Quantum Entanglement Capacity with Classical Feedback

For any quantum discrete memoryless channel, we define a quantity called quantum entanglement capacity with classical feedback ($E_B$), and we show that this quantity lies between two other well-studied quantities. These two quantities - namely the quantum capacity assisted by two-way classical communication ($Q_2$) and the quantum capacity with classical feedback ($Q_B$) - are widely conjectured to be different: there exists quantum discrete memoryless channel for which $Q_2>Q_B$. We then present a general scheme to convert any quantum error-correcting codes into adaptive protocols for this newly-defined quantity of the quantum depolarizing channel, and illustrate with Cat (repetition) code and Shor code. We contrast the present notion with entanglement purification protocols by showing that whilst the Leung-Shor protocol can be applied directly, recurrence methods need to be supplemented with other techniques but at the same time offer a way to improve the aforementioned Cat code. For the quantum depolarizing channel, we prove a formula that gives lower bounds on the quantum capacity with classical feedback from any $E_B$ protocols. We then apply this formula to the $E_B$ protocols that we discuss to obtain new lower bounds on the quantum capacity with classical feedback of the quantum depolarizing channel

On the complementary quantum capacity of the depolarizing channel

The qubit depolarizing channel with noise parameter $\eta$ transmits an input qubit perfectly with probability $1-\eta$, and outputs the completely mixed state with probability $\eta$. We show that its complementary channel has positive quantum capacity for all $\eta>0$. Thus, we find that there exists a single parameter family of channels having the peculiar property of having positive quantum capacity even when the outputs of these channels approach a fixed state independent of the input. Comparisons with other related channels, and implications on the difficulty of studying the quantum capacity of the depolarizing channel are discussed.Comment: v4 corrects errors in equation (38

Quantum and private capacities of low-noise channels

We determine both the quantum and the private capacities of low-noise quantum channels to leading orders in the channel's distance to the perfect channel. It has been an open problem for more than 20 years to determine the capacities of some of these low-noise channels such as the depolarizing channel. We also show that both capacities are equal to the single-letter coherent information of the channel, again to leading orders. We thus find that, in the low noise regime, super-additivity and degenerate codes have negligible benefit for the quantum capacity, and shielding does not improve the private capacity beyond the quantum capacity, in stark contrast to the situation when noisier channels are considered.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures, comments welcome! v2: improved bounds on degradability parameters and capacities of depolarizing channel and XZ channel (see also ancillary files 'depol-deg-bound.nb' and 'XZ-deg-bound.nb'), extension of results to generalized low-noise channels. v3: strengthened version of Lemma

The classical capacity of quantum channels with memory

We investigate the classical capacity of two quantum channels with memory: a periodic channel with depolarizing channel branches, and a convex combination of depolarizing channels. We prove that the capacity is additive in both cases. As a result, the channel capacity is achieved without the use of entangled input states. In the case of a convex combination of depolarizing channels the proof provided can be extended to other quantum channels whose classical capacity has been proved to be additive in the memoryless case.Comment: 6 double-column pages. Short note added on quantum memory channel

Quantum cloning and the capacity of the Pauli channel

A family of quantum cloning machines is introduced that produce two approximate copies from a single quantum bit, while the overall input-to-output operation for each copy is a Pauli channel. A no-cloning inequality is derived, describing the balance between the quality of the two copies. This also provides an upper bound on the quantum capacity of the Pauli channel with probabilities $p_x$, $p_y$ and $p_z$. The capacity is shown to be vanishing if $(\sqrt{p_x},\sqrt{p_y},\sqrt{p_z})$ lies outside an ellipsoid whose pole coincides with the depolarizing channel that underlies the universal cloning machine.Comment: 5 pages RevTeX, 3 Postscript figure

The quantum capacity with symmetric side channels

We present an upper bound for the quantum channel capacity that is both additive and convex. Our bound can be interpreted as the capacity of a channel for high-fidelity quantum communication when assisted by a family of channels that have no capacity on their own. This family of assistance channels, which we call symmetric side channels, consists of all channels mapping symmetrically to their output and environment. The bound seems to be quite tight, and for degradable quantum channels it coincides with the unassisted channel capacity. Using this symmetric side channel capacity, we find new upper bounds on the capacity of the depolarizing channel. We also briefly indicate an analogous notion for distilling entanglement using the same class of (one-way) channels, yielding one of the few entanglement measures that is monotonic under local operations with one-way classical communication (1-LOCC), but not under the more general class of local operations with classical communication (LOCC).Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Classical capacity of a qubit depolarizing channel with memory

The classical product state capacity of a noisy quantum channel with memory is investigated. A forgetful noise-memory channel is constructed by Markov switching between two depolarizing channels which introduces non-Markovian noise correlations between successive channel uses. The computation of the capacity is reduced to an entropy computation for a function of a Markov process. A reformulation in terms of algebraic measures then enables its calculation. The effects of the hidden-Markovian memory on the capacity are explored. An increase in noise-correlations is found to increase the capacity

On the von Neumann capacity of noisy quantum channels

We discuss the capacity of quantum channels for information transmission and storage. Quantum channels have dual uses: they can be used to transmit known quantum states which code for classical information, and they can be used in a purely quantum manner, for transmitting or storing quantum entanglement. We propose here a definition of the von Neumann capacity of quantum channels, which is a quantum mechanical extension of the Shannon capacity and reverts to it in the classical limit. As such, the von Neumann capacity assumes the role of a classical or quantum capacity depending on the usage of the channel. In analogy to the classical construction, this capacity is defined as the maximum von Neumann mutual entropy processed by the channel, a measure which reduces to the capacity for classical information transmission through quantum channels (the "Kholevo capacity") when known quantum states are sent. The quantum mutual entropy fulfills all basic requirements for a measure of information, and observes quantum data-processing inequalities. We also derive a quantum Fano inequality relating the quantum loss of the channel to the fidelity of the quantum code. The quantities introduced are calculated explicitly for the quantum "depolarizing" channel. The von Neumann capacity is interpreted within the context of superdense coding, and an "extended" Hamming bound is derived that is consistent with that capacity.Comment: 15 pages RevTeX with psfig, 13 figures. Revised interpretation of capacity, added section, changed titl