We analyze the general nonclassicality of correlations of a composite quantum system as measured by the negativity of quantumness. The latter corresponds to the minimum entanglement, as quantified by the negativity that is created between the system and an apparatus that is performing local measurements on a selection of subsystems. The negativity of quantumness thus quantifies the degree of nonclassicality on the measured subsystems. We demonstrate a number of possible different interpretations for this measure and for the concept of quantumness of correlations in general. In particular, for general bipartite states in which the measured subsystem is a qubit, the negativity of quantumness acquires a geometric interpretation as the minimum trace distance from the set of classically correlated states. This can be further reinterpreted as minimum disturbance, with respect to trace norm, due to a local measurement or a nontrivial local unitary operation. We calculate the negativity of quantumness in closed form for Werner and isotropic states and for all two-qubit states for which the reduced state of the system that is locally measured is maximally mixed; this includes all Bell diagonal states. We discuss the operational significance and potential role of the negativity of quantumness in quantum information processing.
We analyze the general nonclassicality of correlations of a composite quantum system as measured by the negativity of quantumness. The latter corresponds to the minimum entanglement, as quantified by the negativity that is created between the system and an apparatus that is performing local measurements on a selection of subsystems. The negativity of quantumness thus quantifies the degree of nonclassicality on the measured subsystems. We demonstrate a number of possible different interpretations for this measure and for the concept of quantumness of correlations in general. In particular, for general bipartite states in which the measured subsystem is a qubit, the negativity of quantumness acquires a geometric interpretation as the minimum trace distance from the set of classically correlated states. This can be further reinterpreted as minimum disturbance, with respect to trace norm, due to a local measurement or a nontrivial local unitary operation. We calculate the negativity of quantumness in closed form for Werner and isotropic states and for all two-qubit states for which the reduced state of the system that is locally measured is maximally mixed; this includes all Bell diagonal states. We discuss the operational significance and potential role of the negativity of quantumness in quantum information processing.
We analyze a family of measures of general quantum correlations for composite systems, defined in terms of the bipartite entanglement necessarily created between systems and apparatuses during local measurements. For every entanglement monotone E, this operational correspondence provides a different measure QE of quantum correlations. Examples of such measures are the relative entropy of quantumness, the quantum deficit, and the negativity of quantumness. In general, we prove that any so-defined quantum correlation measure is always greater than (or equal to) the corresponding entanglement between the subsystems, ${Q}_{E}\ensuremath{\ge}E$, for arbitrary states of composite quantum systems. We analyze qualitatively and quantitatively the flow of correlations in iterated measurements, showing that general quantum correlations and entanglement can never decrease along von Neumann chains, and that genuine multipartite entanglement in the initial state of the observed system always gives rise to genuine multipartite entanglement among all subsystems and all measurement apparatuses at any level in the chain. Our results provide a comprehensive framework to understand and quantify general quantum correlations in multipartite states.
Composite quantum systems can be in generic states characterized not only by entanglement but also by more general quantum correlations. The interplay between these two signatures of nonclassicality is still not completely understood. In this work we investigate this issue, focusing on computable and observable measures of such correlations: entanglement is quantified by the negativity N, while general quantum correlations are measured by the (normalized) geometric quantum discord DG. For two-qubit systems, we find that the geometric discord reduces to the squared negativity on pure states, while the relationship ${D}_{G}\ensuremath{\ge}{\mathcal{N}}^{2}$ holds for arbitrary mixed states. The latter result is rigorously extended to pure, Werner, and isotropic states of two-qudit systems for arbitrary d, and numerical evidence of its validity for arbitrary states of a qubit and a qutrit is provided as well. Our results establish an interesting hierarchy, which we conjecture to be universal, between two relevant and experimentally friendly nonclassicality indicators. This ties in with the intuition that general quantum correlations should at least contain and in general exceed entanglement on mixed states of composite quantum systems.
Among all entanglement measures negativity arguably is the best known and most popular tool to quantify bipartite quantum correlations. It is easily computed for arbitrary states of a composite system and can therefore be applied to discuss entanglement in an ample variety of situations. However, as opposed to logarithmic negativity, its direct physical meaning has not been pointed out yet. We show that the negativity can be viewed as an estimator of how many degrees of freedom of two subsystems are entangled. As it is possible to give lower bounds for the negativity even in a device-independent setting, it is the appropriate quantity to certify quantumness of both parties in a bipartite system and to determine the minimum number of dimensions that contribute to the quantum correlations.
We study the quantumness of correlations for ensembles of bi- and multi-partite systems and relate it to the task of quantum data hiding. Quantumness is here intended in the sense of minimum average disturbance under local measurements. We consider a very general framework, but focus on local complete von Neumann measurements as cause of the disturbance, and, later on, on the trace-distance as quantifier of the disturbance. We discuss connections with entanglement and previously defined notions of quantumness of correlations. We prove that a large class of quantifiers of the quantumness of correlations are entanglement monotones for pure bipartite states. In particular, we define an entanglement of disturbance for pure states, for which we give an analytical expression. Such a measure coincides with negativity and concurrence for the case of two qubits. We compute general bounds on disturbance for both single states and ensembles, and consider several examples, including the uniform Haar ensemble of pure states, and pairs of qubit states. Finally, we show that the notion of ensemble quantumness of correlations is most relevant in quantum data hiding. Indeed, while it is known that entanglement is not necessary for a good quantum data hiding scheme, we prove that ensemble quantumness of correlations is.
We study the quantumness of correlations for ensembles of bi- and multi-partite systems and relate it to the task of quantum data hiding. Quantumness is here intended in the sense of minimum average disturbance under local measurements. We consider a very general framework, but focus on local complete von Neumann measurements as the cause of the disturbance, and, later on, on the trace-distance as a quantifier of the disturbance. We discuss connections with entanglement and previously defined notions of quantumness of correlations. We prove that a large class of quantifiers of the quantumness of correlations are entanglement monotones for pure bipartite states. In particular, we define an entanglement of disturbance for pure states, for which we give an analytical expression. Such a measure coincides with negativity and concurrence for the case of two qubits. We compute general bounds on disturbance for both single states and ensembles, and consider several examples, including the uniform Haar ensemble of pure states, and pairs of qubit states. Finally, we show that the notion of ensemble quantumness of correlations is most relevant in quantum data hiding. Indeed, while it is known that entanglement is not necessary for a good quantum data-hiding scheme, we prove that ensemble quantumness of correlations is necessary.
We show that only those composite quantum systems possessing nonvanishing quantum correlations have the property that any nontrivial local unitary evolution changes their global state. We derive the exact relation between the global state change induced by local unitary evolutions and the amount of quantum correlations. We prove that the minimal change coincides with the geometric measure of discord (defined via the Hilbert-Schmidt norm), thus providing the latter with an operational interpretation in terms of the capability of a local unitary dynamics to modify a global state. We establish that two-qubit Werner states are maximally quantum correlated, and are thus the ones that maximize this type of global quantum effect. Finally, we show that similar results hold when replacing the Hilbert-Schmidt norm with the trace norm.