on the controller’s measurement outcome, but has nothing to do with two senders’ measurement results.     

Scheme for Implementing Assisted Cloning of an Unknown Tripartite Entangled State

In this paper, we propose a protocol which can realize quantum cloning of an unknown tripartite entangled state and its orthogonal complement state with assistance from a state preparer. The first stage of the protocol requires usual teleportation via three entangled particle pairs as quantum channel. In the second stage of the protocol, the perfect copies and complement copies of an unknown state can be produced with the assistance (through a tripartite projective measurement) of the state preparer. We also present a scheme for the teleportation by using non-maximally entangled quantum channel. It is shown that the clones and complement clones of the unknown state can be obtained with certain probability in the latter scheme.     

Vacuum fluctuations and topological Casimir effect in Friedmann–Robertson–Walker cosmologies with compact dimensions

We investigate the Wightman function, the vacuum expectation values of the field squared and the energy–momentum tensor for a massless scalar field with general curvature coupling parameter in spatially flat Friedmann–Robertson–Walker universes with an arbitrary number of toroidally compactified dimensions. The topological parts in the expectation values are explicitly extracted and in this way the renormalization is reduced to that for the model with trivial topology. In the limit when the comoving lengths of the compact dimensions are very short compared to the Hubble length, the topological parts coincide with those for a conformal coupling and they are related to the corresponding quantities in the flat spacetime by standard conformal transformation. This limit corresponds to the adiabatic approximation. In the opposite limit of large comoving lengths of the compact dimensions, in dependence of the curvature coupling parameter, two regimes are realized with monotonic or oscillatory behavior of the vacuum expectation values. In the monotonic regime and for non-conformally and non-minimally coupled fields the vacuum stresses are isotropic and the equation of state for the topological parts in the energy density and pressures is of barotropic type. For conformal and minimal couplings the leading terms in the corresponding asymptotic expansions vanish and the vacuum stresses, in general, are anisotropic, though the equation of state remains of barotropic type. In the oscillatory regime, the amplitude of the oscillations for the topological part in the expectation value of the field squared can be either decreasing or increasing with time, whereas for the energy–momentum tensor the oscillations are damping. The limits of validity of the adiabatic approximation are discussed.