Efficient classical simulation of continuous variable quantum information processes

We obtain sufficient conditions for the efficient simulation of a continuous variable quantum algorithm or process on a classical computer. The resulting theorem is an extension of the Gottesman-Knill theorem to continuous variable quantum information. For a collection of harmonic oscillators, any quantum process that begins with unentangled Gaussian states, performs only transformations generated by Hamiltonians that are quadratic in the canonical operators, and involves only measurements of canonical operators (including finite losses) and suitable operations conditioned on these measurements can be simulated efficiently on a classical computer.     

Characterizing quantum phase transition by teleportation

In this paper we provide a novel way to explore the relation between quantum teleportation and quantum phase transition. We construct a quantum channel with a mixed state which is made from one dimensional quantum Ising chain with infinite length, and then consider the teleportation with the use of entangled Werner states as input qubits. The fidelity as a figure of merit to measure how well the quantum state is transferred is studied numerically. Remarkably we find the first-order derivative of the fidelity with respect to the parameter in quantum Ising chain exhibits a logarithmic divergence at the quantum critical point. The implications of this phenomenon and possible applications are also briefly discussed.     

Characterizing the structure of small-world networks

We give exact relations for small-world networks (SWN's) which are independent of the "degree distribution," i.e., the distribution of nearest-neighbor connections. For the original SWN model, we illustrate how these exact relations can be used to obtain approximations for the corresponding basic probability distribution. In the limit of large system sizes and small disorder, we use numerical studies to obtain a functional fit for this distribution. Finally, we obtain the scaling properties for the mean-square displacement of a random walker, which are determined by the scaling behavior of the underlying SWN.     

Review: Characterizing and quantifying quantum chaos with quantum tomography

We explore quantum signatures of classical chaos by studying the rate of information gain in quantum tomography. The tomographic record consists of a time series of expectation values of a Hermitian operator evolving under the application of the Floquet operator of a quantum map that possesses (or lacks) time-reversal symmetry. We find that the rate of information gain, and hence the fidelity of quantum state reconstruction, depends on the symmetry class of the quantum map involved. Moreover, we find an increase in information gain and hence higher reconstruction fidelities when the Floquet maps employed increase in chaoticity. We make predictions for the information gain and show that these results are well described by random matrix theory in the fully chaotic regime. We derive analytical expressions for bounds on information gain using random matrix theory for different classes of maps and show that these bounds are realized by fully chaotic quantum systems.     

Characterizing and quantifying frustration in quantum many-body systems

We present a general scheme for the study of frustration in quantum systems. We introduce a universal measure of frustration for arbitrary quantum systems and we relate it to a class of entanglement monotones via an exact inequality. If all the (pure) ground states of a given Hamiltonian saturate the inequality, then the system is said to be inequality saturating. We introduce sufficient conditions for a quantum spin system to be inequality saturating and confirm them with extensive numerical tests. These conditions provide a generalization to the quantum domain of the Toulouse criteria for classical frustration-free systems. The models satisfying these conditions can be reasonably identified as geometrically unfrustrated and subject to frustration of purely quantum origin. Our results therefore establish a unified framework for studying the intertwining of geometric and quantum contributions to frustration.     

Characterizing arsenic in preserved hair for assessing exposure potential and discriminating poisoning

Advanced analytical techniques have been used to characterize arsenic in taxidermy specimens. Arsenic was examined to aid in discriminating its use as a preservative from that incorporated by ingestion and hence indicate poisoning (in the case of historical figures). The results are relevant to museum curators, occupational and environmental exposure concerns, toxicological and anthropological investigations. Hair samples were obtained from six taxidermy specimens preserved with arsenic in the late 1800s and early 1900s to investigate the arsenic incorporation. The presence of arsenic poses a potential hazard in museum and private collections. For one sample, arsenic was confirmed to be present on the hair with time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and then measured with neutron activation analysis to comprise 176 µg g^?1. The hair cross section was analysed with synchrotron micro‐X‐ray fluorescence to investigate the transverse distribution of topically applied arsenic. It was found that the arsenic had significantly penetrated all hair samples. Association with melanin clusters and the medulla was observed. Lead and mercury were also identified in one sample. X‐ray absorption near‐edge spectroscopy of the As K‐edge indicated that an arsenate species predominantly existed in all samples; however, analysis was hindered by very rapid photoreduction of the arsenic. It would be difficult to discriminate arsenic consumption from topically applied arsenic based on the physical transverse distribution. Longitudinal distributions and chemical speciation may still allow differentiation.     

Memory-based quantum repeater in quantum information communication

This paper studies the quantum repeater in quantum information communication. We propose to introduce the photon buffer mechanism for storing photons, which uses fibre delay loops as photon memories and a programmable 1×N switcher for distributing photon delay time. Meanwhile, we also consider entanglement purification and entanglement swapping restoration at an entanglement purification or entanglement swapping failure and introduce a protection link mechanism that allows the photonic quantum repeater of a broken connection to initiate a connection restoration process.     

