Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1110.1645 · Journal of Mathematical Physics

Classical and nonclassical randomness in quantum measurements

Douglas Farenick, Sarah Plosker, Jerrod Smith

Published Dec 1, 2011• 19 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The space POVM H(X) of positive operator-valued probability measures on the Borel sets of a compact (or even locally compact) Hausdorff space X with values in B(H), the algebra of linear operators acting on a d-dimensional Hilbert space H, is studied from the perspectives of classical and nonclassical convexity through a transform Γ that associates any positive operator-valued measure ν with a certain completely positive linear map Γ(ν) of the homogeneous C*-algebra C(X)⊗B(H) into B(H). This association is achieved by using an operator-valued integral in which nonclassical random variables (that is, operator-valued functions) are integrated with respect to positive operator-valued measures and which has the feature that the integral of a random quantum effect is itself a quantum effect. A left inverse Ω for Γ yields an integral representation, along the lines of the classical Riesz representation theorem for linear functionals on C(X), of certain (but not all) unital completely positive linear maps φ:C(X)⊗B(H)→B(H). The extremal and C*-extremal points of POVM H(X) are determined.

DOI
10.1063/1.3668081

Related papers

Bistochastic operators and quantum random variables

Sarah Plosker, Christopher Ramsey

Given a positive operator-valued measure $ν$ acting on the Borel sets of a locally compact Hausdorff space $X$, with outcomes in the algebra $\mathcal B(\mathcal H)$ of all bounded operators on a (possibly infinite-dimensional) Hilbert space $\mathcal H$, one can consider $ν$-integrable functions $X\rightarrow \mathcal B(\mathcal H)$ that are positive quantum random variables. We define a seminorm on the span of such functions which in the quotient leads to a Banach space. We consider bistochastic operators acting on this space and majorization of quantum random variables is then defined with respect to these operators. As in classical majorization theory, we relate majorization in this context to an inequality involving all possible convex functions of a certain type. Unlike the classical setting, continuity and convergence issues arise throughout the work.

arXiv:2005.00005•Apr 30, 2020•1 citation

On a quantum martingale convergence theorem

Kyler Scott Bridgen Johnson, Michael J. Kozdron

It is well known in quantum information theory that a positive operator-valued measure (POVM) is the most general kind of quantum measurement. Mathematically, a quantum probability is a normalized POVM, namely, a function on certain subsets of a (locally compact and Hausdorff) sample space that satisfies the formal requirements for a probability measure and whose values are positive operators acting on a complex Hilbert space. A quantum random variable is an operator-valued function which is measurable with respect to a quantum probability. In this work, we study quantum random variables and generalize several classical limit results to the quantum setting. We prove a quantum analogue of the Lebesgue-dominated convergence theorem and use it to prove a quantum martingale convergence theorem. This quantum martingale convergence theorem is of particular interest since it exhibits nonclassical behavior; even though the limit of the martingale exists and is unique, it is not explicitly identifiable. However, we provide a partial classification of the limit through a study of the space of all quantum random variables having quantum expectation zero.

arXiv:1504.03829•International Journal of Quantum Information•Oct 28, 2022•0 citations

On Operator Valued Measures

Darian McLaren, Sarah Plosker, Christopher Ramsey

We consider positive operator valued measures whose image is the bounded operators acting on an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space, and we relax, when possible, the usual assumption of positivity of the operator valued measure seen in the quantum information theory literature. We define the Radon-Nikodym derivative of a positive operator valued measure with respect to a complex measure induced by a given quantum state; this derivative does not always exist when the Hilbert space is infinite dimensional in so much as its range may include unbounded operators. We define integrability of a positive quantum random variable with respect to a positive operator valued measure. Emphasis is put on the structure of operator valued measures, and we develop positive operator valued versions of the Lebesque decomposition theorem and Johnson's atomic and nonatomic decomposition theorem. Beyond these generalizations, we make connections between absolute continuity and the "cleanness" relation defined on positive operator valued measures as well as to the notion of atomic and nonatomic measures.

