Comparing coherence measures for X states: Can quantum states be ordered based on quantum coherence?

Abstract

Quantum coherence is an essential resource for quantum information processing and various quantitative measures of it have been introduced. However, the interconnections between these measures are not yet understood properly. Here, using a large set of randomly prepared $X$ states and analytically obtained expressions of various measures of coherence (e.g., relative entropy of coherence, $l1$ norm of coherence, coherence via skew information, and first-order coherence), it is established that these measures of quantum coherence cannot be used to perform ordering of a set of quantum states based on the amount of coherence present in a state. Further, it is shown that for a given value of quantum coherence measured by the relative entropy of coherence, maximally nonlocal mixed states of $X$ type (which are characterized by maximal violation of the CHSH inequality) have maximum quantum coherence as measured by $l1$ norm of coherence. In addition, the amount of coherence measured by $l1$ norm of coherence for a Werner state is found to be always less than that for a maximally nonlocal mixed state even when they possess an equal amount of coherence measured by the relative entropy of coherence. These resource theory based measures of coherence are not observed to show any relation with the first-order coherence, while its maximum (hidden coherence) is found to be more connected to concurrence both being basis independent quantities. These observations could be of use in obtaining a deeper understanding of the interconnections between various measures of quantum coherence.