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arXiv:1201.3892 · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences

Qubit purification speed-up for three complementary continuous measurements

Rusko Ruskov, Joshua Combes, Klaus Mølmer, Howard M. Wiseman

Published Oct 22, 2012• 17 citations

Abstract

We consider qubit purification under simultaneous continuous measurement of the three non-commuting qubit operators σ(x), σ(y), σ(z). The purification dynamics is quantified by (i) the average purification rate and (ii) the mean time of reaching a given level of purity, 1-ε. Under ideal measurements (detector efficiency η=1), we show in the first case an asymptotic mean purification speed-up of 4 when compared with a standard (classical) single-detector measurement. However, by the second measure-the mean time of first passage T(ε) of the purity-the corresponding speed-up is only 2. We explain these speed-ups using the isotropy of the qubit evolution that provides an equivalence between the original measurement directions and three simultaneous measurements, one with an axis aligned along the Bloch vector and the other with axes in the two complementary directions. For inefficient detectors, η=1 - δ < 1, the mean time of first passage T(δ,ε)increases because qubit purification competes with an isotropic qubit dephasing. In the asymptotic high-purity limit (ε,δ≪1), we show that the increase possesses a scaling behaviour: ΔT(δ,ε) is a function only of the ratio δ/ε. The increase ΔT(δ,ε) is linear for small arguments, but becomes exponential ~exp(δ,2ε) for δ/ε large.

DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2011.0516

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We consider the evolution of a qubit (spin

1/2

) under the simultaneous continuous measurement of three noncommuting qubit operators ${\stackrel{^}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{x}$, ${\stackrel{^}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{y}$, and ${\stackrel{^}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{z}$. For identical ideal detectors, the qubit state evolves by approaching a pure state with a random direction in the Bloch vector space and by undergoing locally isotropic diffusion in the perpendicular directions. The quantum state conditioned on the complete detector record is used to assess the fidelity of classically inspired estimates based on running time averages and discrete time bin detector outputs.

We present a number of rapid-purification feedback protocols for optical homodyne detection of a single optical qubit. We derive first a protocol that speeds up the rate of increase of the average purity of the system, and find that as in the equivalent protocol for a nondissipative measurement, this generates a deterministic evolution for the purity in the limit of strong feedback. We also consider two analogs of the Wiseman-Ralph rapid-purification protocol in this setting, and show that as in that protocol they speed up the average time taken to reach a fixed level of purity. We also examine how the performance of these algorithms changes with detection efficiency, being an important practical consideration.

Abstract. This paper reconsiders the properties of a scheme for the rapid purification of the quantum state of a qubit, proposed recently in Jacobs 2003 Phys. Rev. A 67 030301(R). The qubit starts in a completely mixed state, and information is obtained by a continuous measurement. Jacobs ’ rapid purification protocol uses Hamiltonian feedback control to maximise the average purity of the qubit for a given time, with a factor of two increase in the purification rate over the no-feedback protocol. However, by re-examining the latter approach, we show that it mininises the average time taken for a qubit to reach a given purity. In fact, the average time taken for the no-feedback protocol beats that for Jacobs ’ protocol by a factor of two. We discuss how this is compatible with Jacobs ’ result, and the usefulness of the different approaches. Reconsidering Rapid Qubit Purification by Feedback 2 1.

This paper reconsiders the claimed rapidity of a scheme for the purification of the quantum state of a qubit, proposed recently in Jacobs (2003 Phys. Rev. A 67 030301(R)). The qubit starts in a completely mixed state, and information is obtained by a continuous measurement. Jacobs' rapid purification protocol uses Hamiltonian feedback control to maximize the average purity of the qubit for a given time , with a factor of two increase in the purification rate over the no-feedback protocol. However, by re-examining the latter approach, we show that it minimizes the average time taken for a qubit to reach a given purity . In fact, the average time taken for the no-feedback protocol beats that for Jacobs' protocol by a factor of two. We discuss how this is compatible with Jacobs' result and the usefulness of the different approaches.

Given an ensemble of mixed qubit states, it is possible to increase the purity of the constituent states using a procedure known as state purification. The reverse operation, which we refer to as dilution, produces a larger ensemble, while reducing the purity level of the systems. In this paper we find asymptotically optimal procedures for purification and dilution of an ensemble of independently and identically distributed mixed qubit states, for some given input and output purities and an asymptotic output rate. Our solution involves using the statistical tool of local asymptotic normality, which recasts the qubit problem in terms of attenuation and amplification of a single-mode displaced Gaussian state. Therefore, to obtain the qubit solutions, we must first solve the analogous problems in the Gaussian setup. We provide full solutions to all of the above for the (global) trace-norm figure of merit.

We address continuous weak linear quantum measurement and argue that it is best understood in terms of statistics of the outcomes of the linear detectors measuring a quantum system, for example, a qubit. We mostly concentrate on a setup consisting of a qubit and three independent detectors that simultaneously monitor three noncommuting operator variables, those corresponding to three pseudospin components of the qubit. We address the joint probability distribution of the detector outcomes and the qubit variables. When analyzing the distribution in the limit of big values of the outcomes, we reveal a high degree of correspondence between the three outcomes and three components of the qubit pseudospin after the measurement. This enables a high-fidelity monitoring of all three components. We discuss the relation between the monitoring described and the algorithms of quantum information theory that use the results of the partial measurement. We develop a proper formalism to evaluate the statistics of continuous weak linear measurement. The formalism is based on Feynman-Vernon approach, roots in the theory of full counting statistics, and boils down to a Bloch-Redfield equation augmented with counting fields.