arXiv:1801.00331•Dec 31, 2017•9 citations

8 Barycentric decomposition of quantum measurements in finite dimensions

G. Chiribella, G. M. D’ariano, D. -m. Schlingemann

We analyze the convex structure of the set of positive operator valued measures (POVMs) representing quantum measurements on a given finite dimensional quantum system, with outcomes in a given locally compact Hausdorff space. The extreme points of the convex set are operator valued measures concentrated on a finite set of k≤d2 points of the outcome space, d<∞ being the dimension of the Hilbert space. We prove that for second-countable outcome spaces any POVM admits a Choquet representation as the barycenter of the set of extreme points with respect to a suitable probability measure. In the general case, Krein–Milman theorem is invoked to represent POVMs as barycenters of a certain set of POVMs concentrated on k≤d2 points of the outcome space.

•Aug 17, 2016•19 citations

Categorical characterizations of operator-valued measures

Frank Roumen

The most general type of measurement in quantum physics is modeled by a positive operator-valued measure (POVM). Mathematically, a POVM is a generalization of a measure, whose values are not real numbers, but positive operators on a Hilbert space. POVMs can equivalently be viewed as maps between effect algebras or as maps between algebras for the Giry monad. We will show that this equivalence is an instance of a duality between two categories. In the special case of continuous POVMs, we obtain two equivalent representations in terms of morphisms between von Neumann algebras.

arXiv:1412.8528•Electronic Proceedings in Theoretical Computer Science•Dec 26, 2014•0 citations

Approximately clean quantum probability measures

Douglas Farenick, Remus Floricel, Sarah Plosker

A quantum probability measure–or quantum measurement–is said to be clean if it cannot be irreversibly connected to any other quantum probability measure via a quantum channel. The notion of a clean quantum measure was introduced by Buscemi et al. [“Clean positive operator valued measures,” J. Math. Phys. 46(8), 082109 (2005)10.1063/1.2008996] for finite-dimensional Hilbert space, and was studied subsequently by Kahn [“Clean positive operator-valued measures for qubits and similar cases,” J. Phys. A 40(18), 4817–4832 (2007)10.1088/1751-8113/40/18/009] and Pellonpää [“Complete characterization of extreme quantum observables in finite dimensions,” J. Phys. A 44(8), 085304 (2011)10.1088/1751-8113/44/8/085304]. The present paper provides new descriptions of clean quantum probability measures in the case of finite-dimensional Hilbert space. For Hilbert spaces of infinite dimension, we introduce the notion of “approximately clean quantum probability measures” and characterise this property for measures whose range determines a finite-dimensional operator system.

