Changepoint Problem in Quantumn Setting

In the changepoint problem, we determine when the distribution observed has changed to another one. We expand this problem to the quantum case where copies of an unknown pure state are being distributed. We study the fundamental case, which has only two candidates to choose. This problem is equal to identifying a given state with one of the two unknown states when multiple copies of the states are provided. In this paper, we assume that two candidate states are distributed independently and uniformly in the space of the whole pure states. The minimum of the averaged error probability is given and the optimal POVM is defined as to obtain it. Using this POVM, we also compute the error probability which depends on the inner product. These analytical results allow us to calculate the value in the asymptotic case, where this problem approaches to the usual discrimination problem

Correlation analysis of stochastic gravitational wave background around 0.1-1Hz

We discuss prospects for direct measurement of stochastic gravitational wave background around 0.1-1Hz with future space missions. It is assumed to use correlation analysis technique with the optimal TDI variables for two sets of LISA-type interferometers. The signal to noise for detection of the background and the estimation errors for its basic parameters (amplitude, spectral index) are evaluated for proposed missions.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, revised version, to appear in PR

Discrimination of the binary coherent signal: Gaussian-operation limit and simple non-Gaussian near-optimal receivers

We address the limit of the Gaussian operations and classical communication in the problem of quantum state discrimination. We show that the optimal Gaussian strategy for the discrimination of the binary phase shift keyed (BPSK) coherent signal is a simple homodyne detection. We also propose practical near-optimal quantum receivers that beat the BPSK homodyne limit in all areas of the signal power. Our scheme is simple and does not require realtime electrical feedback.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, published versio

Optimum unambiguous discrimination of two mixed states and application to a class of similar states

We study the measurement for the unambiguous discrimination of two mixed quantum states that are described by density operators $\rho_1$ and $\rho_2$ of rank d, the supports of which jointly span a 2d-dimensional Hilbert space. Based on two conditions for the optimum measurement operators, and on a canonical representation for the density operators of the states, two equations are derived that allow the explicit construction of the optimum measurement, provided that the expression for the fidelity of the states has a specific simple form. For this case the problem is mathematically equivalent to distinguishing pairs of pure states, even when the density operators are not diagonal in the canonical representation. The equations are applied to the optimum unambiguous discrimination of two mixed states that are similar states, given by $\rho_2= U\rho_1 U^{\dag}$, and that belong to the class where the unitary operator U can be decomposed into multiple rotations in the d mutually orthogonal two-dimensional subspaces determined by the canonical representation.Comment: 8 pages, changes in title and presentatio

Discriminating quantum-optical beam-splitter channels with number-diagonal signal states: Applications to quantum reading and target detection

We consider the problem of distinguishing, with minimum probability of error, two optical beam-splitter channels with unequal complex-valued reflectivities using general quantum probe states entangled over M signal and M' idler mode pairs of which the signal modes are bounced off the beam splitter while the idler modes are retained losslessly. We obtain a lower bound on the output state fidelity valid for any pure input state. We define number-diagonal signal (NDS) states to be input states whose density operator in the signal modes is diagonal in the multimode number basis. For such input states, we derive series formulas for the optimal error probability, the output state fidelity, and the Chernoff-type upper bounds on the error probability. For the special cases of quantum reading of a classical digital memory and target detection (for which the reflectivities are real valued), we show that for a given input signal photon probability distribution, the fidelity is minimized by the NDS states with that distribution and that for a given average total signal energy N_s, the fidelity is minimized by any multimode Fock state with N_s total signal photons. For reading of an ideal memory, it is shown that Fock state inputs minimize the Chernoff bound. For target detection under high-loss conditions, a no-go result showing the lack of appreciable quantum advantage over coherent state transmitters is derived. A comparison of the error probability performance for quantum reading of number state and two-mode squeezed vacuum state (or EPR state) transmitters relative to coherent state transmitters is presented for various values of the reflectances. While the nonclassical states in general perform better than the coherent state, the quantitative performance gains differ depending on the values of the reflectances.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. This closely approximates the published version. The major change from v2 is that Section IV has been re-organized, with a no-go result for target detection under high loss conditions highlighted. The last sentence of the abstract has been deleted to conform to the arXiv word limit. Please see the PDF for the full abstrac

Optimal estimation of entanglement

Entanglement does not correspond to any observable and its evaluation always corresponds to an estimation procedure where the amount of entanglement is inferred from the measurements of one or more proper observables. Here we address optimal estimation of entanglement in the framework of local quantum estimation theory and derive the optimal observable in terms of the symmetric logarithmic derivative. We evaluate the quantum Fisher information and, in turn, the ultimate bound to precision for several families of bipartite states, either for qubits or continuous variable systems, and for different measures of entanglement. We found that for discrete variables, entanglement may be efficiently estimated when it is large, whereas the estimation of weakly entangled states is an inherently inefficient procedure. For continuous variable Gaussian systems the effectiveness of entanglement estimation strongly depends on the chosen entanglement measure. Our analysis makes an important point of principle and may be relevant in the design of quantum information protocols based on the entanglement content of quantum states.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures, v2: minor correction

Distillation of mixed-state continuous-variable entanglement by photon subtraction

We present a detailed theoretical analysis for the distillation of one copy of a mixed two-mode continuous-variable entangled state using beamsplitters and coherent photon-detection techniques, including conventional on-off detectors and photon number resolving detectors. The initial Gaussian mixed-entangled states are generated by transmitting a two-mode squeezed state through a lossy bosonic channel, corresponding to the primary source of errors in current approaches to optical quantum communication. We provide explicit formulas to calculate the entanglement in terms of logarithmic negativity before and after distillation, including losses in the channel and the photon detection, and show that one-copy distillation is still possible even for losses near the typical fiber channel attenuation length. A lower bound for the transmission coefficient of the photon-subtraction beamsplitter is derived, representing the minimal value that still allows to enhance the entanglement.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figure

Phase Estimation With Interfering Bose-Condensed Atomic Clouds

We investigate how to estimate from atom-position measurements the relative phase of two Bose-Einstein condensates released from a double-well potential. We demonstrate that the phase estimation sensitivity via the fit of the average density to the interference pattern is fundamentally bounded by shot noise. This bound can be overcome by estimating the phase from the measurement of $\sqrt N$ (or higher) correlation function. The optimal estimation strategy requires the measurement of the $N$-th order correlation function. We also demonstrate that a second estimation method -- based on the detection of the center of mass of the interference pattern -- provides sub shot-noise sensitivity. Yet, the implementation of both protocols might be experimentally challenging.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Optimal measurement precision of a nonlinear interferometer

We study the best attainable measurement precision when a double-well trap with bosons inside acts as an interferometer to measure the energy difference of the atoms on the two sides of the trap. We introduce time independent perturbation theory as the main tool in both analytical arguments and numerical computations. Nonlinearity from atom-atom interactions will not indirectly allow the interferometer to beat the Heisenberg limit, but in many regimes of the operation the Heisenberg limit scaling of measurement precision is preserved in spite of added tunneling of the atoms and atom-atom interactions, often even with the optimal prefactor.Comment: very close to published versio

Information-disturbance tradeoff in quantum measurements

We present a simple information-disturbance tradeoff relation valid for any general measurement apparatus: The disturbance between input and output states is lower bounded by the information the apparatus provides in distinguishing these two states.Comment: 4 Pages, 1 Figure. Published version (reference added and minor changes performed