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arXiv:0805.2592 · Physical Review A

Classicality of spin states

Olivier Giraud, Petr A. Braun, Daniel Braun

Published Oct 27, 2008• 98 citations
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Abstract

We extend the concept of classicality in quantum optics to spin states. We call a state ``classical'' if its density matrix can be decomposed as a weighted sum of angular momentum coherent states with positive weights. Classical spin states form a convex set $\mathcal{C}$, which we fully characterize for a spin $1∕2$ and a spin 1. For arbitrary spin, we provide ``nonclassicality witnesses.'' For bipartite systems, $\mathcal{C}$ forms a subset of all separable states. A state of two spins $1∕2$ belongs to $\mathcal{C}$ if and only if it is separable, whereas for a spin $1∕2$ coupled to a spin 1, there are separable states which do not belong to $\mathcal{C}$. We show that in general the question whether a state is in $\mathcal{C}$ can be answered by a linear programming algorithm.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.78.042112

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We extend the concept of classicality in quantum optics to spin states. We call a state classical'' if its density matrix can be decomposed as a weighted sum of angular momentum coherent states with positive weights. Classical spin states form a convex set $\mathcal{C}$, which we fully characterize for a spin $1∕2$ and a spin 1. For arbitrary spin, we provide nonclassicality witnesses.'' For bipartite systems, C\mathcal{C}C forms a subset of all separable states. A state of two spins 1∕21∕21∕2 belongs to C\mathcal{C}C if and only if it is separable, whereas for a spin 1∕21∕21∕2 coupled to a spin 1, there are separable states which do not belong to C\mathcal{C}C. We show that in general the question whether a state is in C\mathcal{C}C can be answered by a linear programming algorithm.
Several definitions of classicality are considered, such as P-representability, generalized coherent states and separable states. These notions are treated under a simple and general definition based on convex sets, which enables the use of the Hahn-Banach theorem to separate classical states from nonclassical ones. Nonclassicality linear witnesses are constructed, based on the observables available in a given physical situation. Some examples of nonclassical states are considered, with detection schemes available nowadays. Reviewing the concept of entanglement potential from a different perspective, it is shown that in some contexts an arbitrary single-system nonclassical state can be converted into a bipartite entangled state, provided a generalized controlled-displacement (e.g., beam-splitter, CNOT gate) is available. Also, this entanglement can be detected in a simple way using the nonclassicality witness of the original single-system state. Finally, we extend the discussion to multipartite states, proposing alternative ways to generate and classify multipartite entanglement.
We introduce the concept of ``absolutely classical'' spin states, in analogy to absolutely separable states of bipartite quantum systems. Absolutely classical states are states that remain classical (i.e., a convex sum of projectors on coherent states of a spin jjj) under any unitary transformation applied to them. We investigate the maximal size of the ball of absolutely classical states centered on the maximally mixed state and derive a lower bound for its radius as a function of the total spin quantum number. We also obtain a numerical estimate of this maximal radius and compare it to the case of absolutely separable states.
A sufficient condition for a quantum state of a system of spin-1/2 particles to admit a local hidden variable description, i.e., to be classical, is the separability of the density matrix characterizing its state, but not all classical states are separable. This leads one to infer that separability and classicality are two different concepts. These concepts are examined here in the framework of a criterion for identifying the classicality of a system of spin-1/2 particles based on the concept of joint quasiprobability (JQP) for the eigenvalues of spin components [Puri, J. Phys. A 29, 5719 (1996)]. The said criterion identifies a state as classical if a suitably defined JQP of the eigenvalues of spin components in three suitably chosen orthogonal directions is non-negative. In agreement with other approaches, the JQP-based criterion also leads to the result that all nonfactorizable pure states of two spin-1/2 particles are nonclassical. In this paper it is shown that the application of the said criterion to mixed states suggests that the states it identifies as classical are also separable and that there exist states which, identified as classical by other methods, may not be identified as classical by the criterion as it stands. However, results in agreement with the known ones are obtained if the criterion is modified to identify as classical also those states for which the JQP of the eigenvalues of the spin components in two of the three prescribed orthogonal directions is non-negative. The validity of the modified criterion is confirmed by comparing its predictions with those arrived at by other methods when applied to several mixed states of two spin-1/2 particles and the Werner-like state of three spin-1/2 particles [T\`oth and Ac\`{\i}n, Phys. Rev. A 74, 030306(R) (2006)]. The JQP-based approach, formulated as it is along the lines of the PPP-function approach for identifying classical states of the electromagnetic field, offers a unified approach for systems of an arbitrary number of spin-1/2 particles and the possibility of linking classicality with the nature of the measurement process.
We give a compact, frame-independent characterization of the set of classical second-order moments for a single spin-1 particle. Defining the moment matrix M = 2Q + (1/3) I, we show that a moment pair (s, Q) arises from a positive mixture of spin-coherent states if and only if M is positive semidefinite, M minus ss^T is positive semidefinite, and the trace of M equals one. These necessary and sufficient matrix conditions delimit the classical moment region and yield simple, basis-free witnesses of higher-order tensor nonclassicality, such as bounds on Tr(Q^2). A constructive proof of sufficiency is given in the appendix.
We introduce the spin coherence scale as a measure of quantum coherence for spin systems, generalizing the quadrature coherence scale (QCS) previously defined for quadrature observables. This SU(222)-invariant measure quantifies the off-diagonal coherences of a quantum state in angular momentum bases, weighted by the classical distinguishability of the superposed states. It serves as a witness of nonclassicality, provides both upper and lower bounds on the Hilbert-Schmidt distance to the set of classical (spin coherent) states, and bounds the Wigner negativity of a spin state. We demonstrate that many hallmark properties of the QCS carry over to the spin setting, including its links to noise susceptibility of a state and moments of quasiprobability distributions and its experimental realizability with a two-copy scheme. The spin coherence scale has direct implications for quantum metrology in the guise of rotation sensing. We also generalize the framework to SU(nnn) systems, identifying the unique SU(nnn)-invariant depolarization channel and outlining a broad, Lie-algebraic approach to defining and characterizing the properties of coherence scale beyond harmonic oscillators.
Quantum mechanics of composite systems, gives rise to certain special states called entangled states. A physical system, that is in an entangled state displays an intricate correlation between its subsystems. There are also some composite quantum states (classically correlated states or separable states) that are not entangled. It is generally claimed, often without a rigorous proof to support, that these intricate correlations of an entangled state cannot occur in a classical system. This expository article, provides an elementary proof that entangled states cannot arise in the setting of classical mechanics. In addition, a detailed description of the origin of entanglement in quantum systems is included. The mathematical concepts that are necessary for this purpose are presented. The absence of entanglement in the classical setting is due to the fact that every pure classical state of a composite system is a product state, that is, a tensor product of two pure states of the subsystems. In contrast, there are pure composite quantum states that cannot be expressed in the form of a product state or even by a convex sum of product states. Roughly speaking, this is because classical states are positive valued functions on the phase-space while quantum states are positive linear operators. The structure of the tensor product between two commutative spaces of scalar valued functions is drastically different from that of the tensor product between two non-commutative spaces of linear operators. In other words, entanglement is a non-commutative phenomenon.