arXiv:1811.11857•Journal of Mathematical Physics•May 1, 2013•6 citations
The space POVM H(X) of positive operator-valued probability measures on the Borel sets of a compact (or even locally compact) Hausdorff space X with values in B(H), the algebra of linear operators acting on a d-dimensional Hilbert space H, is studied from the perspectives of classical and nonclassical convexity through a transform Γ that associates any positive operator-valued measure ν with a certain completely positive linear map Γ(ν) of the homogeneous C*-algebra C(X)⊗B(H) into B(H). This association is achieved by using an operator-valued integral in which nonclassical random variables (that is, operator-valued functions) are integrated with respect to positive operator-valued measures and which has the feature that the integral of a random quantum effect is itself a quantum effect. A left inverse Ω for Γ yields an integral representation, along the lines of the classical Riesz representation theorem for linear functionals on C(X), of certain (but not all) unital completely positive linear maps φ:C(X)⊗B(H)→B(H). The extremal and C*-extremal points of POVM H(X) are determined.
Given a positive operator-valued measure ννν acting on the Borel sets of a locally compact Hausdorff space XXX, with outcomes in the algebra B(H)\mathcal B(\mathcal H)B(H) of all bounded operators on a (possibly infinite-dimensional) Hilbert space H\mathcal HH, one can consider ννν-integrable functions X→B(H)X\rightarrow \mathcal B(\mathcal H)X→B(H) that are positive quantum random variables. We define a seminorm on the span of such functions which in the quotient leads to a Banach space. We consider bistochastic operators acting on this space and majorization of quantum random variables is then defined with respect to these operators. As in classical majorization theory, we relate majorization in this context to an inequality involving all possible convex functions of a certain type. Unlike the classical setting, continuity and convergence issues arise throughout the work.
It is well known in quantum information theory that a positive operator-valued measure (POVM) is the most general kind of quantum measurement. Mathematically, a quantum probability is a normalized POVM, namely, a function on certain subsets of a (locally compact and Hausdorff) sample space that satisfies the formal requirements for a probability measure and whose values are positive operators acting on a complex Hilbert space. A quantum random variable is an operator-valued function which is measurable with respect to a quantum probability. In this work, we study quantum random variables and generalize several classical limit results to the quantum setting. We prove a quantum analogue of the Lebesgue-dominated convergence theorem and use it to prove a quantum martingale convergence theorem. This quantum martingale convergence theorem is of particular interest since it exhibits nonclassical behavior; even though the limit of the martingale exists and is unique, it is not explicitly identifiable. However, we provide a partial classification of the limit through a study of the space of all quantum random variables having quantum expectation zero.
We consider positive operator valued measures whose image is the bounded operators acting on an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space, and we relax, when possible, the usual assumption of positivity of the operator valued measure seen in the quantum information theory literature. We define the Radon-Nikodym derivative of a positive operator valued measure with respect to a complex measure induced by a given quantum state; this derivative does not always exist when the Hilbert space is infinite dimensional in so much as its range may include unbounded operators. We define integrability of a positive quantum random variable with respect to a positive operator valued measure. Emphasis is put on the structure of operator valued measures, and we develop positive operator valued versions of the Lebesque decomposition theorem and Johnson's atomic and nonatomic decomposition theorem. Beyond these generalizations, we make connections between absolute continuity and the "cleanness" relation defined on positive operator valued measures as well as to the notion of atomic and nonatomic measures.
We analyze the convex structure of the set of positive operator valued measures (POVMs) representing quantum measurements on a given finite dimensional quantum system, with outcomes in a given locally compact Hausdorff space. The extreme points of the convex set are operator valued measures concentrated on a finite set of k≤d2 points of the outcome space, d<∞ being the dimension of the Hilbert space. We prove that for second-countable outcome spaces any POVM admits a Choquet representation as the barycenter of the set of extreme points with respect to a suitable probability measure. In the general case, Krein–Milman theorem is invoked to represent POVMs as barycenters of a certain set of POVMs concentrated on k≤d2 points of the outcome space.
The most general type of measurement in quantum physics is modeled by a positive operator-valued measure (POVM). Mathematically, a POVM is a generalization of a measure, whose values are not real numbers, but positive operators on a Hilbert space. POVMs can equivalently be viewed as maps between effect algebras or as maps between algebras for the Giry monad. We will show that this equivalence is an instance of a duality between two categories. In the special case of continuous POVMs, we obtain two equivalent representations in terms of morphisms between von Neumann algebras.
A quantum probability measure–or quantum measurement–is said to be clean if it cannot be irreversibly connected to any other quantum probability measure via a quantum channel. The notion of a clean quantum measure was introduced by Buscemi et al. [“Clean positive operator valued measures,” J. Math. Phys. 46(8), 082109 (2005)10.1063/1.2008996] for finite-dimensional Hilbert space, and was studied subsequently by Kahn [“Clean positive operator-valued measures for qubits and similar cases,” J. Phys. A 40(18), 4817–4832 (2007)10.1088/1751-8113/40/18/009] and Pellonpää [“Complete characterization of extreme quantum observables in finite dimensions,” J. Phys. A 44(8), 085304 (2011)10.1088/1751-8113/44/8/085304]. The present paper provides new descriptions of clean quantum probability measures in the case of finite-dimensional Hilbert space. For Hilbert spaces of infinite dimension, we introduce the notion of “approximately clean quantum probability measures” and characterise this property for measures whose range determines a finite-dimensional operator system.