Recursive proof of the Bell-Kochen-Specker theorem in any dimension n>3n>3

We present a method to obtain sets of vectors proving the Bell-Kochen-Specker theorem in dimension $n$ from a similar set in dimension $d$ ($3\leq d<n\leq 2d$). As an application of the method we find the smallest proofs known in dimension five (29 vectors), six (31) and seven (34), and different sets matching the current record (36) in dimension eight.Comment: LaTeX, 7 page

Six-qubit permutation-based decoherence-free orthogonal basis

There is a natural orthogonal basis of the 6-qubit decoherence-free (DF) space robust against collective noise. Interestingly, most of the basis states can be obtained from one another just permuting qubits. This property: (a) is useful for encoding qubits in DF subspaces, (b) allows the implementation of the Bennett-Brassard 1984 (BB84) protocol in DF subspaces just permuting qubits, which completes a the method for quantum key distribution using DF states proposed by Boileau et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 017901 (2004)], and (c) points out that there is only one 6-qubit DF state which is essentially new (not obtained by permutations) and therefore constitutes an interesting experimental challenge.Comment: REVTeX4, 5 page

Implications of quantum automata for contextuality

We construct zero-error quantum finite automata (QFAs) for promise problems which cannot be solved by bounded-error probabilistic finite automata (PFAs). Here is a summary of our results: - There is a promise problem solvable by an exact two-way QFA in exponential expected time, but not by any bounded-error sublogarithmic space probabilistic Turing machine (PTM). - There is a promise problem solvable by an exact two-way QFA in quadratic expected time, but not by any bounded-error $o(\log \log n)$-space PTMs in polynomial expected time. The same problem can be solvable by a one-way Las Vegas (or exact two-way) QFA with quantum head in linear (expected) time. - There is a promise problem solvable by a Las Vegas realtime QFA, but not by any bounded-error realtime PFA. The same problem can be solvable by an exact two-way QFA in linear expected time but not by any exact two-way PFA. - There is a family of promise problems such that each promise problem can be solvable by a two-state exact realtime QFAs, but, there is no such bound on the number of states of realtime bounded-error PFAs solving the members this family. Our results imply that there exist zero-error quantum computational devices with a \emph{single qubit} of memory that cannot be simulated by any finite memory classical computational model. This provides a computational perspective on results regarding ontological theories of quantum mechanics \cite{Hardy04}, \cite{Montina08}. As a consequence we find that classical automata based simulation models \cite{Kleinmann11}, \cite{Blasiak13} are not sufficiently powerful to simulate quantum contextuality. We conclude by highlighting the interplay between results from automata models and their application to developing a general framework for quantum contextuality.Comment: 22 page

Bell's theorem without inequalities and without unspeakable information

A proof of Bell's theorem without inequalities is presented in which distant local setups do not need to be aligned, since the required perfect correlations are achieved for any local rotation of the local setups.Comment: REVTeX4, 4 pages, 1 figure; for Asher Peres' Festschrift, to be published in Found. Phy

Bell's theorem without inequalities and without alignments

A proof of Bell's theorem without inequalities is presented which exhibits three remarkable properties: (a) reduced local states are immune to collective decoherence; (b) distant local setups do not need to be aligned, since the required perfect correlations are achieved for any local rotation of the local setups; (c) local measurements require only individual measurements on the qubits. Indeed, it is shown that this proof is essentially the only one which fulfils (a), (b), and (c).Comment: REVTeX4, 4 page

State-independent quantum violation of noncontextuality in four dimensional space using five observables and two settings

Recently, a striking experimental demonstration [G. Kirchmair \emph{et al.}, Nature, \textbf{460}, 494(2009)] of the state-independent quantum mechanical violation of non-contextual realist models has been reported for any two-qubit state using suitable choices of \emph{nine} product observables and \emph{six} different measurement setups. In this report, a considerable simplification of such a demonstration is achieved by formulating a scheme that requires only \emph{five} product observables and \emph{two} different measurement setups. It is also pointed out that the relevant empirical data already available in the experiment by Kirchmair \emph{et al.} corroborate the violation of the NCR models in accordance with our proof