Space Of Quantum States Research Articles

Observing Geometry of Quantum States in a Three-Level System.

In quantum mechanics, geometry has been demonstrated as a useful tool for inferring nonclassical behaviors and exotic properties of quantum systems. One standard approach to illustrate the geometry of quantum systems is to project the quantum state space onto the Euclidean space via measurements of observables on the system. Despite the great success of this method in studying two-level quantum systems (qubits) with the celebrated Bloch sphere representation, it is still difficult to reveal the geometry of multidimensional quantum systems. Here we report the first experiment measuring the geometry of such projections beyond the qubit. Specifically, we observe the joint numerical ranges of a triple of observables in a three-level photonic system, providing a complete classification of these ranges. We further show that the geometry of different classes reveals ground-state degeneracies of a Hamiltonian as a linear combination of the observables, which is related to quantum phases in the thermodynamic limit. Our results offer a versatile geometric approach for exploring the properties of higher-dimensional quantum systems.

Dually flat structures induced from monotone metrics on a two-level quantum state space

The notion of dually flatness is of central importance in information geometry. Nevertheless, little is known about dually flat structures on quantum statistical manifolds except that the Bogoliubov metric admits a global dually flat structure on a quantum state space {{mathcal {S}}}({{mathbb {C}}}^d) for any dge 2. In this paper, we show that every monotone metric on a two-level quantum state space {{mathcal {S}}}({{mathbb {C}}}^2) admits a local dually flat structure.

Magnetized Kepler manifolds and their quantization

Let k≥1 be an integer and μ be the half of a nonzero integer. It is reported here that the phase space of the (2k+1)-dimensional magnetized Kepler problem with magnetic charge μ can be identified with the elliptic co-adjoint orbit of the real Lie algebra so(2,2k+2) that corresponds to the dominant weight (|μ|,…,|μ|︸k+1,μ).As a corollary, one has the following result: the aforementioned elliptic co-adjoint orbit admits a natural quantization in which the Hilbert space of quantum states is the space of square integrable sections of a Hermitian vector bundle over the punctured Euclidean space in dimension 2k+1; moreover, this Hilbert space provides a geometric realization for the unitary highest weight so(2,2k+2)-module with highest weight (−k−|μ|,|μ|,…,|μ|︸k,μ).

Variational-state quantum metrology

Quantum technologies exploit entanglement to enhance various tasks beyond their classical limits including computation, communication and measurements. Quantum metrology aims to increase the precision of a measured quantity that is estimated in the presence of statistical errors using entangled quantum states. We present a novel approach for finding (near) optimal states for metrology in the presence of noise, using variational techniques as a tool for efficiently searching the high-dimensional space of quantum states, which would be classically intractable. We comprehensively explore systems consisting of up to 9 qubits and find new highly entangled states that are not symmetric under permutations and non-trivially outperform previously known states up to a constant factor 2. We consider a range of environmental noise models; while passive quantum states cannot achieve a fundamentally superior scaling (as established by prior asymptotic results) we do observe a significant absolute quantum advantage. We finally outline a possible experimental setup for variational quantum metrology which can be implemented in near-term hardware.

Classical dynamics generated by long-range interactions for lattice fermions and quantum spins

We study the macroscopic dynamical properties of fermion and quantum-spin systems with long-range, or mean-field, interactions. The results obtained are far beyond previous ones and require the development of a mathematical framework to accommodate the macroscopic long-range dynamics, which corresponds to an intricate combination of classical and short-range quantum dynamics. In this paper we focus on the classical part of the long-range, or mean-field, macroscopic dynamics, but we already introduce the full framework. The quantum part of the macroscopic dynamics is studied in a subsequent paper. We show that the classical part of the macroscopic dynamics results from self-consistency equations within the (quantum) state space. As is usual, the classical dynamics is driven by Liouville's equation.

On Measures of Classicality/Quantumness in Quasiprobability Representations of Finite-Dimensional Quantum Systems

In the present report we discuss measures of classicality/quantumness of states of finite-dimensional quantum systems, which are based on a deviation of quasiprobability distributions from true statistical distributions. Particularly, the dependence of the global indicator of classicality on the assigned geometry of a quantum state space is analysed for a whole family of Wigner quasiprobability representations. General considerations are exemplified by constructing the global indicator of classicality/quantumness for the Hilbert-Schmidt, Bures and Bogoliubov-Kubo-Mori ensembles of qubits and qutrits.

