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arXiv:2203.09468

Markov chains with doubly stochastic transition matrices and application to a sequence of non-selective quantum measurements

Apostol Vourdas

Published Mar 16, 2022• 0 citations
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Abstract

A time-dependent finite-state Markov chain that uses doubly stochastic transition matrices, is considered. Entropic quantities that describe the randomness of the probability vectors, and also the randomness of the discrete paths, are studied. Universal convex polytopes are introduced which contain all future probability vectors, and which are based on the Birkhoff-von Neumann expansion for doubly stochastic matrices. They are universal in the sense that they depend only on the present probability vector, and are independent of the doubly stochastic transition matrices that describe time evolution in the future. It is shown that as the discrete time increases these convex polytopes shrink, and the minimum entropy of the probability vectors in them increases. These ideas are applied to a sequence of non-selective measurements (with different projectors in each step) on a quantum system with $d$-dimensional Hilbert space. The unitary time evolution in the intervals between the measurements, is taken into account. The non-selective measurements destroy stroboscopically the non-diagonal elements in the density matrix. This `hermaphrodite' system is an interesting combination of a classical probabilistic system (immediately after the measurements) and a quantum system (in the intervals between the measurements). Various examples are discussed. In the ergodic example, the system follows asymptotically all discrete paths with the same probability. In the example of rapidly repeated non-selective measurements, we get the well known quantum Zeno effect with `frozen discrete paths' (presented here as a biproduct of our general methodology based on Markov chains with doubly stochastic transition matrices).

