Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:2603.01802

Experimental realization and self-testing of semisymmetric informationally complete measurements via a one-dimensional photonic quantum walk

Xu Xu, Han-Yu Cheng, Meng-Yun Ma, Chao-Jie Sun, Yan Wang, Li-Jiong Shen, Zhe Sun, Qi-Ping Su, Chui-Ping Yang, Yong-Nan Sun

quant-phSubmitted Mar 2, 2026• Announced Mar 3, 2026• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Generalized quantum measurements play a crucial role in quantum mechanics, and symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measurements (SIC POVMs) provide a powerful and flexible framework for extracting information from quantum systems. However, the existence of SIC-POVMs in every finite dimension remains an open question, which has stimulated extensive research into alternative classes of POVMs. Recently, Geng $et$ $al$. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 100401 (2021)] proposed a broader class of SIC POVM, called semisymmetric informationally complete POVM (semi-SIC POVM), which extends beyond SIC POVM. In this work, we focus on the four-outcome POVMs and experimentally realize the semi-SIC POVMs using a one-dimensional discrete-time quantum walk. Additionally, employing single photons and linear optics, we perform an experimental self-testing of semi-SIC POVMs in the semi-device-independent manner. Our results pave the way for exploring quantum certification with generalized quantum measurements.

Comments
7 pages, 4 figures

Related papers

Generalized Quantum Measurements on a Higher-Dimensional System via Quantum Walks

Xiaowei Wang, Xiang Zhan, Yulin Li +6 more

Quantum measurements play a fundamental role in quantum mechanics. Especially, generalized quantum measurements provide a powerful and versatile tool to extract information from quantum systems. However, how to realize them on an arbitrary higher-dimensional quantum system remains a challenging task. Here we propose a simple recipe for the implementation of a general positive-operator valued measurement (POVM) on a higher-dimensional quantum system via a one-dimensional discrete-time quantum walk with a two-dimensional coin. Furthermore, using single photons and linear optics, we realize experimentally a symmetric, informationally complete (SIC) POVM on a three-dimensional system with high fidelity. As an application, we realize a qutrit state tomography with SIC-POVM and confirm that the infidelity scaling achieved by the qutrit SIC-POVM is as good as that based on mutually unbiased bases. Our study paves the way to explore physics and information in higher-dimensional quantum systems and finds applications in various quantum information processing tasks that rely on generalized quantum measurements.

Physical Review Letters•Oct 10, 2023•32 citations

Self-testing of semisymmetric informationally complete measurements in a qubit prepare-and-measure scenario

Gábor Drótos, Károly F. Pál, Tamás Vértesi

Self-testing is a powerful method for certifying quantum systems. Initially proposed in the device-independent (DI) setting, self-testing has since been relaxed to the semi-device-independent (semi-DI) setting. In this study, we focus on the self-testing of a specific type of nonprojective qubit measurements belonging to a one-parameter family, using the semi-DI prepare-and-measure (PM) scenario. Remarkably, we identify the simplest PM scenario discovered so far, involving only four preparations and four measurements, for self-testing the fourth measurement. This particular measurement is a four-outcome nonprojective positive operator-valued measure (POVM) and falls in the class of semisymmetric informationally complete POVMs introduced by Geng et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 100401 (2021)]. To achieve this, we develop analytic techniques for semi-DI self-testing in the PM scenario. Our results pave the way toward self-testing any extremal qubit POVM within a potentially minimal PM scenario.

arXiv:2306.07248•Physical Review A•Sep 20, 2024•6 citations

What Are the Minimal Conditions Required to Define a Symmetric Informationally Complete Generalized Measurement?

