Quantum process estimation via generic two-body correlations

Abstract

Performance of quantum process estimation is naturally limited to fundamental, random, and systematic imperfections in preparations and measurements. These imperfections may lead to considerable errors in the process reconstruction due to the fact that standard data analysis techniques presume ideal devices. Here, by utilizing generic auxiliary quantum or classical correlations, we provide a framework for estimation of quantum dynamics via a single measurement apparatus. By construction, this approach can be applied to quantum tomography schemes with calibrated faulty state generators and analyzers. Specifically, we present a generalization of "Direct Characterization of Quantum Dynamics" [M. Mohseni and D. A. Lidar, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 170501 (2006)] with an imperfect Bell-state analyzer. We demonstrate that, for several physically relevant noisy preparations and measurements, only classical correlations and small data processing overhead are sufficient to accomplish the full system identification. Furthermore, we provide the optimal input states for which the error amplification due to inversion on the measurement data is minimal.