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arXiv:1503.00239 · Physical Review A

Implications and applications of the variance-based uncertainty equalities

Yao Yao, Xing Mao Xiao, Xiaoguang Wang, C. P. Sun

Published Jun 11, 2015• 29 citations

Abstract

In quantum mechanics, the variance-based Heisenberg-type uncertainty relations are a series of mathematical inequalities posing the fundamental limits on the achievable accuracy of the state preparations. In contrast, we construct and formulate two quantum uncertainty equalities, which hold for all pairs of incompatible observables and indicate the new uncertainty relations recently introduced by L. Maccone and A. K. Pati [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 260401 (2014)]. In fact, we obtain a series of inequalities with hierarchical structure, including the Maccone-Pati's inequalities as a special (weakest) case. Furthermore, we present an explicit interpretation lying behind the derivations and relate these relations to the so-called intelligent states. As an illustration, we investigate the properties of these uncertainty inequalities in the qubit system and a state-independent bound is obtained for the sum of variances. Finally, we apply these inequalities to the spin squeezing scenario and its implication in interferometric sensitivity is also discussed.

DOI: 10.1103/physreva.91.062113

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In quantum mechanics, the variance-based Heisenberg-type uncertainty relations are a series of mathematical inequalities posing the fundamental limits on the achievable accuracy of the state preparations. In contrast, we construct and formulate two quantum uncertainty equalities, which hold for all pairs of incompatible observables and indicate the new uncertainty relations recently introduced by L. Maccone and A. K. Pati [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 260401 (2014)]. In fact, we obtain a series of inequalities with hierarchical structure, including the Maccone-Pati's inequalities as a special (weakest) case. Furthermore, we present an explicit interpretation lying behind the derivations and relate these relations to the so-called intelligent states. As an illustration, we investigate the properties of these uncertainty inequalities in the qubit system and a state-independent bound is obtained for the sum of variances. Finally, we apply these inequalities to the spin squeezing scenario and its implication in interferometric sensitivity is also discussed.

Recently, Maccone and Pati [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 113}, 260401 (2014)] derived few inequalities among variances of incompatible operators which they called stronger uncertainty relations, stronger than Heisenberg-Robertson or Schrodinger uncertainty relations. Here we generalize their study to get infinite number of such inequalities and propose that only one of them may be the correct uncertainty relation between incompatible operators. We get back well known uncertainty relations of Heisenberg-Robertson and Schrodinger under certain limits. We also reexamine the conclusions of Maccone and Pati and comment on their work.

Recently, Maccone and Pati have given two stronger uncertainty relations based on the sum of variances and one of them is nontrivial when the quantum state is not an eigenstate of the sum of the observables. We derive a family of weighted uncertainty relations to provide an optimal lower bound for all situations and remove the restriction on the quantum state. Generalization to multi-observable cases is also given and an optimal lower bound for the weighted sum of the variances is obtained in general quantum situation.

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Abstract Unitary uncertainty relations provide a theoretical framework that enhances our understanding of the principles underlying quantum mechanics and its applications in quantum information science. In this study, we derive both the unitary uncertainty relation and the weighted unitary uncertainty relation based on the sum variance for arbitrary pairs of unitary operators. By applying the arithmetic geometric mean inequality, we obtain a lower bound that is tighter than the one provided by Bagchi and Pati. [Physical Review A 94,042104] for two unitary operators. To illustrate our results, we include examples of both the unitary uncertainty relation and the weighted uncertainty relation based on sum variance.

We prove a few state-dependent uncertainty relations for the product as well as the sum of variances of two incompatible observables. These uncertainty relations are shown to be tighter than the Robertson-Schr\"odinger uncertainty relation and other ones existing in the current literature. Also, we derive a state-dependent upper bound to the sum and the product of variances using the reverse Cauchy-Schwarz inequality and the Dunkl-Williams inequality. Our results suggest that not only can we not prepare quantum states for which two incompatible observables can have sharp values, but also we have both the lower and the upper limits on the variances of quantum mechanical observables at a fundamental level.

Learning physical properties of a quantum system is essential for the developments of quantum technologies. However, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle constrains the potential knowledge one can simultaneously have about a system in quantum theory. Aside from its fundamental significance, the mathematical characterization of this restriction, known as ‘uncertainty relation’, plays important roles in a wide range of applications, stimulating the formation of tighter uncertainty relations. In this work, we investigate the fundamental limitations of variance-based uncertainty relations, and introduce several ‘near optimal’ bounds for incompatible observables. Our results consist of two morphologically distinct phases: lower bounds that illustrate the uncertainties about measurement outcomes, and the upper bound that indicates the potential knowledge we can gain. Combining them together leads to an uncertainty interval, which captures the essence of uncertainties in quantum theory. Finally, we have detailed how to formulate lower bounds for product-form variance-based uncertainty relations by employing entropic uncertainty relations, and hence built a link between different forms of uncertainty relations.