Physical Review Letters

Physical Limits to Communication

Seth Lloyd, Vittorio Giovannetti, Lorenzo Maccone

Published Aug 1, 2004• 22 citations

Abstract

The limits posed by physics to the quantity of information that can be transmitted with a certain amount of power are investigated. The same ultimate limits are found for transmission of information encoded using matter and massless fields.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.93.100501

Related papers

Limits on classical communication from quantum entropy power inequalities

Robert König, Graeme Smith

arXiv:1205.3407Nature PhotonicsJan 18, 201347 citations

The physical limits of communication or Why any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from noise

Michael Lachmann, Mark E. J. Newman, Cristopher Moore

arXiv:cond-mat/9907500American Journal of PhysicsSep 13, 200425 citations

Limits on classical communication from quantum entropy power inequalities

Graeme Smith

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyMar 18, 20130 citations

Quantum limits on bosonic communication rates

Carlton M. Caves, P. D. Drummond

Reviews of Modern PhysicsApr 1, 1994431 citations

A Mathematical Study of Information Transmission in Quantum Communication Processes

Masanori Ohya, Noboru Watanabe

Springer eBooksJan 1, 19955 citations

Exceeding the Classical Capacity Limit in a Quantum Optical Channel

Mikio Fujiwara, Masahiro Takeoka, Jun Mizuno +1 more

arXiv:quant-ph/0304037Physical Review LettersApr 24, 2003111 citations

Physical Review Letters

Physical Limits to Communication

Seth Lloyd, Vittorio Giovannetti, Lorenzo Maccone

Published Aug 1, 2004• 22 citations

Publisher

Abstract

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.93.100501

Related papers

Limits on classical communication from quantum entropy power inequalities

Robert König, Graeme Smith

arXiv:1205.3407Nature PhotonicsJan 18, 201347 citations

The physical limits of communication or Why any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from noise

Michael Lachmann, Mark E. J. Newman, Cristopher Moore

It has been well known since the pioneering work of Claude Shannon in the 1940s that a message transmitted with optimal efficiency over a channel of limited bandwidth is indistinguishable from random noise to a receiver who is unfamiliar with the language in which the message is written. We derive some similar results about electromagnetic transmissions. In particular, we show that if electromagnetic radiation is used as a transmission medium, the most information-efficient format for a given message is indistinguishable from blackbody radiation. The characteristic temperature of the radiation is set by the amount of energy used to make the transmission. If information is not encoded in the direction of the radiation, but only in its timing, energy, and polarization, then the most efficient format has the form of a one-dimensional blackbody spectrum.It has been well known since the pioneering work of Claude Shannon in the 1940s that a message transmitted with optimal efficiency over a channel of limited bandwidth is indistinguishable from random noise to a receiver who is unfamiliar with the language in which the message is written. We derive some similar results about electromagnetic transmissions. In particular, we show that if electromagnetic radiation is used as a transmission medium, the most information-efficient format for a given message is indistinguishable from blackbody radiation. The characteristic temperature of the radiation is set by the amount of energy used to make the transmission. If information is not encoded in the direction of the radiation, but only in its timing, energy, and polarization, then the most efficient format has the form of a one-dimensional blackbody spectrum.

