Minimal Quantum Research Articles

Symmetrically private information retrieval based on blind quantum computing

Universal blind quantum computation (UBQC) is a new secure quantum computing protocol which allows a user Alice who does not have any sophisticated quantum technology to delegate her computing to a server Bob without leaking any privacy. Using the features of UBQC, we propose a protocol to achieve symmetrically private information retrieval, which allows a quantum limited Alice to query an item from Bob with a fully fledged quantum computer; meanwhile, the privacy of both parties is preserved. The security of our protocol is based on the assumption that malicious Alice has no quantum computer, which avoids the impossibility proof of Lo. For the honest Alice, she is almost classical and only requires minimal quantum resources to carry out the proposed protocol. Therefore, she does not need any expensive laboratory which can maintain the coherence of complicated quantum experimental setups.

Characterizing non-Markovianity via quantum interferometric power

Non-Markovian evolution in open quantum systems is often characterized in terms of the backflow of information from environment to system and is thus an important facet in investigating the performance and robustness of quantum information protocols. In this work, we explore non-Markovianity through the breakdown of monotonicity of a metrological figure of merit, called the quantum interferometric power, which is based on the minimal quantum Fisher information obtained by local unitary evolution of one part of the system, and can be interpreted as a quantifier of quantum correlations beyond entanglement. We investigate our proposed non-Markovianity indicator in two relevant examples. First, we consider the action of a single-party dephasing channel on a maximally entangled two-qubit state, by applying the Jamio{\l}kowski-Choi isomorphism. We observe that the proposed measure is consistent with established non-Markovianity quantifiers defined using other approaches based on dynamical divisibility, distinguishability, and breakdown of monotonicity for the quantum mutual information. Further, we consider the dynamics of two-qubit Werner states, under the action of a local, single-party amplitude damping channel, and observe that the nonmonotonic evolution of the quantum interferometric power is more robust than the corresponding one for entanglement in capturing the backflow of quantum information associated with the non-Markovian process. Implications for the role of non-Markovianity in quantum metrology and possible extensions to continuous variable systems are discussed.

Minimal Length Quantum Mechanics of Dirac Particles in Noncommutative Space

We study the two-dimensional harmonic oscillator in commutative and noncommutative space within the framework of minimal length quantum mechanics for spin-1/2 particles. The energy spectra and the eigenfunction are obtained in both cases. Special cases are also deduced.

Electronic circular dichroism of fluorescent proteins: a computational study.

The electronic circular dichroism (ECD) properties of the green fluorescent protein and other fluorescent proteins have been calculated with density functional theory. The influence of different embedding models on the ECD signal of the chromophore has been investigated by modeling the protein environment by the polarizable continuum model (QM/PCM), by the polarizable embedding model (PE-QM/MM), by treating the minimal environment quantum mechanically at the same footing as the chromophore (QM/QM), and by adding the remaining part of the protein by means of PCM (QM/QM/PCM). The rotatory strength is found to be more sensitive than the oscillatory strength to changes in the geometry of the chromophore and its surroundings and to the type of embedding model used. In general, explicit embedding of the surrounding protein (PE-QM/MM or QM/QM) induces an increase in the rotatory strength of the chromophore. Explicit inclusion of the whole protein through polarizable embedding is found to be an affordable embedding model that gives the correct sign of the rotatory strength for all fluorescent proteins. PCM is useful as a first approximation to protein environment effects, but as a rule seems to underestimate the rotatory strength.

Diabolical points in multi-scatterer optomechanical systems.

Diabolical points, which originate from parameter-dependent accidental degeneracies of a system's energy levels, have played a fundamental role in the discovery of the Berry phase as well as in photonics (conical refraction), in chemical dynamics, and more recently in novel materials such as graphene, whose electronic band structure possess Dirac points. Here we discuss diabolical points in an optomechanical system formed by multiple scatterers in an optical cavity with periodic boundary conditions. Such configuration is close to experimental setups using micro-toroidal rings with indentations or near-field scatterers. We find that the optomechanical coupling is no longer an analytic function near the diabolical point and demonstrate the topological phase arising through the mechanical motion. Similar to a Fabry-Perot resonator, the optomechanical coupling can grow with the number of scatterers. We also introduce a minimal quantum model of a diabolical point, which establishes a connection to the motion of an arbitrary-spin particle in a 2D parabolic quantum dot with spin-orbit coupling.