Isabelle Jianing Geng, Kimberly Golubeva, Gilad Gour

Symmetric informationally complete (SIC) positive operator valued measures (POVMs) are a class of quantum measurements which, in addition to being informationally complete, satisfy three conditions: (1) every POVM element is rank one, (2) the Hilbert-Schmidt inner product between any two distinct elements is constant, and (3) the trace of each element is constant. The third condition is often overlooked, since it may give the impression that it follows trivially from the second. We show that this condition cannot be removed, as it leads to two distinct values for the trace of an element of the POVM. This observation has led us to define a broader class of measurements which we call semi-SIC POVMs. In dimension two, we show that semi-SIC POVMs exist, and we construct the entire family. In higher dimensions, we characterize key properties and applications of semi-SIC POVMs, and note that the proof of their existence remains open.

arXiv:2007.10483•Physical Review Letters•Mar 8, 2021•18 citations

Experimental Device-Independent Certification of a SIC-POVM

Massimiliano Smania, Piotr Mironowicz, Mohamed Nawareg +3 more

Symmetric, informationally complete, positive operator-valued measurements (SIC-POVM) are fundamental in quantum information and foundations of quantum theory[1]. For example, SIC-POVMs are crucial for optimal quantum state tomography, quantum key distribution with optimal trade-off between security and key rate, device-independent certification of optimal randomness from one bit of entanglement, and information-based interpretations and operational reconstructions of quantum theory. Experimentally, photonic experiments of qubit and qutrit tomography, and quantum key distribution[2] have aimed for SIC-POVMs. However, these experiments rely on specific models for parts of the experimental setups and do not allow us to test whether the target measurements are truly SIC-POVMs in a "device independent" (DI) way that is, without relying on any modelling of the devices.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)•Jun 1, 2019•0 citations

Two new constructions of approximately symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures

Wang Gang, Min-Yao Niu, Fang‐Wei Fu

A symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measure (SIC-POVM) is a POVM in [Formula: see text] consisting of [Formula: see text] positive operators of rank one such that all of whose Hermite inner products are equal. SIC-POVMs are important in quantum information theory, which have many applications in quantum state tomography, quantum cryptography and basic research in quantum mechanics. However, it is very difficult to construct SIC-POVMs. Therefore, many scholars have focused on approximately symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures (ASIC-POVMs) for which the Hermite inner products are close to equal. In this paper, two new constructions of ASIC-POVMs are provided by using character sums and some special functions over finite fields.

International Journal of Quantum Information•Apr 1, 2019•1 citation

New constructions of approximately symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures by character sums over Galois rings

Wang Gang, You Gao, Mingyue Xie +1 more

Abstract In quantum information theory, symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures (SIC-POVMs) are related to quantum state tomography, quantum cryptography and foundational studies. It is difficult to construct SIC-POVMs and remains unknown whether SIC-POVMs exist for infinitely dimension. Therefore, researchers have proposed the solution to construct approximately symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures (ASIC-POVMs). This paper proposes a construction of ASIC-POVMs using character sums over Galois rings. The dimension of this ASIC-POVMs is q-1, where q is a prime power. Also, our constructions include partial results about ASIC-POVMs constructed by X. Cao et al (X. Cao, J. Mi and S. Xu: Two constructions of approximately symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures. J. Math. Phys., 58(6), 062201 (2017)). Mathematics Subject Classification (2020) 81P15 · 81P45

