Quantum Computation Toward Quantum Gravity

The aim of this paper is to enlighten the emerging relevance of Quantum Information Theory in the field of Quantum Gravity. As it was suggested by J. A. Wheeler, information theory must play a relevant role in understanding the foundations of Quantum Mechanics (the "It from bit" proposal). Here we suggest that quantum information must play a relevant role in Quantum Gravity (the "It from qubit" proposal). The conjecture is that Quantum Gravity, the theory which will reconcile Quantum Mechanics with General Relativity, can be formulated in terms of quantum bits of information (qubits) stored in space at the Planck scale. This conjecture is based on the following arguments: a) The holographic principle, b) The loop quantum gravity approach and spin networks, c) Quantum geometry and black hole entropy. From the above arguments, as they stand in the literature, it follows that the edges of spin networks pierce the black hole horizon and excite curvature degrees of freedom on the surface. These excitations are micro-states of Chern-Simons theory and account of the black hole entropy which turns out to be a quarter of the area of the horizon, (in units of Planck area), in accordance with the holographic principle. Moreover, the states which dominate the counting correspond to punctures of spin j = 1/2 and one can in fact visualize each micro-state as a bit of information. The obvious generalization of this result is to consider open spin networks with edges labeled by the spin –1/ 2 representation of SU(2) in a superposed state of spin "on" and spin "down." The micro-state corresponding to such a puncture will be a pixel of area which is "on" and "off" at the same time, and it will encode a qubit of information. This picture, when applied to quantum cosmology, describes an early inflationary universe which is a discrete version of the de Sitter universe.     

The Uncertainty Relation for Quantum Propositions

Logical propositions with the fuzzy modality “Probably” are shown to obey an uncertainty principle very similar to that of Quantum Optics. In the case of such propositions, the partial truth values are in fact probabilities. The corresponding assertions in the metalanguage, have complex assertion degrees which can be interpreted as probability amplitudes. In the logical case, the uncertainty relation is about the assertion degree, which plays the role of the phase, and the total number of atomic propositions, which plays the role of the number of modes. In analogy with coherent states in quantum physics, we define “quantum coherent propositions” those which minimize the above logical uncertainty relation. Finally, we show that there is only one kind of compound quantum-coherent propositions: the “cat state” propositions.     

From SU(2) Gauge Theory to Qubits on the Fuzzy Sphere

We consider a classical pure SU(2) gauge theory, and make an ansatz, which separates the spatio-temporal degrees of freedom from the internal ones. This ansatz is gauge-invariant but not Lorentz invariant. In a limit case of the ansatz, obtained through a contraction map, and corresponding to a vacuum solution, the SU(2) gauge field reduces to an operator, which is the product of the generator of a global U(1) group times a Pauli matrix. We give a geometrical interpretation of the ansatz and of the contraction map in the framework of principal fiber bundles. Then, we identify the internal degrees of freedom of the gauge field with the non-commutative coordinates of the fuzzy sphere in the fundamental representation. In this way we obtain a qubit state.     

Generalized Orthogonality Relations and <Emphasis Type="Italic">SU</Emphasis>(1,1)-Quantum Tomography

We present a mathematically precise derivation of some generalized orthogonality relations for the discrete series representations of SU(1,1). These orthogonality relations are applied to derive tomographical reconstruction formulas. Their physical interpretation is also discussed. We are very pleased to dedicate this paper to Pekka Lahti, for his sixtieth birthday. In particular, one of us (G.C.) would like to remember a long lasting fraternal friendship that goes well beyond the (rather narrow) borders of Quantum Mechanics.     

Meta-Entanglement

We give a meta-logical interpretation of the entanglement mechanism of quantum space-time in terms of the sequent calculus of a quantum sub-structural logic. This meta-logical picture is based mainly on the two meta-rules cut and EPR, and on the new meta-theorem “teleportation” (TEL), built by the use of the above meta-rules, both performed in parallel. The proof of (TEL)-theorem fairly reproduces the protocol of quantum teleportation. In the framework of space-time entanglement, the conclusion of the (TEL)-theorem is that the entangled space-time can convey the quantum teleportation of an unknown quantum state. We also introduce two new structural rules: the Hadamard (H)-rule and the CNOT-rule, the latter being used, together with the cut, in the proof of the new theorem “Entanglement” (ENT).

     

The soliton supermultiplet in 4 + 1 dimensions

We consider the SO(4) = SU(2) ? USp(2) Clifford algebra, obtained by the supersymmetry algebra for the N = 2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in 4+1 dimensions, which, in the phase of unbroken gauge symmetry, has a topological charge as central charge. We find that, even if the Higgs mechanism is absent, the massive soliton supermultiplet contains the same number of states as the massless supermultiplet of elementary particles.