Operational multipartite entanglement classes for symmetric photonic qubit states

We present experimental schemes that allow to study the entanglement classes of all symmetric states in multiqubit photonic systems. In addition to comparing the presented schemes in efficiency, we will highlight the relation between the entanglement properties of symmetric Dicke states and a recently proposed entanglement scheme for atoms. In analogy to the latter, we obtain a one-to-one correspondence between well-defined sets of experimental parameters and multiqubit entanglement classes inside the symmetric subspace of the photonic system.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur

Decoherence-Free Quantum Information Processing with Four-Photon Entangled States

Decoherence-free states protect quantum information from collective noise, the predominant cause of decoherence in current implementations of quantum communication and computation. Here we demonstrate that spontaneous parametric down-conversion can be used to generate four-photon states which enable the encoding of one qubit in a decoherence-free subspace. The immunity against noise is verified by quantum state tomography of the encoded qubit. We show that particular states of the encoded qubit can be distinguished by local measurements on the four photons only.Comment: 4 pages, 4 eps figures, revtex

Noncyclic Pancharatnam phase for mixed state SU(2) evolution in neutron polarimetry

We have measured the Pancharatnam relative phase for spin-1/2 states. In a neutron polarimetry experiment the minima and maxima of intensity modulations, giving the Pancharatnam phase, were determined. We have also considered general SU(2) evolution for mixed states. The results are in good agreement with theory.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Phys.Lett.

Experimental quantum communication complexity

We prove that the fidelity of two exemplary communication complexity protocols, allowing for an N-1 bit communication, can be exponentially improved by N-1 (unentangled) qubit communication. Taking into account, for a fair comparison, all inefficiencies of state-of-the-art set-up, the experimental implementation outperforms the best classical protocol, making it the candidate for multi-party quantum communication applications.Comment: 4 pages, 2 eps figures, RevTEX4; submitted June 23, 200

Simple criteria for projective measurements with linear optics

We derive a set of criteria to decide whether a given projection measurement can be, in principle, exactly implemented solely by means of linear optics. The derivation can be adapted to various detection methods, including photon counting and homodyne detection. These criteria enable one to obtain easily No-Go theorems for the exact distinguishability of orthogonal quantum states with linear optics including the use of auxiliary photons and conditional dynamics.Comment: final published versio

Numerical Comparison of Experimentally Measured Ultrasound through a Multilayered Specimen

The integrity of bonded structures is of paramount importance in the safe and reliable operation of aircraft equipment. Fuselages, helicopter rotor blades and nose cones are multilayered composite structures bonded together. The operational readiness and security of these units depend to a large extent on the integrity of the interfacial bonds. Adhesive and cohesive strength studies do not appear promising because failure is really dominated by defects and not by some average physical properties of the adhesive and the interface [1].</p

A feasible "Kochen-Specker" experiment with single particles

We present a simple experimental scheme which can be used to demonstrate an all-or-nothing type contradiction between non-contextual hidden variables and quantum mechanics. The scheme, which is inspired by recent ideas by Cabello and Garcia-Alcaine, shows that even for a single particle, path and spin information cannot be predetermined in a non-contextual way.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Off-Diagonal Geometric Phases

We investigate the adiabatic evolution of a set of non-degenerate eigenstates of a parameterized Hamiltonian. Their relative phase change can be related to geometric measurable quantities that extend the familiar concept of Berry phase to the evolution of more than one state. We present several physical systems where these concepts can be applied, including an experiment on microwave cavities for which off-diagonal phases can be determined from published data.Comment: 5 pages 2 figures - RevTeX. Revised version including geometrical interpretatio

Geometric Phases and Multiple Degeneracies in Harmonic Resonators

In a recent experiment Lauber et al. have deformed cyclically a microwave resonator and have measured the adiabatic normal-mode wavefunctions for each shape along the path of deformation. The nontrivial observed cyclic phases around a 3-fold degeneracy were accounted for by Manolopoulos and Child within an approximate theory. However, open-path geometrical phases disagree with experiment. By solving exactly the problem, we find unsuspected extra degeneracies around the multiple one that account for the measured phase changes throughout the path. It turns out that proliferation of additional degeneracies around a multiple one is a common feature of quantum mechanics.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Accepted in Phys. Rev. Let

Logical independence and quantum randomness

We propose a link between logical independence and quantum physics. We demonstrate that quantum systems in the eigenstates of Pauli group operators are capable of encoding mathematical axioms and show that Pauli group quantum measurements are capable of revealing whether or not a given proposition is logically dependent on the axiomatic system. Whenever a mathematical proposition is logically independent of the axioms encoded in the measured state, the measurement associated with the proposition gives random outcomes. This allows for an experimental test of logical independence. Conversely, it also allows for an explanation of the probabilities of random outcomes observed in Pauli group measurements from logical independence without invoking quantum theory. The axiomatic systems we study can be completed and are therefore not subject to Goedel's incompleteness theorem.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, published version plus additional experimental appendi