Quantum Information Processing•Feb 14, 2025•0 citations
Generalized quantum measurements play a crucial role in quantum mechanics, and symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measurements (SIC POVMs) provide a powerful and flexible framework for extracting information from quantum systems. However, the existence of SIC-POVMs in every finite dimension remains an open question, which has stimulated extensive research into alternative classes of POVMs. Recently, Geng etetet alalal. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 100401 (2021)] proposed a broader class of SIC POVM, called semisymmetric informationally complete POVM (semi-SIC POVM), which extends beyond SIC POVM. In this work, we focus on the four-outcome POVMs and experimentally realize the semi-SIC POVMs using a one-dimensional discrete-time quantum walk. Additionally, employing single photons and linear optics, we perform an experimental self-testing of semi-SIC POVMs in the semi-device-independent manner. Our results pave the way for exploring quantum certification with generalized quantum measurements.
Quantum measurements play a fundamental role in quantum mechanics. Especially, generalized quantum measurements provide a powerful and versatile tool to extract information from quantum systems. However, how to realize them on an arbitrary higher-dimensional quantum system remains a challenging task. Here we propose a simple recipe for the implementation of a general positive-operator valued measurement (POVM) on a higher-dimensional quantum system via a one-dimensional discrete-time quantum walk with a two-dimensional coin. Furthermore, using single photons and linear optics, we realize experimentally a symmetric, informationally complete (SIC) POVM on a three-dimensional system with high fidelity. As an application, we realize a qutrit state tomography with SIC-POVM and confirm that the infidelity scaling achieved by the qutrit SIC-POVM is as good as that based on mutually unbiased bases. Our study paves the way to explore physics and information in higher-dimensional quantum systems and finds applications in various quantum information processing tasks that rely on generalized quantum measurements.
Self-testing is a powerful method for certifying quantum systems. Initially proposed in the device-independent (DI) setting, self-testing has since been relaxed to the semi-device-independent (semi-DI) setting. In this study, we focus on the self-testing of a specific type of nonprojective qubit measurements belonging to a one-parameter family, using the semi-DI prepare-and-measure (PM) scenario. Remarkably, we identify the simplest PM scenario discovered so far, involving only four preparations and four measurements, for self-testing the fourth measurement. This particular measurement is a four-outcome nonprojective positive operator-valued measure (POVM) and falls in the class of semisymmetric informationally complete POVMs introduced by Geng et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 100401 (2021)]. To achieve this, we develop analytic techniques for semi-DI self-testing in the PM scenario. Our results pave the way toward self-testing any extremal qubit POVM within a potentially minimal PM scenario.
Symmetric informationally complete (SIC) positive operator valued measures (POVMs) are a class of quantum measurements which, in addition to being informationally complete, satisfy three conditions: (1) every POVM element is rank one, (2) the Hilbert-Schmidt inner product between any two distinct elements is constant, and (3) the trace of each element is constant. The third condition is often overlooked, since it may give the impression that it follows trivially from the second. We show that this condition cannot be removed, as it leads to two distinct values for the trace of an element of the POVM. This observation has led us to define a broader class of measurements which we call semi-SIC POVMs. In dimension two, we show that semi-SIC POVMs exist, and we construct the entire family. In higher dimensions, we characterize key properties and applications of semi-SIC POVMs, and note that the proof of their existence remains open.
Symmetric, informationally complete, positive operator-valued measurements (SIC-POVM) are fundamental in quantum information and foundations of quantum theory[1]. For example, SIC-POVMs are crucial for optimal quantum state tomography, quantum key distribution with optimal trade-off between security and key rate, device-independent certification of optimal randomness from one bit of entanglement, and information-based interpretations and operational reconstructions of quantum theory. Experimentally, photonic experiments of qubit and qutrit tomography, and quantum key distribution[2] have aimed for SIC-POVMs. However, these experiments rely on specific models for parts of the experimental setups and do not allow us to test whether the target measurements are truly SIC-POVMs in a "device independent" (DI) way that is, without relying on any modelling of the devices.
A symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measure (SIC-POVM) is a POVM in [Formula: see text] consisting of [Formula: see text] positive operators of rank one such that all of whose Hermite inner products are equal. SIC-POVMs are important in quantum information theory, which have many applications in quantum state tomography, quantum cryptography and basic research in quantum mechanics. However, it is very difficult to construct SIC-POVMs. Therefore, many scholars have focused on approximately symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures (ASIC-POVMs) for which the Hermite inner products are close to equal. In this paper, two new constructions of ASIC-POVMs are provided by using character sums and some special functions over finite fields.
Abstract In quantum information theory, symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures (SIC-POVMs) are related to quantum state tomography, quantum cryptography and foundational studies. It is difficult to construct SIC-POVMs and remains unknown whether SIC-POVMs exist for infinitely dimension. Therefore, researchers have proposed the solution to construct approximately symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures (ASIC-POVMs). This paper proposes a construction of ASIC-POVMs using character sums over Galois rings. The dimension of this ASIC-POVMs is q-1, where q is a prime power. Also, our constructions include partial results about ASIC-POVMs constructed by X. Cao et al (X. Cao, J. Mi and S. Xu: Two constructions of approximately symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures. J. Math. Phys., 58(6), 062201 (2017)). Mathematics Subject Classification (2020) 81P15 · 81P45