arXiv:cond-mat/9907500American Journal of PhysicsSep 13, 200425 citations

Limits on classical communication from quantum entropy power inequalities

Graeme Smith

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyMar 18, 20130 citations

Quantum limits on bosonic communication rates

Carlton M. Caves, P. D. Drummond

The capacity $C$ of a communication channel is the maximum rate at which information can be transmitted without error from the channel's input to its output. The authors review quantum limits on the capacity that can be achieved with linear bosonic communication channels that have input power $P$ . The limits arise ultimately from the Einstein relation that a field quantum at frequency $f$ has energy $E=hf$ . A single linear bosonic channel corresponds to a single transverse mode of the bosonic field---i.e., to a particular spatial dependence in the plane orthogonal to the propagation direction and to a particular spin state or polarization. For a single channel the maximum communication rate is ${C}_{\mathrm{WB}}=(\frac{\ensuremath{\pi}}{\mathrm{ln}2})\sqrt{\frac{2P}{3h}}$ bits/s. This maximum rate can be achieved by a "number-state channel," in which information is encoded in the number of quanta in the bosonic field and in which this information is recovered at the output by counting quanta. Derivations of the optimum capacity ${C}_{\mathrm{WB}}$ are reviewed. Until quite recently all derivations assumed, explicitly or implicitly, a number-state channel. They thus left open the possibility that other techniques for encoding information on the bosonic field, together with other ways of detecting the field at the output, might lead to a greater communication rate. The authors present their own general derivation of the single-channel capacity upper bound, which applies to any physically realizable technique for encoding information on the bosonic field and to any physically realizable detection scheme at the output. They also review the capacities of coherent communication channels that encode information in coherent states and in quadrature-squeezed states. A three-dimensional bosonic channel can employ many transverse modes as parallel single channels. An upper bound on the information flux that can be transferred down parallel bosonic channels is derived.The capacity $C$ of a communication channel is the maximum rate at which information can be transmitted without error from the channel's input to its output. The authors review quantum limits on the capacity that can be achieved with linear bosonic communication channels that have input power $P$. The limits arise ultimately from the Einstein relation that a field quantum at frequency $f$ has energy $E=hf$. A single linear bosonic channel corresponds to a single transverse mode of the bosonic field---i.e., to a particular spatial dependence in the plane orthogonal to the propagation direction and to a particular spin state or polarization. For a single channel the maximum communication rate is ${C}_{\mathrm{WB}}=(\frac{\ensuremath{\pi}}{\mathrm{ln}2})\sqrt{\frac{2P}{3h}}$ bits/s. This maximum rate can be achieved by a "number-state channel," in which information is encoded in the number of quanta in the bosonic field and in which this information is recovered at the output by counting quanta. Derivations of the optimum capacity ${C}_{\mathrm{WB}}$ are reviewed. Until quite recently all derivations assumed, explicitly or implicitly, a number-state channel. They thus left open the possibility that other techniques for encoding information on the bosonic field, together with other ways of detecting the field at the output, might lead to a greater communication rate. The authors present their own general derivation of the single-channel capacity upper bound, which applies to any physically realizable technique for encoding information on the bosonic field and to any physically realizable detection scheme at the output. They also review the capacities of coherent communication channels that encode information in coherent states and in quadrature-squeezed states. A three-dimensional bosonic channel can employ many transverse modes as parallel single channels. An upper bound on the information flux that can be transferred down parallel bosonic channels is derived.

Reviews of Modern PhysicsApr 1, 1994431 citations

A Mathematical Study of Information Transmission in Quantum Communication Processes

Masanori Ohya, Noboru Watanabe

Springer eBooksJan 1, 19955 citations

Exceeding the Classical Capacity Limit in a Quantum Optical Channel

Mikio Fujiwara, Masahiro Takeoka, Jun Mizuno +1 more

The amount of information transmissible through a communications channel is determined by the noise characteristics of the channel and by the quantities of available transmission resources. In classical information theory, the amount of transmissible information can be increased twice at most when the transmission resource is doubled for fixed noise characteristics. In quantum information theory, however, the amount of information transmitted can increase even more than twice. We present a proof-of-principle demonstration of this superadditivity of classical capacity of a quantum channel by using the ternary symmetric states of a single photon, and by event selection from a weak coherent light source. We also show how the superadditive coding gain, even in a small code length, can boost the communication performance of the conventional coding technique.The amount of information transmissible through a communications channel is determined by the noise characteristics of the channel and by the quantities of available transmission resources. In classical information theory, the amount of transmissible information can be increased twice at most when the transmission resource is doubled for fixed noise characteristics. In quantum information theory, however, the amount of information transmitted can increase even more than twice. We present a proof-of-principle demonstration of this superadditivity of classical capacity of a quantum channel by using the ternary symmetric states of a single photon, and by event selection from a weak coherent light source. We also show how the superadditive coding gain, even in a small code length, can boost the communication performance of the conventional coding technique.

arXiv:quant-ph/0304037Physical Review LettersApr 24, 2003111 citations

The capacity

C

of a communication channel is the maximum rate at which information can be transmitted without error from the channel's input to its output. The authors review quantum limits on the capacity that can be achieved with linear bosonic communication channels that have input power

P

. The limits arise ultimately from the Einstein relation that a field quantum at frequency

f

has energy

E=hf

. A single linear bosonic channel corresponds to a single transverse mode of the bosonic field---i.e., to a particular spatial dependence in the plane orthogonal to the propagation direction and to a particular spin state or polarization. For a single channel the maximum communication rate is ${C}_{\mathrm{WB}}=(\frac{\ensuremath{\pi}}{\mathrm{ln}2})\sqrt{\frac{2P}{3h}}$ bits/s. This maximum rate can be achieved by a "number-state channel," in which information is encoded in the number of quanta in the bosonic field and in which this information is recovered at the output by counting quanta. Derivations of the optimum capacity

{C}_{\mathrm{WB}}

are reviewed. Until quite recently all derivations assumed, explicitly or implicitly, a number-state channel. They thus left open the possibility that other techniques for encoding information on the bosonic field, together with other ways of detecting the field at the output, might lead to a greater communication rate. The authors present their own general derivation of the single-channel capacity upper bound, which applies to any physically realizable technique for encoding information on the bosonic field and to any physically realizable detection scheme at the output. They also review the capacities of coherent communication channels that encode information in coherent states and in quadrature-squeezed states. A three-dimensional bosonic channel can employ many transverse modes as parallel single channels. An upper bound on the information flux that can be transferred down parallel bosonic channels is derived.