6,031 research outputs found
Single-shot discrimination of quantum unitary processes
We formulate minimum-error and unambiguous discrimination problems for
quantum processes in the language of process positive operator valued measures
(PPOVM). In this framework we present the known solution for minimum-error
discrimination of unitary channels. We derive a "fidelity-like" lower bound on
the failure probability of the unambiguous discrimination of arbitrary quantum
processes. This bound is saturated (in a certain range of apriori
probabilities) in the case of unambiguous discrimination of unitary channels.
Surprisingly, the optimal solution for both tasks is based on the optimization
of the same quantity called completely bounded process fidelity.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figur
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Energy landscapes and dynamics of glycine on Cu(110).
Amino acids adsorbed on single-crystal metal surfaces have emerged as prototypical systems for exploring the properties that govern the development of long-range chirality in self-assembled monolayers (SAM) and supramolecular 2D networks. In this study, we characterise the self-assembly mechanism for glycine on the Cu(110) surface. This process occurs on a time scale that is too fast for most atomically resolved microscopic techniques, so the mechanism we propose here provides new insight for an important unexplored surface phenomenon
Two-mode heterodyne phase detection
We present an experimental scheme that achieves ideal phase detection on a
two-mode field. The two modes and are the signal and image band modes
of an heterodyne detector, with the field approaching an eigenstate of the
photocurrent . The field is obtained by means of a
high-gain phase-insensitive amplifier followed by a high-transmissivity
beam-splitter with a strong local oscillator at the frequency of one of the two
modes.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figur
Minimum error discrimination of Pauli channels
We solve the problem of discriminating with minimum error probability two
given Pauli channels. We show that, differently from the case of discrimination
between unitary transformations, the use of entanglement with an ancillary
system can strictly improve the discrimination, and any maximally entangled
state allows to achieve the optimal discrimination. We also provide a simple
necessary and sufficient condition in terms of the structure of the channels
for which the ultimate minimum error probability can be achieved without
entanglement assistance. When such a condition is satisfied, the optimal input
state is simply an eigenstate of one of the Pauli matrices.Comment: 8 pages, no figure
Optimal discrimination of quantum operations
We address the problem of discriminating with minimal error probability two
given quantum operations. We show that the use of entangled input states
generally improves the discrimination. For Pauli channels we provide a complete
comparison of the optimal strategies where either entangled or unentangled
input states are used.Comment: 4 pages, no figure
HST resolves stars in a tiny body falling on the dwarf galaxy DDO 68
We present new Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging of a stream-like system
associated with the dwarf galaxy DDO 68, located in the Lynx-Cancer Void at a
distance of D12.65 Mpc from us. The stream, previously identified in deep
Large Binocular Telescope images as a diffuse low surface brightness structure,
is resolved into individual stars in the F606W (broad V) and F814W (I)
images acquired with the Wide Field Camera 3. The resulting V, I
color-magnitude diagram (CMD) of the resolved stars is dominated by old
(age1-2 Gyr) red giant branch (RGB) stars. From the observed RGB tip,
we conclude that the stream is at the same distance as DDO 68, confirming the
physical association with it. A synthetic CMD analysis indicates that the large
majority of the star formation activity in the stream occurred at epochs
earlier than 1 Gyr ago, and that the star formation at epochs more recent
than 500 Myr ago is compatible with zero. The total stellar mass of the
stream is , about 1/100 of that of DDO~68. This is a
striking example of hierarchical merging in action at the dwarf galaxy scales.Comment: ApJ in pres
Can molecular flexibility control crystallization? The case of <i>para</i> substituted benzoic acids.
From Europe PMC via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: ppub 2020-11-01, epub 2020-11-16Publication status: PublishedDespite the technological importance of crystallization from solutions almost nothing is known about the relationship between the kinetic process of nucleation and the molecular and crystal structures of a crystallizing solute. Nowhere is this more apparent than in our attempts to understand the behavior of increasingly large, flexible molecules developed as active components in the pharmaceutical arena. In our current contribution we develop a general protocol involving a combination of computation (conformation analysis, lattice energy), and experiment (measurement of nucleation rates), and show how significant advances can be made. We present the first systematic study aimed at quantifying the impact of molecular flexibility on nucleation kinetics. The nucleation rates of 4 para substituted benzoic acids are compared, two of which have substituents with flexible chains. In making this comparison, the importance of normalizing data to account for differing solubilities is highlighted. These data have allowed us to go beyond popular qualitative descriptors such 'crystallizability' or 'crystallization propensity' in favour of more precise nucleation rate data. Overall, this leads to definite conclusions as to the relative importance of solution chemistry, solid-state interactions and conformational flexibility in the crystallization of these molecules and confirms the key role of intermolecular stacking interactions in determining relative nucleation rates. In a more general sense, conclusions are drawn as to conditions under which conformational change may become rate determining during a crystallization process
Maximum-likelihood estimation prevents unphysical Mueller matrices
We show that the method of maximum-likelihood estimation, recently introduced
in the context of quantum process tomography, can be applied to the
determination of Mueller matrices characterizing the polarization properties of
classical optical systems. Contrary to linear reconstruction algorithms, the
proposed method yields physically acceptable Mueller matrices even in presence
of uncontrolled experimental errors. We illustrate the method on the case of an
unphysical measured Mueller matrix taken from the literature.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figur
Characterising a universal cloning machine by maximum-likelihood estimation
We apply a general method for the estimation of completely positive maps to
the 1-to-2 universal covariant cloning machine. The method is based on the
maximum-likelihood principle, and makes use of random input states, along with
random projective measurements on the output clones. The downhill simplex
algorithm is applied for the maximisation of the likelihood functional.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
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