A tomographic setting for quasi-distribution functions

The method of constructing the tomographic probability distributions describing quantum states in parallel with density operators is presented. Known examples of Husimi-Kano quasi-distribution and photon number tomography are reconsidered in the new setting. New tomographic schemes based on coherent states and nonlinear coherent states of deformed oscillators, including q-oscillators, are suggested. The associated identity decompositions providing Gram-Schmidt operators are explicitly given, and contact with the Agarwal-Wolf $\Omega$-operator ordering theory is made.Comment: A slightly enlarged version in which contact with the Agarwal-Wolf $\Omega$-operator ordering theory is mad

Improved bounds and new techniques for Davenport-Schinzel sequences and their generalizations

Let lambda_s(n) denote the maximum length of a Davenport-Schinzel sequence of order s on n symbols. For s=3 it is known that lambda_3(n) = Theta(n alpha(n)) (Hart and Sharir, 1986). For general s>=4 there are almost-tight upper and lower bounds, both of the form n * 2^poly(alpha(n)) (Agarwal, Sharir, and Shor, 1989). Our first result is an improvement of the upper-bound technique of Agarwal et al. We obtain improved upper bounds for s>=6, which are tight for even s up to lower-order terms in the exponent. More importantly, we also present a new technique for deriving upper bounds for lambda_s(n). With this new technique we: (1) re-derive the upper bound of lambda_3(n) <= 2n alpha(n) + O(n sqrt alpha(n)) (first shown by Klazar, 1999); (2) re-derive our own new upper bounds for general s; and (3) obtain improved upper bounds for the generalized Davenport-Schinzel sequences considered by Adamec, Klazar, and Valtr (1992). Regarding lower bounds, we show that lambda_3(n) >= 2n alpha(n) - O(n), and therefore, the coefficient 2 is tight. We also present a simpler version of the construction of Agarwal, Sharir, and Shor that achieves the known lower bounds for even s>=4.Comment: To appear in Journal of the ACM. 48 pages, 3 figure

Entanglement criteria via the uncertainty relations in su(2) and su(1,1) algebra: detection of non-Gaussian entangled states

We derive a class of inequalities, from the uncertainty relations of the SU(1,1) and the SU(2) algebra in conjunction with partial transposition, that must be satisfied by any separable two-mode states. These inequalities are presented in terms of the su(2) operators J_x, J_y, and the total photon number N_a+N_b. They include as special cases the inequality derived by Hillery and Zubairy [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 050503 (2006)], and the one by Agarwal and Biswas [New J. Phys. 7, 211 (2005)]. In particular, optimization over the whole inequalities leads to the criterion obtained by Agarwal and Biswas. We show that this optimal criterion can detect entanglement for a broad class of non-Gaussian entangled states, i.e., the su(2) minimum-uncertainty states. Experimental schemes to test the optimal criterion are also discussed, especially the one using linear optical devices and photodetectors.Comment: published version, presentation polished with references added, 7 pages, 4 figure

A conclusive experiment to throw more light on "light"

We describe a new realization of Ghose, Home, Agarwal experiment on wave particle duality of light where some limitations of the former experiment, realized by Mizobuchi and Ohtake, are overcome. Our results clearly indicate that wave-particle complementarity must be understood between interference and "whelcher weg" knowledge and not in a more general sense

Wigner function and Schroedinger equation in phase space representation

We discuss a family of quasi-distributions (s-ordered Wigner functions of Agarwal and Wolf) and its connection to the so called phase space representation of the Schroedinger equation. It turns out that although Wigner functions satisfy the Schroedinger equation in phase space they have completely different interpretation.Comment: 6 page