Dynamics of quantum systems driven by time-varying Hamiltonians: Solution for the Bloch-Siegert Hamiltonian and applications to NMR

Comprehending the dynamical behaviour of quantum systems driven by time-varying Hamiltonians is particularly difficult. Systems with as little as two energy levels are not yet fully understood as the usual methods including diagonalisation of the Hamiltonian do not work in this setting. In fact, since the inception of Magnus' expansion in 1954, no fundamentally novel mathematical approach capable of solving the quantum equations of motion with a time-varying Hamiltonian has been devised. We report here of an entirely different non-perturbative approach, termed path-sum, which is always guaranteed to converge, yields the exact analytical solution in a finite number of steps for finite systems and is invariant under scale transformations of the quantum state space. Path-sum can be combined with any state-space reduction technique and can exactly reconstruct the dynamics of a many-body quantum system from the separate, isolated, evolutions of any chosen collection of its sub-systems. As examples of application, we solve analytically for the dynamics of all two-level systems as well as of a many-body Hamiltonian with a particular emphasis on NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) applications: Bloch-Siegert effect, coherent destruction of tunneling and $N$-spin systems involving the dipolar Hamiltonian and spin diffusion.

Tensor networks for quantum causal histories

In this paper, we construct a tensor network representation of quantum causal histories, as a step towards directly representing states in quantum gravity via bulk tensor networks. Quantum causal histories are quantum extensions of causal sets in the sense that on each event in a causal set is assigned a Hilbert space of quantum states, and the local causal evolutions between events are modeled by completely positive and trace-preserving maps. Here we utilize the channel-state duality of completely positive and trace-preserving maps to transform the causal evolutions to bipartite entangled states. We construct the matrix product state for a single quantum causal history by projecting the obtained bipartite states onto the physical states on the events. We also construct the two dimensional tensor network states for entangled quantum causal histories in a restricted case with compatible causal orders. The possible holographic tensor networks are explored by mapping the quantum causal histories in a way analogous to the exact holographic mapping. The constructed tensor networks for quantum causal histories are exemplified by the non-unitary local time evolution moves in a quantum system on temporally varying discretizations, and these non-unitary evolution moves are shown to be necessary for defining a bulk causal structure and a quantum black hole. Finally, we comment on the limitations of the constructed tensor networks, and discuss some directions for further studies aiming at applications in quantum gravity.

When geometric phases turn topological

Geometric phases, accumulated when a quantum system traces a cycle in quantum state space, do not depend on the parametrization of the cyclic path, but do depend on the path itself. In the presence of noise that deforms the path, the phase gets affected, compromising the robustness of possible applications, e.g. in quantum computing. We show that for a special class of spin states, called anticoherent, and for paths that correspond to a sequence of rotations in physical space, the phase only depends on topological characteristics of the path, in particular, its homotopy class, and is therefore immune to noise.

Cut-resistant links and multipartite entanglement resistant to particle loss

In this work, we explore the space of quantum states composed of $N$ particles. To investigate the entanglement resistant to particles loss, we introduce the notion of $m$-resistant states. A quantum state is $m$-resistant if it remains entangled after losing an arbitrary subset of m particles, but becomes separable after losing a number of particles larger than $m$. We establish an analogy to the problem of designing a topological link consisting of $N$ rings such that, after cutting any $(m + 1)$ of them, the remaining rings become disconnected. We present a constructive solution to this problem, which allows us to exhibit several distinguished $N$-particles states with the desired property of entanglement resistance to a particle loss.

Geometry on the manifold of Gaussian quantum channels

In the space of quantum channels, we establish the geometry that allows us to make statistical predictions about relative volumes of entanglement breaking channels among all the Gaussian quantum channels. The underlying metric is constructed using the Choi-Jamio{\l}kowski isomorphism between the continuous-variable Gaussian states and channels. This construction involves the Hilbert-Schmidt distance in quantum state space. The volume element of the one-mode Gaussian channels can be expressed in terms of local symplectic invariants. We analytically compute the relative volumes of the one-mode Gaussian entanglement breaking and incompatibility breaking channels. Finally, we show that, when given the purities of the Choi-Jamio{\l}kowski state of the channel, one can determine whether or not such channel is incompatibility breaking.

