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Negative and complex probability in quantum information

Vasil Dinev Penchev

Published Jan 1, 2012• 4 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

“Negative probability” in practice. Quantum Communication: Very small phase space regions turn out to be thermodynamically analogical to those of superconductors. Macro-bodies or signals might exist in coherent or entangled state. Such physical objects having unusual properties could be the basis of quantum communication channels or even normal physical ones … Questions and a few answers about negative probability: Why does it appear in quantum mechanics? It appears in phase-space formulated quantum mechanics; next, in quantum correlations … and for wave-particle dualism. Its meaning:- mathematically: a ratio of two measures (of sets), which are not collinear; physically: the ratio of the measurements of two physical quantities, which are not simultaneously measurable. The main innovation is in the mapping between phase and Hilbert space, since both are sums. Phase space is a sum of cells, and Hilbert space is a sum of qubits. The mapping is reduced to the mapping of a cell into a qubit and vice versa. Negative probability helps quantum mechanics to be represented quasi-statistically by quasi-probabilistic distributions. Pure states of negative probability cannot exist, but they, where the conditions for their expression exists, decrease the sum probability of the integrally positive regions of the distributions. They reflect the immediate interaction (interference) of probabilities common in quantum mechanics

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“Negative probability” in practice. Quantum Communication: Very small phase space regions turn out to be thermodynamically analogical to those of superconductors. Macro-bodies or signals might exist in coherent or entangled state. Such physical objects having unusual properties could be the basis of quantum communication channels or even normal physical ones … Questions and a few answers about negative probability: Why does it appear in quantum mechanics? It appears in phase-space formulated quantum mechanics; next, in quantum correlations … and for wave-particle dualism. Its meaning:- mathematically: a ratio of two measures (of sets), which are not collinear; physically: the ratio of the measurements of two physical quantities, which are not simultaneously measurable. The main innovation is in the mapping between phase and Hilbert space, since both are sums. Phase space is a sum of cells, and Hilbert space is a sum of qubits. The mapping is reduced to the mapping of a cell into a qubit and vice versa. Negative probability helps quantum mechanics to be represented quasi-statistically by quasi-probabilistic distributions. Pure states of negative probability cannot exist, but they, where the conditions for their expression exists, decrease the sum probability of the integrally positive regions of the distributions. They reflect the immediate interaction (interference) of probabilities common in quantum mechanics
A historical review and philosophical look at the introduction of “negative probability” as well as “complex probability” is suggested. The generalization of “probability” is forced by mathematical models in physical or technical disciplines. Initially, they are involved only as an auxiliary tool to complement mathematical models to the completeness to corresponding operations. Rewards, they acquire ontological status, especially in quantum mechanics and its formulation as a natural information theory as “quantum information” after the experimental confirmation the phenomena of “entanglement”. Philosophical interpretations appear. A generalization of them is suggested: ontologically, they correspond to a relevant generalization to the relation of a part and its whole where the whole is a subset of the part rather than vice versa. The structure of “vector space” is involved necessarily in order to differ the part “by itself” from it in relation to the whole as a projection within it. That difference is reflected in the new dimension of vector space both mathematically and conceptually. Then, “negative or complex probability” are interpreted as a quantity corresponding the generalized case where the part can be “bigger” than the whole, and it is represented only partly in general within the whole.
A historical review and philosophical look at the introduction of “negative probability” as well as “complex probability” is suggested. The generalization of “probability” is forced by mathematical models in physical or technical disciplines. Initially, they are involved only as an auxiliary tool to complement mathematical models to the completeness to corresponding operations. Rewards, they acquire ontological status, especially in quantum mechanics and its formulation as a natural information theory as “quantum information” after the experimental confirmation the phenomena of “entanglement”. Philosophical interpretations appear. A generalization of them is suggested: ontologically, they correspond to a relevant generalization to the relation of a part and its whole where the whole is a subset of the part rather than vice versa. The structure of “vector space” is involved necessarily in order to differ the part “by itself” from it in relation to the whole as a projection within it. That difference is reflected in the new dimension of vector space both mathematically and conceptually. Then, “negative or complex probability” are interpreted as a quantity corresponding the generalized case where the part can be “bigger” than the whole, and it is represented only partly in general within the whole.
A historical review and philosophical look at the introduction of “negative probability” as well as “complex probability” is suggested. The generalization of “probability” is forced by mathematical models in physical or technical disciplines. Initially, they are involved only as an auxiliary tool to complement mathematical models to the completeness to corresponding operations. Rewards, they acquire ontological status, especially in quantum mechanics and its formulation as a natural information theory as “quantum information” after the experimental confirmation the phenomena of “entanglement”. Philosophical interpretations appear. A generalization of them is suggested: ontologically, they correspond to a relevant generalization to the relation of a part and its whole where the whole is a subset of the part rather than vice versa. The structure of “vector space” is involved necessarily in order to differ the part “by itself” from it in relation to the whole as a projection within it. That difference is reflected in the new dimension of vector space both mathematically and conceptually. Then, “negative or complex probability” are interpreted as a quantity corresponding the generalized case where the part can be “bigger” than the whole, and it is represented only partly in general within the whole.
This article provides a concise review of quantum phase space theory, beginning with its foundational principles and the properties of standard quantum quasi-probability distributions, specifically the Wigner, Husimi Q, and Glauber--Sudarshan P functions. We discuss the intrinsic limitations of these distributions, such as the appearance of negative values and phase-space blurring. A significant portion of this review highlights recent theoretical developments, particularly the quantum Wannier basis. This approach establishes a unitary mapping between the Hilbert space and a discretized phase space, yielding a genuine probability distribution in phase space and thereby providing a basis-dependent entropy for pure quantum states. Furthermore, we examine Bourgain's nonperiodic basis as a theoretical framework to circumvent the constraints imposed by the Balian--Low theorem. These developments provide practical tools for numerical studies based on the quantum Wannier basis, as well as conceptual benchmarks for understanding the localization limits of orthonormal phase-space representations.
Quantum information and quantum communication are both strongly based on concepts of quantum superposition and entanglement. Entanglement allows distinct bodies, that share a common origin or that have interacted in the past, to continue to be described by the same wave function until evolution is coherent. So, there is an equivalence between coherence and entanglement. In this paper, we show the relation between quantum coherence and quantum interference and the negative parts of the Wigner quasi-distribution, using the Wigner signed-particle formulation. A simple physical problem consisting of electrons in a nanowire interacting with the potential of a repulsive dopant placed in the center of it creates a quasi two-slit electron system that separates the wave function into two entangled branches. The analysis of the Wigner quasi-distribution of this problem establishes that its negative part is principally concentrated in the region after the dopant between the two entangled branches, maintaining the coherence between them. Moreover, quantum interference is shown in this region both in the positive and in the negative part of the Wigner function and is produced by the superposition of Wigner functions evaluated at points of the momentum space that are symmetric with respect to the initial momentum of the injected electrons.
We study the possibility to describe pure quantum states and evens with classical probability distributions and conditional probabilities and show that the distributions and/or conditional probabilities have to assume negative values, except for a simple model whose realistic space dimension is not smaller than the Hilbert space dimension of the quantum system. This gives a negative answer to a question proposed by Montina [Phys.Rev.Lett.{\bf 97}, 180401 (2006)] whether or not does there exist a classical theory whose phase-space dimension is much smaller than the Hilbert space dimension for any quantum system. Thus, any realistic theory of quantum mechanics with nonnegative probability distributions and conditional probabilities requires a number of variables grows exponentially with the physical size.