Efficient quantum key distribution secure against no-signalling eavesdroppers

By carrying out measurements on entangled states, two parties can generate a secret key which is secure not only against an eavesdropper bound by the laws of quantum mechanics, but also against a hypothetical "post-quantum" eavesdroppers limited by the no-signalling principle only. We introduce a family of quantum key distribution protocols of this type, which are more efficient than previous ones, both in terms of key rate and noise resistance. Interestingly, the best protocols involve large number of measurements. We show that in the absence of noise, these protocols can yield one secret bit per entanglement bit, implying that the key rates in the no-signalling post-quantum scenario are comparable to the key rates in usual quantum key distribution.Comment: 11 pages, 2 color figures. v2: minor modifications, added references, added note on the relation to quant-ph/060604

Effects of Domain Wall on Electronic Transport Properties in Mesoscopic Wire of Metallic Ferromagnets

We study the effect of the domain wall on electronic transport properties in wire of ferromagnetic 3$d$ transition metals based on the linear response theory. We considered the exchange interaction between the conduction electron and the magnetization, taking into account the scattering by impurities as well. The effective electron-wall interaction is derived by use of a local gauge transformation in the spin space. This interaction is treated perturbatively to the second order. The conductivity contribution within the classical (Boltzmann) transport theory turns out to be negligiblly small in bulk magnets, due to a large thickness of the wall compared with the fermi wavelength. It can be, however, significant in ballistic nanocontacts, as indicated in recent experiments. We also discuss the quantum correction in disordered case where the quantum coherence among electrons becomes important. In such case of weak localization the wall can contribute to a decrease of resistivity by causing dephasing. At lower temperature this effect grows and can win over the classical contribution, in particular in wire of diameter $L_{\perp}\lesssim \ell_{\phi}$, $\ell_{\phi}$ being the inelastic diffusion length. Conductance change of the quantum origin caused by the motion of the wall is also discussed.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figures. Detailed paper of Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 3773 (1997). Submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Optimal Entanglement Enhancement for Mixed States

We consider the actions of protocols involving local quantum operations and classical communication (LQCC) on a single system consisting of two separated qubits. We give a complete description of the orbits of the space of states under LQCC and characterise the representatives with maximal entanglement of formation. We thus obtain a LQCC entanglement concentration protocol for a single given state (pure or mixed) of two qubits which is optimal in the sense that the protocol produces, with non-zero probability, a state of maximal possible entanglement of formation. This defines a new entanglement measure, the maximum extractable entanglement.Comment: Final version: to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Normal forms and entanglement measures for multipartite quantum states

A general mathematical framework is presented to describe local equivalence classes of multipartite quantum states under the action of local unitary and local filtering operations. This yields multipartite generalizations of the singular value decomposition. The analysis naturally leads to the introduction of entanglement measures quantifying the multipartite entanglement (as generalizations of the concurrence and the 3-tangle), and the optimal local filtering operations maximizing these entanglement monotones are obtained. Moreover a natural extension of the definition of GHZ-states to e.g. $2\times 2\times N$ systems is obtained.Comment: Proof of uniqueness of normal form adde

Local filtering operations on two qubits

We consider one single copy of a mixed state of two qubits and investigate how its entanglement changes under local quantum operations and classical communications (LQCC) of the type $\rho'\sim (A\otimes B)\rho(A\otimes B)^{\dagger}$. We consider a real matrix parameterization of the set of density matrices and show that these LQCC operations correspond to left and right multiplication by a Lorentz matrix, followed by normalization. A constructive way of bringing this matrix into a normal form is derived. This allows us to calculate explicitly the optimal local filterin operations for concentrating entanglement. Furthermore we give a complete characterization of the mixed states that can be purified arbitrary close to a Bell state. Finally we obtain a new way of calculating the entanglement of formation.Comment: 4 page

Are There Quantum Effects Coming from Outside Space-time? Nonlocality, free will and "no many-worlds"

Observing the violation of Bell's inequality tells us something about all possible future theories: they must all predict nonlocal correlations. Hence Nature is nonlocal. After an elementary introduction to nonlocality and a brief review of some recent experiments, I argue that Nature's nonlocality together with the existence of free will is incompatible with the many-worlds view of quantum physics.Comment: Talk presented at the meeting "Is Science Compatible with Our Desire for Freedom?" organised by the Social Trends Institute at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Octobre 201

Magnetization and EPR studies of the single molecule magnet Ni4_4 with integrated sensors

Integrated magnetic sensors that allow simultaneous EPR and magnetization measurements have been developed to study single molecule magnets. A high frequency microstrip resonator has been integrated with a micro-Hall effect magnetometer. EPR spectroscopy is used to determine the energy splitting between the low lying spin-states of a Ni$_4$ single crystal, with an S=4 ground state, as a function of applied fields, both longitudinal and transverse to the easy axis at 0.4 K. Concurrent magnetization measurements show changes in spin-population associated with microwave absorption. Such studies enable determination of the energy relaxation time of the spin system.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication (Proceedings of the 10th Joint MMM/Intermag Conference, which will be published as special issues of the Journal of Applied Physics

Low temperature magnetic hysteresis in Mn12_{12} acetate single crystals

Precise magnetic hysteresis measurements of small single crystals of Mn$_{12}$ acetate of spin 10 have been conducted down to 0.4 K using a high sensitivity Hall magnetometer. At higher temperature (>1.6K) step-like changes in magnetization are observed at regularly spaced magnetic field intervals, as previously reported. However, on lowering the temperature the steps in magnetization shift to higher magnetic fields, initially gradually. These results are consistent with the presence of a second order uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, first observed by EPR spectroscopy, and thermally assisted tunnelling with tunnelling relaxation occurring from levels of progressively lower energy as the temperature is reduced. At lower temperature an abrupt shift in step positions is found. We suggest that this shift may be the first evidence of an abrupt, or first-order, transition between thermally assisted and pure quantum tunnelling, suggested by recent theory.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Europhys. Let