Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical
On the partial saturation of the uncertainty relations of a mixed Gaussian state
Maurice A. de Gosson
Abstract
Let ρ the density matrix of a mixed Gaussian state. Assuming that one of the Robertson–Schrödinger uncertainty inequalities is saturated by ρ, e.g. , we show that there exists a unique pure Gaussian state whose Wigner distribution is dominated by that of ρ and having the same variances and covariance Δ ρ X 1 , Δ ρ P 1 and Δ ρ ( X 1 , P 1 ) as ρ. This property can be viewed as an analytic version of Gromov's non-squeezing theorem in the linear case, which implies that the intersection of a symplectic ball by a single plane of conjugate coordinates determines the radius of this ball. We conclude by giving a short geometric proof of the fact that pure Gaussian states are the only quantum states saturating the Robertson–Schrödinger uncertainty inequalities.