Ergodicity probes: using time-fluctuations to measure the Hilbert space dimension

Quantum devices, such as quantum simulators, quantum annealers, and quantum computers, may be exploited to solve problems beyond what is tractable with classical computers. This may be achieved as the Hilbert space available to perform such `calculations' is far larger than that which may be classically simulated. In practice, however, quantum devices have imperfections, which may limit the accessibility to the whole Hilbert space. We thus determine that the dimension of the space of quantum states that are available to a quantum device is a meaningful measure of its functionality, though unfortunately this quantity cannot be directly experimentally determined. Here we outline an experimentally realisable approach to obtaining the required Hilbert space dimension of such a device to compute its time evolution, by exploiting the thermalization dynamics of a probe qubit. This is achieved by obtaining a fluctuation-dissipation theorem for high-temperature chaotic quantum systems, which facilitates the extraction of information on the Hilbert space dimension via measurements of the decay rate, and time-fluctuations.

A Realist View of the Quantum World

A realist view of the quantum world is given along the lines of Werner Heisenberg’s Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics and set in contrast to that associated with John von Neumann by Henry Stapp. This view is distinguished by, among other elements: (i) the notion of quantum potentia and its actualization which results in classical recorded values of measured quantities, (ii) the grounding of the existence and chancy character of individual measurement events in the plenitude principle as applied to the set of eigenvalues of observables on the space of quantum states, and (iii) the identification of the individuals of the theory by a straightforward individuation principle.

Time in quantum theory, the Wheeler–DeWitt equation and the Born–Oppenheimer approximation

We compare two different approaches to the treatment of the Wheeler–DeWitt (WDW) equation and the introduction of time in quantum cosmology. One approach is based on the gauge-fixing procedure in theories with first-class constraints and the construction of the corresponding Hilbert space of quantum states. The other approach uses the Born–Oppenheimer (BO) method, based on the existence of two energy scales in the model under consideration. We apply both to a very simple cosmological model, including a massless scalar field filling a flat Friedmann universe, and observe that they give similar predictions. We also discuss the problem of time in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics and some questions concerning the correspondence between classical and quantum theories.

Supervised learning with quantum-enhanced feature spaces.

Machine learning and quantum computing are two technologies that each have the potential to alter how computation is performed to address previously untenable problems. Kernel methods for machine learning are ubiquitous in pattern recognition, with support vector machines (SVMs) being the best known method for classification problems. However, there are limitations to the successful solution to such classification problems when the feature space becomes large, and the kernel functions become computationally expensive to estimate. A core element in the computational speed-ups enabled by quantum algorithms is the exploitation of an exponentially large quantum state space through controllable entanglement and interference. Here we propose and experimentally implement two quantum algorithms on a superconducting processor. A key component in both methods is the use of the quantum state space as feature space. The use of a quantum-enhanced feature space that is only efficiently accessible on a quantum computer provides a possible path to quantum advantage. The algorithms solve a problem of supervised learning: the construction of a classifier. One method, the quantum variational classifier, uses a variational quantum circuit1,2 to classify the data in a way similar to the method of conventional SVMs. The other method, a quantum kernel estimator, estimates the kernel function on the quantum computer and optimizes a classical SVM. The two methods provide tools for exploring the applications of noisy intermediate-scale quantum computers3 to machine learning.

Contextuality and Noncommutative Geometry in Quantum Mechanics

Observable properties of a classical physical system can be modelled deterministically as functions from the space of pure states to outcome values; dually, states can be modelled as functions from the algebra of observables to outcome values. The probabilistic predictions of quantum physics are contextual in that they preclude this classical assumption of reality: noncommuting observables, which are not assumed to be jointly measurable, cannot be consistently ascribed deterministic values even if one enriches the description of a quantum state. Here, we consider the geometrically dual objects of noncommutative operator algebras of observables as being generalisations of classical (deterministic) state spaces to the quantum setting and argue that these generalised state spaces represent the objects of study of noncommutative operator geometry. By adapting the spectral presheaf of Hamilton–Isham–Butterfield, a formulation of quantum state space that collates contextual data, we reconstruct tools of noncommutative geometry in an explicitly geometric fashion. In this way, we bridge the foundations of quantum mechanics with the foundations of noncommutative geometry à la Connes et al. To each unital C*- algebra {mathcal{A}} we associate a geometric object—a diagram of topological spaces collating quotient spaces of the noncommutative space underlying {mathcal{A}}—that performs the role of a generalised Gel'fand spectrum. We show how any functor F from compact Hausdorff spaces to a suitable target category {mathsf{C}} can be applied directly to these geometric objects to automatically yield an extension {tilde{F}} acting on all unital C*-algebras. This procedure is used to give a novel formulation of the operator K0-functor via a finitary variant {tilde{K}_{ f}} of the extension {tilde{K}} of the topological K-functor. We then delineate a C*-algebraic conjecture that the extension of the functor that assigns to a topological space its lattice of open sets assigns to a unital C*-algebra the Zariski topological lattice of its primitive ideal spectrum, i.e. its lattice of closed two-sided ideals. We prove the von Neumann algebraic analogue of this conjecture.