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2203.09468

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A time-dependent finite-state Markov chain that uses doubly stochastic transition matrices, is considered. Entropic quantities that describe the randomness of the probability vectors, and also the randomness of the discrete paths, are studied. Universal convex polytopes are introduced which contain all future probability vectors, and which are based on the Birkhoff-von Neumann expansion for doubly stochastic matrices. They are universal in the sense that they depend only on the present probability vector, and are independent of the doubly stochastic transition matrices that describe time evolution in the future. It is shown that as the discrete time increases these convex polytopes shrink, and the minimum entropy of the probability vectors in them increases. These ideas are applied to a sequence of non-selective measurements (with different projectors in each step) on a quantum system with ddd-dimensional Hilbert space. The unitary time evolution in the intervals between the measurements, is taken into account. The non-selective measurements destroy stroboscopically the non-diagonal elements in the density matrix. This hermaphrodite' system is an interesting combination of a classical probabilistic system (immediately after the measurements) and a quantum system (in the intervals between the measurements). Various examples are discussed. In the ergodic example, the system follows asymptotically all discrete paths with the same probability. In the example of rapidly repeated non-selective measurements, we get the well known quantum Zeno effect with frozen discrete paths' (presented here as a biproduct of our general methodology based on Markov chains with doubly stochastic transition matrices).
A time-dependent finite-state Markov chain that uses doubly stochastic transition matrices, is considered. Entropic quantities that describe the randomness of the probability vectors, and also the randomness of the discrete paths, are studied. Universal convex polytopes are introduced which contain all future probability vectors, and which are based on the Birkhoff–von Neumann expansion for doubly stochastic matrices. They are universal in the sense that they depend only on the present probability vector, and are independent of the doubly stochastic transition matrices that describe time evolution in the future. It is shown that as the discrete time increases these convex polytopes shrink, and the minimum entropy of the probability vectors in them increases. These ideas are applied to a sequence of non-selective measurements (with different projectors in each step) on a quantum system with d-dimensional Hilbert space. The unitary time evolution in the intervals between the measurements, is taken into account. The non-selective measurements destroy stroboscopically the non-diagonal elements in the density matrix. This ‘hermaphrodite’ system is an interesting combination of a classical probabilistic system (immediately after the measurements) and a quantum system (in the intervals between the measurements). Various examples are discussed. In the ergodic example, the system follows asymptotically all discrete paths with the same probability. In the example of rapidly repeated non-selective measurements, we get the well known quantum Zeno effect with ‘frozen discrete paths’ (presented here as a biproduct of our general methodology based on Markov chains with doubly stochastic transition matrices).
A time-dependent finite-state Markov chain that uses doubly stochastic transition matrices, is considered. Entropic quantities that describe the randomness of the probability vectors, and also the randomness of the discrete paths, are studied. Universal convex polytopes are introduced which contain all future probability vectors, and which are based on the Birkhoff–von Neumann expansion for doubly stochastic matrices. They are universal in the sense that they depend only on the present probability vector, and are independent of the doubly stochastic transition matrices that describe time evolution in the future. It is shown that as the discrete time increases these convex polytopes shrink, and the minimum entropy of the probability vectors in them increases. These ideas are applied to a sequence of non-selective measurements (with different projectors in each step) on a quantum system with d-dimensional Hilbert space. The unitary time evolution in the intervals between the measurements, is taken into account. The non-selective measurements destroy stroboscopically the non-diagonal elements in the density matrix. This ‘hermaphrodite’ system is an interesting combination of a classical probabilistic system (immediately after the measurements) and a quantum system (in the intervals between the measurements). Various examples are discussed. In the ergodic example, the system follows asymptotically all discrete paths with the same probability. In the example of rapidly repeated non-selective measurements, we get the well known quantum Zeno effect with ‘frozen discrete paths’ (presented here as a biproduct of our general methodology based on Markov chains with doubly stochastic transition matrices).
Abstract Random walks in a finite Abelian group G are studied. They use Markov chains with doubly stochastic transition matrices, in a Birkhoff subpolytope B ( G ) associated with the group G . It is shown that all future probability vectors belong to a polytope which does not depend on the transition matrices, and which shrinks during time evolution. Various quantities are used to describe the probability vectors: the majorization preorder, Lorenz values and the Gini index, entropic quantities, and the total variation distance. The general results are applied to the additive group Z ( d ) , and to the Heisenberg–Weyl group H W ( d ) / Z ( d ) . A physical implementation of random walks in Z ( d ) that involves a sequence of non-selective projective measurements, is discussed. A physical implementation of random walks in the Heisenberg–Weyl group H W ( d ) / Z ( d ) using a sequence of non-selective positive operator-valued measure measurements with coherent states, is also presented.
Random walks in a finite Abelian group GGG are studied. They use Markov chains with doubly stochastic transition matrices, in a Birkhoff subpolytope B(G){\cal B}(G)B(G) associated with the group GGG. It is shown that all future probability vectors belong to a polytope which does not depend on the transition matrices, and which shrinks during time evolution. Various quantities are used to describe the probability vectors: the majorization preorder, Lorenz values and the Gini index, entropic quantities, and the total variation distance. The general results are applied to the additive group Z(d){\mathbb Z}(d)Z(d), and to the Heisenberg-Weyl group HW(d)/Z(d)HW(d)/{\mathbb Z}(d)HW(d)/Z(d). A physical implementation of random walks in Z(d){\mathbb Z}(d)Z(d) that involves a sequence of non-selective projective measurements, is discussed. A physical implementation of random walks in the Heisenberg-Weyl group HW(d)/Z(d)HW(d)/{\mathbb Z}(d)HW(d)/Z(d) using a sequence of non-selective POVM measurements with coherent states, is also presented.
A framework for finite-dimensional quantum Markov chains on Hilbert spaces is introduced. Quantum Markov chains generalize both classical Markov chains with possibly hidden states and existing models of quantum walks on finite graphs. Quantum Markov chains are based on Markov operations that may be applied to quantum systems and include quantum measurements, for example. It is proved that quantum Markov chains are asymptotically stationary and hence possess ergodic and entropic properties. With a quantum Markov chain one may associate a quantum Markov process, which is a stochastic process in the classical sense. Generalized Markov chains allow a representation with respect to a generalized Markov source model with definite (but possibly hidden) states relative to which observables give rise to classical stochastic processes. It is demonstrated that this model allows for observables to violate Bell’s inequality.
We continue the analysis of nontrivial examples of quantum Markov processes. This is done by applying the construction of entangled Markov chains obtained from classical Markov chains with infinite state--space. The formula giving the joint correlations arises from the corresponding classical formula by replacing the usual matrix multiplication by the Schur multiplication. In this way, we provide nontrivial examples of entangled Markov chains on ∪J⊂Z⊗ˉJFˉC∗\bar{\cup_{J\subset Z} \bar{\otimes}_{J}F}^{C^{*}}∪J⊂Z​⊗ˉ​J​Fˉ​C∗, FFF being any infinite dimensional type III factor, JJJ a finite interval of ZZZ, and the bar the von Neumann tensor product between von Neumann algebras. We then have new nontrivial examples of quantum random walks which could play a rôle in quantum information theory. In view of applications to quantum statistical mechanics too, we see that the ergodic type of an entangled Markov chain is completely determined by the corresponding ergodic type of the underlying classical chain, provided that the latter admits an invariant probability distribution. This result parallels the corresponding one relative to the finite dimensional case. Finally, starting from random walks on discrete ICC groups, we exhibit examples of quantum Markov processes based on type II1II_1II1​ von Neumann factors.