Reconstructing a pure state of a spin s through three Stern-Gerlach measurements: II

The density matrix of a spin s is fixed uniquely if the probabilities to obtain the value s upon measuring n.S are known for 4s(s+1) appropriately chosen directions n in space. These numbers are just the expectation values of the density operator in coherent spin states, and they can be determined in an experiment carried out with a Stern-Gerlach apparatus. Furthermore, the experimental data can be inverted providing thus a parametrization of the statistical operator by 4s(s+1) positive parameters

Coherent states and the reconstruction of pure spin states

Coherent states provide an appealing method to reconstruct efficiently the pure state of a quantum mechanical spin s. A Stern-Gerlach apparatus is used to measure (4s + 1) expectations of projection operators on appropriate coherent states in the unknown state. These measurements are compatible with a finite number of states which can be distinguished, in the generic case, by measuring one more probability. In addition, the present technique shows that the zeros of a Husimi distribution do have an operational meaning: they can be identified directly by measurements with a Stem-Gerlach apparatus. This result comes down to saying that it is possible to resolve experimentally structures in quantum phase space which are smaller than (h) over bar

Quantum State Tomography Using Successive Measurements

We describe a quantum state tomography scheme which is applicable to a system described in a Hilbert space of arbitrary finite dimensionality and is constructed from sequences of two measurements. The scheme consists of measuring the various pairs of projectors onto two bases --which have no mutually orthogonal vectors--, the two members of each pair being measured in succession. We show that this scheme implies measuring the joint quasi-probability of any pair of non-degenerate observables having the two bases as their respective eigenbases. The model Hamiltonian underlying the scheme makes use of two meters initially prepared in an arbitrary given quantum state, following the ideas that were introduced by von Neumann in his theory of measurement.Comment: 12 Page

Discrete Moyal-type representations for a spin

In Moyal’s formulation of quantum mechanics, a quantum spin s is described in terms of continuous symbols, i.e., by smooth functions on a two-dimensional sphere. Such prescriptions to associate operators with Wigner functions, P or Q symbols, are conveniently expressed in terms of operator kernels satisfying the Stratonovich-Weyl postulates. In analogy to this approach, a discrete Moyal formalism is defined on the basis of a modified set of postulates. It is shown that appropriately modified postulates single out a well-defined set of kernels that give rise to discrete symbols. Now operators are represented by functions taking values on (2s+1)2 points of the sphere. The discrete symbols contain no redundant information, contrary to the continuous ones. The properties of the resulting discrete Moyal formalism for a quantum spin are worked out in detail and compared to the continuous formalism

On the Convergence to Ergodic Behaviour of Quantum Wave Functions

We study the decrease of fluctuations of diagonal matrix elements of observables and of Husimi densities of quantum mechanical wave functions around their mean value upon approaching the semi-classical regime ($\hbar \rightarrow 0$). The model studied is a spin (SU(2)) one in a classically strongly chaotic regime. We show that the fluctuations are Gaussian distributed, with a width $\sigma^2$ decreasing as the square root of Planck's constant. This is consistent with Random Matrix Theory (RMT) predictions, and previous studies on these fluctuations. We further study the width of the probability distribution of $\hbar$-dependent fluctuations and compare it to the Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble (GOE) of RMT.Comment: 13 pages Latex, 5 figure

Analysis of Density Matrix reconstruction in NMR Quantum Computing

Reconstruction of density matrices is important in NMR quantum computing. An analysis is made for a 2-qubit system by using the error matrix method. It is found that the state tomography method determines well the parameters that are necessary for reconstructing the density matrix in NMR quantum computations. Analysis is also made for a simplified state tomography procedure that uses fewer read-outs. The result of this analysis with the error matrix method demonstrates that a satisfactory accuracy in density matrix reconstruction can be achieved even in a measurement with the number of read-outs being largely reduced.Comment: 7 pages, title slightly changed and references adde

Contracting the Wigner kernel of a spin to the Wigner kernel of a particle

A general relation between the Moyal formalisms for a spin and a particle is established. Once the formalism has been set up for a spin, the phase-space description of a particle is obtained from contracting the group of rotations to the oscillator group. In this process, turn into a spin Wigner kernel turns into the Wigner kernel of a particle. In fact, only one out of 22s different possible kernels for a spin shows this behavior

Inverse spin-s portrait and representation of qudit states by single probability vectors

Using the tomographic probability representation of qudit states and the inverse spin-portrait method, we suggest a bijective map of the qudit density operator onto a single probability distribution. Within the framework of the approach proposed, any quantum spin-j state is associated with the (2j+1)(4j+1)-dimensional probability vector whose components are labeled by spin projections and points on the sphere. Such a vector has a clear physical meaning and can be relatively easily measured. Quantum states form a convex subset of the 2j(4j+3) simplex, with the boundary being illustrated for qubits (j=1/2) and qutrits (j=1). A relation to the (2j+1)^2- and (2j+1)(2j+2)-dimensional probability vectors is established in terms of spin-s portraits. We also address an auxiliary problem of the optimum reconstruction of qudit states, where the optimality implies a minimum relative error of the density matrix due to the errors in measured probabilities.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures, PDF LaTeX, submitted to the Journal of Russian Laser Researc

Minimal Informationally Complete Measurements for Pure States

We consider measurements, described by a positive-operator-valued measure (POVM), whose outcome probabilities determine an arbitrary pure state of a D-dimensional quantum system. We call such a measurement a pure-state informationally complete (PSI-complete) POVM. We show that a measurement with 2D-1 outcomes cannot be PSI-complete, and then we construct a POVM with 2D outcomes that suffices, thus showing that a minimal PSI-complete POVM has 2D outcomes. We also consider PSI-complete POVMs that have only rank-one POVM elements and construct an example with 3D-2 outcomes, which is a generalization of the tetrahedral measurement for a qubit. The question of the minimal number of elements in a rank-one PSI-complete POVM is left open.Comment: 2 figures, submitted for the Asher Peres festschrif

Inverted spectroscopy and interferometry for quantum-state reconstruction of systems with SU(2) symmetry

We consider how the conventional spectroscopic and interferometric schemes can be rearranged to serve for reconstructing quantum states of physical systems possessing SU(2) symmetry. The discussed systems include a collection of two-level atoms, a two-mode quantized radiation field with a fixed total number of photons, and a single laser-cooled ion in a two-dimensional harmonic trap with a fixed total number of vibrational quanta. In the proposed rearrangement, the standard spectroscopic and interferometric experiments are inverted. Usually one measures an unknown frequency or phase shift using a system prepared in a known quantum state. Our aim is just the inverse one, i.e., to use a well-calibrated apparatus with known transformation parameters to measure unknown quantum states.Comment: 8 pages, REVTeX. More info on http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~cbrif/science.htm