Highly Textured Tin(II) Sulfide Thin Films Formed from Sheetlike Nanocrystal Inks

Highly textured tin(II) sulfide thin films are prepared from a nanocrystal ink comprised of high-aspect-ratio nanosheets. The orthorhombic nanosheets are synthesized colloidally to isolate lateral growth and minimize the presence of alternate crystal phases. The tin sulfide films deposited from the nanosheets exhibit pure elemental composition, micrometer-sized grains, and a remarkable degree of texturing. The films consist of lamellar stacking of nanosheets with some intercalation, and the average sheet thickness is ∼30 nm. The SnS films have an indirect band gap of 1.23 eV, and density functional theory calculations indicate minimal quantum confinement contributions. The anisotropic electronic properties of tin sulfide are greatly intensified in films formed by this process, yielding an in-plane mobility of 5.7 cm2/(V s) but an out-of-plane resistivity as high as 30 kΩ cm. This work represents a new strategy for nanocrystal inks in which the nanocrystal morphology is tailored to direct film orientation, grain size, and transport properties. The method provides a route for the deposition of high-quality, layered semiconductor thin films with applications in photovoltaics and two-dimensional (2-D) electronics.

Derivation of the Dirac equation from principles of information processing

We show how the Dirac equation in three space-dimensions emerges from the large-scale dynamics of the minimal nontrivial quantum cellular automaton satisfying unitariety, locality, homogeneity, and discrete isotropy, without using the relativity principle. The Dirac equation is recovered for small wave-vector and inertial mass, whereas Lorentz covariance is distorted in the ultra-relativistic limit. The automaton can thus be regarded as a theory unifying scales from Planck to Fermi. A simple asymptotic approach leads to a dispersive Schroedinger equation describing the evolution of narrow-band states at all scales.

Cusp Interaction in Minimal Length Quantum Mechanics

The modified Schrodinger equation with a minimal length is considered under a Cusp potential which includes the exponential interaction. Next, exact analytical solutions of the problem are reported and thereby the scattering states as well as the corresponding transmission and reflection coefficients are reported.

Quantum fidelity and relative entropy between unitary orbits

Fidelity and relative entropy are two significant quantities in quantum information theory. We study the quantum fidelity and relative entropy under unitary orbits. The maximal and minimal quantum fidelity and relative entropy between two unitary orbits are explicitly derived. The potential applications in quantum computation and information processing are discussed.

Potential well and step potential within the framework of minimal length quantum mechanics

The potential well and the step potential are studied under the modified Schrodinger equation due to minimal length in an exact analytical manner. The scattering problems as well as the reflection and transmission parameters are reported.

Experimental verification of quantum computation

Quantum computers are expected to offer substantial speedups over their classical counterparts and to solve problems that are intractable for classical computers. Beyond such practical significance, the concept of quantum computation opens up new fundamental questions, among them the issue whether or not quantum computations can be certified by entities that are inherently unable to compute the results themselves. Here we present the first experimental verification of quantum computations. We show, in theory and in experiment, how a verifier with minimal quantum resources can test a significantly more powerful quantum computer. The new verification protocol introduced in this work utilizes the framework of blind quantum computing and is independent of the experimental quantum-computation platform used. In our scheme, the verifier is only required to generate single qubits and transmit them to the quantum computer. We experimentally demonstrate this protocol using four photonic qubits and show how the verifier can test the computer's ability to perform measurement-based quantum computations.

All noncontextuality inequalities for then-cycle scenario

The problem of separating classical from quantum correlations is in general intractable and has been solved explicitly only in few cases. In particular, known methods cannot provide general solutions for an arbitrary number of settings. We provide the complete characterization of the classical correlations and the corresponding maximal quantum violations for the case of n >= 4 observables X_0, ...,X_{n-1}, where each consecutive pair {X_i,X_{i+1}}, sum modulo n, is jointly measurable. This generalizes both the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt and the Klyachko-Can-Binicioglu-Shumovsky scenarios, which are the simplest ones for, respectively, locality and noncontextuality. In addition, we provide explicit quantum states and settings with maximal quantum violation and minimal quantum dimension.

