Multipartite secure state distribution

We introduce the distribution of a secret multipartite entangled state in a real-world scenario as a quantum primitive. We show that in the presence of noisy quantum channels (and noisy control operations) any state chosen from the set of two-colorable graph states (CSS codewords) can be created with high fidelity while it remains unknown to all parties. This is accomplished by either blind multipartite entanglement purification, which we introduce in this paper, or by multipartite entanglement purification of enlarged states, which offers advantages over an alternative scheme based on standard channel purification and teleportation. The parties are thus provided with a secret resource of their choice for distributed secure applications.Comment: V2: Replaced with published version: title changed, 2 figures added, presentation improve

Entanglement purification protocols for all graph states

We present multiparty entanglement purification protocols that are capable of purifying arbitrary graph states directly. We develop recurrence and breeding protocols and compare our methods with strategies based on bipartite entanglement purification in static and communication scenarios. We find that direct multiparty purification is of advantage with respect to achievable yields and minimal required fidelity in static scenarios, and with respect to obtainable fidelity in the case of noisy operations in both scenarios.Comment: revtex 10 pages, 6 figure

Fast simulation of stabilizer circuits using a graph state representation

According to the Gottesman-Knill theorem, a class of quantum circuits, namely the so-called stabilizer circuits, can be simulated efficiently on a classical computer. We introduce a new algorithm for this task, which is based on the graph-state formalism. It shows significant improvement in comparison to an existing algorithm, given by Gottesman and Aaronson, in terms of speed and of the number of qubits the simulator can handle. We also present an implementation.Comment: v2: significantly improved presentation; accepted by PR

Multiparticle entanglement purification for two-colorable graph states

We investigate multiparticle entanglement purification schemes which allow one to purify all two colorable graph states, a class of states which includes e.g. cluster states, GHZ states and codewords of various error correction codes. The schemes include both recurrence protocols and hashing protocols. We analyze these schemes under realistic conditions and observe for a generic error model that the threshold value for imperfect local operations depends on the structure of the corresponding interaction graph, but is otherwise independent of the number of parties. The qualitative behavior can be understood from an analytically solvable model which deals only with a restricted class of errors. We compare direct multiparticle entanglement purification protocols with schemes based on bipartite entanglement purification and show that the direct multiparticle entanglement purification is more efficient and the achievable fidelity of the purified states is larger. We also show that the purification protocol allows one to produce private entanglement, an important aspect when using the produced entangled states for secure applications. Finally we discuss an experimental realization of a multiparty purification protocol in optical lattices which is issued to improve the fidelity of cluster states created in such systems.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures; replaced with published versio

Entanglement Purification of Any Stabilizer State

We present a method for multipartite entanglement purification of any stabilizer state shared by several parties. In our protocol each party measures the stabilizer operators of a quantum error-correcting code on his or her qubits. The parties exchange their measurement results, detect or correct errors, and decode the desired purified state. We give sufficient conditions on the stabilizer codes that may be used in this procedure and find that Steane's seven-qubit code is the smallest error-correcting code sufficient to purify any stabilizer state. An error-detecting code that encodes two qubits in six can also be used to purify any stabilizer state. We further specify which classes of stabilizer codes can purify which classes of stabilizer states.Comment: 11 pages, 0 figures, comments welcome, submitting to Physical Review

Quantum states representing perfectly secure bits are always distillable

It is proven that recently introduced states with perfectly secure bits of cryptographic key (private states representing secure bit) [K. Horodecki et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 160502 (2005)] as well as its multipartite and higher dimension generalizations always represent distillable entanglement. The corresponding lower bounds on distillable entanglement are provided. We also present a simple alternative proof that for any bipartite quantum state entanglement cost is an upper bound on distillable cryptographic key in bipartite scenario.Comment: RevTeX, 5 pages, published versio

Quantum communication cost of preparing multipartite entanglement

We study the preparation and distribution of high-fidelity multi-party entangled states via noisy channels and operations. In the particular case of GHZ and cluster states, we study different strategies using bipartite or multipartite purification protocols. The most efficient strategy depends on the target fidelity one wishes to achieve and on the quality of transmission channel and local operations. We show the existence of a crossing point beyond which the strategy making use of the purification of the state as a whole is more efficient than a strategy in which pairs are purified before they are connected to the final state. We also study the efficiency of intermediate strategies, including sequences of purification and connection. We show that a multipartite strategy is to be used if one wishes to achieve high fidelity, whereas a bipartite strategy gives a better yield for low target fidelity.Comment: 21 pages, 17 figures; accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. A; v2: corrections in figure

Entanglement Purification with Double Selection

We investigate efficient entanglement purification through double selection process. This method works with higher noise thresholds for the communication channels and local operations, and achieves higher fidelity of purified states. Furthermore it provides a yield comparable to the usual protocol with single selection. It is shown by general considerations that the double selection is optimal to remove the first-order errors, achieving the upper bound on the fidelity of purified states in the low noise regime. The double selection is also applied to purification of multi-partite entanglement such as two-colorable graph states.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure

Optimal purification of thermal graph states

In this paper, a purification protocol is presented and its performance is proven to be optimal when applied to a particular subset of graph states that are subject to local Z-noise. Such mixed states can be produced by bringing a system into thermal equilibrium, when it is described by a Hamiltonian which has a particular graph state as its unique ground state. From this protocol, we derive the exact value of the critical temperature above which purification is impossible, as well as the related optimal purification rates. A possible simulation of graph Hamiltonians is proposed, which requires only bipartite interactions and local magnetic fields, enabling the tuning of the system temperature.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures v2: published versio

A Simultaneous Quantum Secure Direct Communication Scheme between the Central Party and Other M Parties

We propose a simultaneous quantum secure direct communication scheme between one party and other three parties via four-particle GHZ states and swapping quantum entanglement. In the scheme, three spatially separated senders, Alice, Bob and Charlie, transmit their secret messages to a remote receiver Diana by performing a series local operations on their respective particles according to the quadripartite stipulation. From Alice, Bob, Charlie and Diana's Bell measurement results, Diana can infer the secret messages. If a perfect quantum channel is used, the secret messages are faithfully transmitted from Alice, Bob and Charlie to Diana via initially shared pairs of four-particle GHZ states without revealing any information to a potential eavesdropper. As there is no transmission of the qubits carrying the secret message in the public channel, it is completely secure for the direct secret communication. This scheme can be considered as a network of communication parties where each party wants to communicate secretly with a central party or server.Comment: 4 pages, no figur