Quantum steering inequalities allow to demonstrate the presence of entanglement between two parties when one of the two measurement devices is not trusted. Here we show that quantum steering can be demonstrated for an arbitrary low detection efficiency by using two-qubit non-maximally-entangled states. Our result can have important applications in one-sided device-independent quantum key distribution.
Quantum steering inequalities allow to demonstrate the presence of entanglement between two parties when one of the two measurement devices is not trusted. Here we show that quantum steering can be demonstrated for an arbitrary low detection efficiency by using two-qubit non-maximally-entangled states. Our result can have important applications in one-sided device-independent quantum key distribution.
Quantum inseparabilities can be classified into three inequivalent forms: entanglement, Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering, and Bell's nonlocality. Bell-nonlocal states form a strict subset of EPR steerable states which also form a strict subset of entangled states. Recently, EPR steerable states have been shown to be fundamental resources for one-sided device-independent quantum information processing tasks and, hence, identification of EPR steerable states becomes important from foundational as well as informational theoretic perspectives. In the present paper, we propose a criterion to detect whether a given two-qubit state is EPR steerable. From an arbitrary given two-qubit state, another two-qubit state is constructed in such a way that the given state is EPR steerable if the new constructed state is entangled. Hence, EPR steerability of an arbitrary two-qubit state can be detected by detecting entanglement of the newly constructed state. Apart from providing a distinctive way to detect EPR steering without using any steering inequality, the present paper also provides an alternative way to avoid locality loopholes in EPR steering tests and to reduce the ``complexity cost'' present in experimentally detecting EPR steering. We also generalize our criteria to detect EPR steering of higher dimensional quantum states. Finally, we illustrate our result by using our proposed technique to detect EPR steerability of various families of mixed states.
Bell non-locality between distant quantum systems—that is, joint correlations which violate a Bell inequality—can be verified without trusting the measurement devices used, nor those performing the measurements. This leads to unconditionally secure protocols for quantum information tasks such as cryptographic key distribution. However, complete verification of Bell non-locality requires high detection efficiencies, and is not robust to typical transmission losses over long distances. In contrast, quantum or Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen steering, a weaker form of quantum correlation, can be verified for arbitrarily low detection efficiencies and high losses. The cost is that current steering-verification protocols require complete trust in one of the measurement devices and its operator, allowing only one-sided secure key distribution. Here we present measurement-device-independent steering protocols that remove this need for trust, even when Bell non-locality is not present. We experimentally demonstrate this principle for singlet states and states that do not violate a Bell inequality. Quantum steering is a form of quantum non-locality that can be verified for arbitrarily low detection efficiencies and high losses at the price of requiring complete trust in one of the parties. Here, Kocsis et al. present measurement-device-independent steering protocols that remove this need for trust.
Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering, as a new form of nonlocality, stands between entanglement and Bell nonlocality, implying promising applications for quantum information tasks. The problem of detecting EPR steering plays an important role in characterization of quantum nonlocality. Despite some significant progress, one still faces a practical issue: how to detect EPR steering in an experimentally friendly fashion. Resorting to an EPR steering inequality, one is required to apply a strategy as efficiently as possible for any selected measurement settings on the two subsystems, one of which may not be trusted. Inspired by the recent powerful linear criteria proposed by Saunders et al. [D. J. Saunders, S. J. Jones, H. M. Wiseman, and G. J. Pryde, Nat. Phys. 6, 845 (2010).], we present an optimized method of certifying steering for an arbitrary-dimensional state in a cost-effective manner. We provide a practical way to signify steering via only a few settings to optimally violate the steering inequality. Our method leads to steering detections in a highly efficient way, and can be performed with any number of settings, for an arbitrary bipartite mixed state, which can reduce experimental overheads significantly.
Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering is a form of quantum nonlocality which is intermediate between entanglement and Bell nonlocality. EPR steering is a resource for quantum key distribution that is device independent on only one side in that it certifies bipartite entanglement when one party's device is not characterized while the other party's device is fully characterized. In this work, we introduce two types of genuine tripartite EPR steering, and derive two steering inequalities to detect them. In a semi-device-independent scenario where only the dimensions of two parties are assumed, the correlations which violate one of these inequalities also certify genuine tripartite entanglement. It is known that Alice can demonstrate bipartite EPR steering to Bob if and only if her measurement settings are incompatible. We demonstrate that quantum correlations can also detect tripartite EPR steering from Alice to Bob and Charlie, even if Charlie's measurement settings are compatible.
We derive a steering inequality based on a fine-grained uncertainty relation to capture Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering for bipartite systems. Our steering inequality improves over previous ones since it can experimentally detect all steerable two-qubit Werner state with only two measurement settings on each side. According to our inequality, pure entangled states are maximally steerable. Moreover, by slightly changing the setting, we can express the amount of violation of our inequality as a function of their violation of the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality. Finally, after deriving a monogamy relation we prove that the amount of violation of our steering inequality is, up to a constant factor, a lower bound on the key rate of a one-sided device-independent quantum key distribution protocol secure against individual attacks.
We demonstrate the violation of an Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering inequality developed for single-photon path entanglement with displacement-based detection. We use a high-rate source of heralded single-photon path-entangled states, combined with high-efficiency superconducting-based detectors, in a scheme that is free of any postselection and thus immune to the detection loophole. This result conclusively demonstrates single-photon entanglement in a one-sided device-independent scenario, and opens the way towards implementations of device-independent quantum technologies within the paradigm of path entanglement.