Minimal Self-Contained Quantum Refrigeration Machine Based on Four Quantum Dots

We present a theoretical study of an electronic quantum refrigerator based on four quantum dots arranged in a square configuration, in contact with as many thermal reservoirs. We show that the system implements the minimal mechanism for acting as a self-contained quantum refrigerator, by demonstrating heat extraction from the coldest reservoir and the cooling of the nearby quantum dot.

SCATTERING STATES OF HULTHÉN INTERACTION IN MINIMAL LENGTH QUANTUM MECHANICS

We first revisit the nonrelativistic minimal length quantum mechanics and reveal an interesting symmetry of the problem. In fact, we will show that the cumbersome problem can be cast into the ordinary Schrödinger equation with a new effective potential. Next, as a typical example, we show the minimal length Schrödinger equation in the presence of a nonminimal Hulthén vector interaction. The transmission and reflection coefficients are reported as well.

Implementation of Classical Communication in a Quantum World

Observations of quantum systems carried out by finite observers who subsequently communicate their results using classical data structures can be described as “local operations, classical communication” (LOCC) observations. The implementation of LOCC observations by the Hamiltonian dynamics prescribed by minimal quantum mechanics is investigated. It is shown that LOCC observations cannot be described using decoherence considerations alone, but rather require the a priori stipulation of a positive operator-valued measure (POVM) about which communicating observers agree. It is also shown that the transfer of classical information from system to observer can be described in terms of system-observer entanglement, raising the possibility that an apparatus implementing an appropriate POVM can reveal the entangled system-observer states that implement LOCC observations.

A simple efficient methodology for Dirac equation in minimal length quantum mechanics

We solve the modified Dirac equation by adding a harmonic oscillator potential and implementing the Nikiforov–Uvarov technique. The closed forms of solutions are reported in a quite simple and systematic manner.

Scattering states of Woods–Saxon interaction in minimal length quantum mechanics

We propose a very simple approach to deal with the problems of the modified Schrödinger equation due to minimal length and thereby solve the minimal length Schrödinger equation in the presence of a non-minimal Woods–Saxon interaction. The transmission and reflection coefficients are reported as well.

ASPECTS OF THE RIEMANNIAN GEOMETRY OF QUANTUM COMPUTATION

A review is given of some aspects of the Riemannian geometry of quantum computation in which the quantum evolution is represented in the tangent space manifold of the special unitary unimodular group SU(2n) for n qubits. The Riemannian right-invariant metric, connection, curvature, geodesic equation for minimal complexity quantum circuits, Jacobi equation and the lifted Jacobi equation for varying penalty parameter are reviewed. Sharpened tools for calculating the geodesic derivative are presented. The geodesic derivative may facilitate the numerical investigation of conjugate points and the global characteristics of geodesic paths in the group manifold, the determination of optimal quantum circuits for carrying out a quantum computation, and the determination of the complexity of particular quantum algorithms.

Quantum cosmology in Hořava-Lifshitz gravity

Quantum cosmology is studied within the framework of the minimal quantum gravity theory proposed by Ho\v{r}ava. For this purpose we choose the Kantowski-Sachs (KS) model and construct the corresponding Wheeler-DeWitt equation. We study the solution to this equation in the ultraviolet limit for different values of the running parameter {\lambda} of the theory. It is observed that the wave packet for this Universe changes completely compared with the one observed in the infrared (general relativity) regime. We also look at the classical solutions by means of a WKB semiclassical approximation. It is observed that if {\lambda} takes its relativistic value {\lambda} = 1 a generalized KS metric is obtained which differs from the usual KS solution in general relativity by an additional term arising from the higher-order curvature terms in the action and which dominates the behavior of the solution for very small values of the time parameter. We discuss the physical properties of this solution by comparing it with the usual KS solution in general relativity. The resulting solution has no horizons but singularities.

Pseudo Goldstone Bosons phenomenology in Minimal Walking Technicolor

We construct the non-linear realized Lagrangian for the Goldstone Bosons associated to the breaking pattern of SU(4) to SO(4). This pattern is expected to occur in any Technicolor extension of the standard model featuring two Dirac fermions transforming according to real representations of the underlying gauge group. We concentrate on the Minimal Walking Technicolor quantum number assignments with respect to the standard model symmetries. We demonstrate that for, any choice of the quantum numbers, consistent with gauge and Witten anomalies the spectrum of the pseudo Goldstone Bosons contains electrically doubly charged states which can be discovered at the Large Hadron Collider.