Chaos and quantum Fisher information in the quantum kicked top

Quantum Fisher information is related to the problem of parameter estimation.Recently,a criterion has been proposed for entanglement in multipartite systems based on quantum Fisher information.This paper studies the behaviours of quantum Fisher information in the quantum kicked top model,whose classical correspondence can be chaotic.It finds that,first,detected by quantum Fisher information,the quantum kicked top is entangled whether the system is in chaotic or in regular case.Secondly,the quantum Fisher information is larger in chaotic case than that in regular case,which means,the system is more sensitive in the chaotic case.     

Unlearning quantum information

Measurement can drive quantum dynamics, for example in ancilla driven quantum computation where unitary evolution is generated by measurements that extract no information. Where a measurement does reveal some information about the system, it may sometimes be possible to “unlearn” this information and restore unitary evolution through subsequent measurements. Here we analyse two methods of quantum “unlearning” and present a simplified proof of the bound on the probability of successfully applying the required correction operators. The probability of successful recovery is inversely related to the ability of the initial measurement to exclude the possibility of a state. As a consequence there exist unrecoverable measurements that provide little information gain.     

On quantum Markovian processes

We try to justify the name quantum Markovian processes for Kossakowski dynamical semigroups. Next we give a proof that each nonconservative quantum Markovian process may be simply extended to a conservative one.     

Finite-time quantum thermodynamic processes

We study a single quantum object subject to a parametrized distortion of its discrete spectrum and to a parametrized change of its state, which remains diagonal in its invariant energy eigenbasis. The Carnot and the Otto cycle are investigated in the quasistatic as well as in the dynamic (finite time) regime. The second law is found to be valid as a result of this control, irrespective of the type of attractor states chosen. For specific control functions analytical results are obtained for the work, heat, and efficiency. The influence of dissipation is discussed.     

Separating the classical and quantum information via quantum cloning

An application of quantum cloning to optimally interface a quantum system with a classical observer is presented; in particular, we describe a procedure to perform a minimal disturbance measurement on a single qubit by adopting a 1-->2 cloning machine followed by a generalized measurement on a single clone and the anticlone or on the two clones. Such a scheme can be applied to enhance the transmission fidelity over a lossy quantum channel.     

Persistence of quantum information

We study the flip-processes in a two-level system, which is triggered by the coupling to a classical bath. When the bath is represented by a stochastic field, the time evolution of the density matrix leads to a stochastic equation with a multiplicative noise. Accordingly the Fokker–Planck-equation (FPE) depends on the matrix elements of the underlying density operator. The solution of the FPE can be parametrized in terms of an inherent conserved quantity α, which is interpreted as a measure for the persistence of quantum information. We show that the FPE exhibits a single unique steady state solution different from Boltzmann's law. The exactly computable discrete spectrum of the relaxation times is characterized by two quantum numbers and the ratio of Planck's constant and the coupling strength to the bath. The total entropy is analyzed as function of the quantum number α  . In case of α=1$\alpha =1$ the system is in a pure state whereas for α≠1$\alpha \ne 1$ a mixed state is realized. In case of two, two-level systems, immersed in the common bath, the two noninteracting two-level systems become mutually entangled. The annealed entropy is in that case non-extensive.     

On irreversible processes in quantum mechanics

The methods developed by Prigogine and his colleagues are applied to the study of quantum mechanical systems. The density matrix is divided into a slowly varying and an oscillatory part, and asymptotic equations are established for the elements of this matrix. In the representation in which the unperturbed hamiltonian is diagonal, these equations take a particularly simple form for weakly coupled systems: the matrix elements lying on diagonals parallel to the principal diagonal undergo separate transformations. A particular case is that of the diagonal elements themselves; for these the well-known Pauli equations are obtained. As an illustrative example the problem of the frictional forces on an oscillator immersed in a thermostat is considered in detail. The frictional forces introduced by Langevin and Lorentz are special cases of this.     

Markov processes in quantum lattice systems

In analogy with classical lattice systems [1], the existence of Markov processes is shown in quantum lattice systems with a class of finite range interactions. This result is then applied to show that the weak-clustering property and the ergodicity of translation-invariant state are preserved. The invariance of Gibbs states is also proved.     

Experimental quantum deletion in an NMR quantum information processor

We report an NMR experimental realization of a rapid quantum deletion algorithm that deletes marked states in an unsorted database.Unlike classical deletion,where search and deletion are equivalent,quantum deletion can be implemented with only a single query,which achieves exponential speed-up compared to the optimal classical analog.In the experimental realization,the GRAPE algorithm was used to obtain an optimized NMR pulse sequence,and the efficient method of maximum-likelihood has been used to reconstruct the experimental output state.     

Characterizing the dynamics of quantum discord under phase damping with POVM measurements

In the analysis of quantum discord, the minimization of average entropy traditionally involved over orthogonal projective measurements may be attained at more optimal decompositions by using the positive-operator-valued measure(POVM)measurements. Taking advantage of the quantum steering ellipsoid in combination with three-element POVM optimization,we show that, for a family of two-qubit X states locally interacting with Markovian non-dissipative environments, the decay rates of quantum discord show smooth dynamical evolutions without any sudden change. This is in contrast to two-element orthogonal projective measurements, in which case the sudden change of the decay rates of quantum and classical decoherences may be a common phenomenon. Notwithstanding this, we find that a subset of X states(including the Bell diagonal states) involving POVM optimization can still preserve the sudden change character as usual.