Abstract The origin of non-classicality in physical systems and its connection to distinctly quantum features such as entanglement and coherence is a central question in quantum physics. This work analyses this question theoretically and experimentally, linking quantitatively non-classicality with quantum coherence. On the theoretical front, we show when the coherence of an observable is linearly related to the degree of violation of the Kolmogorov condition, which quantifies the deviation from any classical (non-invasive) explanation of the multi-time statistics. Experimentally, we probe this connection between coherence and non-classicality in a time-multiplexed optical quantum walk. We demonstrate exquisite control of quantum coherence of the walker by varying the degree of coherent superposition effected by the coin, and we show a concomitant variation in the degree of non-classicality of the walker statistics, which can be accessed directly by virtue of the unprecedented control on the measurement-induced effects obtained via fast programmable electro-optic modulators.
Abstract The origin of non-classicality in physical systems and its connection to distinctly quantum features such as entanglement and coherence is a central question in quantum physics. This work analyses this question theoretically and experimentally, linking quantitatively non-classicality with quantum coherence. On the theoretical front, we show when the coherence of an observable is linearly related to the degree of violation of the Kolmogorov condition, which quantifies the deviation from any classical (non-invasive) explanation of the multi-time statistics. Experimentally, we probe this connection between coherence and non-classicality in a time-multiplexed optical quantum walk. We demonstrate exquisite control of quantum coherence of the walker by varying the degree of coherent superposition effected by the coin, and we show a concomitant variation in the degree of non-classicality of the walker statistics, which can be accessed directly by virtue of the unprecedented control on the measurement-induced effects obtained via fast programmable electro-optic modulators.
The classicalization of a decoherent discrete-time quantum walk on a line or an n-cycle can be demonstrated in various ways that do not necessarily provide a geometry-independent description. For example, the position probability distribution becomes increasingly Gaussian, with a concomitant fall in the standard deviation, in the former case, but not in the latter. As another example, each step of the quantum walk on a line may be subjected to an arbitrary phase gate, without affecting the position probability distribution, no matter whether the walk is noiseless or noisy. This symmetry, which is absent in the case of noiseless cyclic walk, but is restored in the presence of sufficient noise, serves as an indicator of classicalization, but only in the cyclic case. Here we show that the degree of quantum correlations between the coin and position degrees of freedom, quantified by a measure based on the disturbance induced by local measurements [Luo, Phys. Rev. A 77, 022301 (2008)], provides a suitable measure of classicalization across both type of walks. Applying this measure to compare the two walks, we find that cyclic quantum walks tend to classicalize faster than quantum walks on a line because of more efficient phase randomization due to the self-interference of the two counter-rotating waves. We model noise as acting on the coin, and given by the squeezed generalized amplitude damping (SGAD) channel, which generalizes the generalized amplitude damping channel.
Answers to the question how a classical world emerges from underlying quantum physics are revisited, connected and extended as follows. First, three distinct concepts are compared: decoherence in open quantum systems, consistent/decoherent histories and Kolmogorov consistency. Second, the crucial role of quantum Markovianity (defined rigorously) to connect these concepts is established. Third, using a random matrix theory model, quantum effects are shown to be exponentially suppressed in the measurement statistics of slow and coarse observables despite the presence of large amount of coherences. This is also numerically exemplified, and it highlights the potential and importance of non-integrability and chaos for the emergence of classicality.