The Quantum Nature of Lorentz Invariance

If the reality underlying classical physics is quantum in nature, then it is reasonable to assume that the transformations of fields, currents, energy, and momentum observed macroscopically are the result of averaging of symmetry groups acting in the Hilbert space of quantum states of elementary constituents of which classical material bodies are formed. We show how Pauli’s exclusion principle based on the discrete Z 2 symmetry group generates the S L ( 2 , C ) symmetry of the space of states of an electron endowed with spin. Then, we generalize this reasoning in the case of quark colors and the corresponding Z 3 symmetry. A ternary generalization of Dirac’s equation is proposed, leading to self-confined quarks states. It is shown how certain cubic or quadratic combinations can form freely-propagating entangled states. The entire symmetry of the standard model, S U ( 2 ) × U ( 1 ) × S U ( 3 ) , is naturally derived, as well.

Typical Gaussian quantum information

We investigate different geometries and invariant measures on the space of mixed Gaussian quantum states. We show that when the global purity of the state is held fixed, these measures coincide and it is possible, within this constraint, to define a unique notion of volume on the space of mixed Gaussian states. We then use the so defined measure to study typical non-classical correlations of two mode mixed Gaussian quantum states, in particular entanglement and steerability. We show that under the purity constraint alone, typical values for symplectic invariants can be computed very elegantly, irrespectively of the non-compactness of the underlying state space. Then we consider finite volumes by constraining the purity and energy of the Gaussian state and compute typical values of quantum correlations numerically.

Weyl calculus in Wiener spaces and in QED

The concern of this article is a semiclassical Weyl calculus on an infinite dimensional Hilbert space H. If (i, H, B) is a Wiener triplet associated to H, the quantum state space will be the space of $$L^2$$ functions on B with respect to a Gaussian measure with h / 2 variance, where h is the semiclassical parameter. We prove the boundedness of our pseudodifferential operators (PDO) in the spirit of Calderon–Vaillancourt with an explicit bound, a Beals type characterization, and metaplectic covariance. An application to a model of quantum electrodynamics is added in the last section (Sect. 7), for fixed spin 1 / 2 particles interacting with the quantized electromagnetic field (photons). We prove that some observable time evolutions, the spin evolutions, the magnetic and electric evolutions when subtracting their free evolutions, are PDO in our class.

Stratified manifold of quantum states, actions of the complex special linear group

We review the geometry of the space of quantum states S(H) of a finite-level quantum system with Hilbert space H from a group-theoretical point of view. This space carries two stratifications generated by the action of two different Lie groups, namely, the special unitary group SU(H) and its complexification SL(H), the complex special linear group. A stratum of the stratification generated by SU(H) is composed of isospectral states, that is, density operators with the same spectrum. A stratum of the stratification generated by SL(H) is composed of quantum states with the same rank.We prove that on every submanifold of isospectral quantum states there is also a canonical left action of SL(H) which is related with the canonical Kähler structure on isospectral quantum states. The fundamental vector fields of this SL(H)-action are divided into Hamiltonian and gradient vector fields. The former give rise to invertible maps on S that preserve the von Neumann entropy and the convex structure of S(H), while the latter give rise to invertible maps on S(H) that preserve the von Neumann entropy but not the convex structure of S(H).A similar decomposition is given for the fundamental vector fields of the SL(H)-action generating the stratification of S(H) into manifolds of quantum states with the same rank. However, in this case, the gradient vector fields preserve the rank but do not preserve entropy.Finally, some comments on multipartite quantum systems are made, and it is proved that the sets of product states of a multipartite quantum system are homogeneous manifolds for the local action of the complex special linear group associated with the partition.