The field of quantum computation and quantum simulation has been recently driven to a new rising edge by the experimental realization of quantum walks in various setups, highlighting that different physical systems can be adapted for the implementation of these models. In particular, optical systems have shown their full potential, allowing the experimental demonstration of two-dimensional quantum walks for the first time [1, 2], even if several further progresses will sur ely be obtained also in the other physical scenarios that have been already exploited for the one-dimensional case [3, 4]. From the theoretical point of view, the interest in twodimensional quantum walks has been boosted by the fact that, differently from the one-dimensional version, highe rdimensional schemes (i.e., walkers moving on structures with dimension larger than one) can be exploited for the efficient implementation of quantum search algorithms [5]. In particular, the Grover walk has been intensively studied due to its localization feature [6]. It has been proved that the non localized case of the Grover walk can be simulated by a walk where the requirement of a higher dimensionality of the coin space is substituted with the alternance of the directions i n which the walker can move [7]. In the quest for more feasible quantum walk models, an important step forward is presented in this paper: a strong localization-like effect can be indeed obtained in the modified version of the alternate quantum walk presented here, reducing the gap with the standard two-dimensional version. This result could pave the way for adapting this scheme to the realization of quantum algorithms, providing a clear advantage in terms of experimental resources. After a short introduct ion on the quantum walk studied here, we characterize it in terms of its relevant parameters and show that a proper choice can guarantee a non-negligible probability of finding the walke r at the origin even for large times. We then hint at a qualitative relation between the ability of the system to localize and th e behavior of coherences established in the state of the parti cles performing a two-particle equivalent scheme of the walk, which in turns provides information on the way correlations are set up between them. We discuss the robustness of this model to imperfections and its possible experimental realization with the current state-of-the-art settings in linear o ptics and cold-atom devices. Let us consider a quantum system with two degrees of freedom, and thus described by a vector in the composite Hilbert space H = HW ⊗ HC . The coin space HC is a two-dimensional Hilbert space spanned by {|0i,|1i} and the walker space HW is an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space spanned by {|x,yi}, with x and y assuming all possible integer values. We take as a basis of this space H the set {|x,y,ci}, with |x,y,ci= |x,yiW ⊗ |ciC ; x and y could denote, for instance, the position of a particle ( walker) along the x and y directions, respectively, while |ciC is an internal twolevel degree of freedom. From now on, we consider|0,0iW as the initial state of our walker, and |+yiC = (|0iC+i|1iC)/ √ 2 as the coin one. The evolution of the system is given by a sequence of conditional shift, coin operations, and phase gates. The effec t of the two different conditional shift operations
The wave-particle duality that manifests in the Young's double-slit interferometry satisfying the well known Englert-Greenberger-Yasin inequality has recently been shown to obey a universal triality relation involving coherence, predictability and rather surprisingly entanglement. In the present work, we explicitly demonstrate the persistence of the triality relation in the quantum induced coherence interferometer and the classical configuration recovers the well known duality inequality. Furthermore, we explore the origin of coherence and entanglement, in the induced coherence interferometer, and means to control them. We show that path indistinguishability (or intrinsic indistinguishability of the sources) in our setup plays a complementary role in influencing both interference and entanglement. We bring out manifestly the nature of coherence in both classical and quantum versions of induced coherence interferometers.
Abstract Although quantum coherence is a basic trait of quantum mechanics, the presence of coherences in the quantum description of a certain phenomenon does not rule out the possibility to give an alternative description of the same phenomenon in purely classical terms. Here, we give definite criteria to determine when and to what extent quantum coherence is equivalent to non-classicality. We prove that a Markovian multi-time statistics obtained from repeated measurements of a non-degenerate observable cannot be traced back to a classical statistics if and only if the dynamics generates coherences and subsequently turns them into populations. Furthermore, we show with simple examples that such connection between quantum coherence and non-classicality is generally absent if the statistics is non-Markovian.
Quantum walks constitute a rich area of quantum information science, where multipartite entanglement plays a central role in the dynamics and scalability of quantum advantage over classical simulators. In this work, we study the multipartite entanglement of quantum walks in optical settings. We present methods for computing a geometric measure of entanglement for arbitrary partitions of a single-walker quantum walk and for analyzing the entanglement in multi-walker scenarios. These techniques are used for numerical studies on the entanglement dynamics of quantum walks in large systems and under various initial conditions. For a given bipartition, based on the coin degrees of freedom, we derive exact expressions describing the complete entanglement dynamics for arbitrary localized initial conditions. We use these expressions for analytic statements about the asymptotic behavior of the system. Furthermore, we demonstrate the emergence of entanglement typicality in statistical ensembles of random optical networks.