A minimal energy quantum superposition of two maximally distinguishable, isoenergetic single mode Gaussian states is used to construct the system-environment representation of a class of linear bosonic quantum channels acting on a single bosonic mode. The quantum channels are further defined by unitary dynamics of the system and environment corresponding to either a passive linear optical element $U_{\text{BS}}$ or two-mode squeezing $U_{\text{TM}}$ . The notion of nonclassicality distance is used to show that the initial environment superposition state becomes maximally nonclassical as the constraint energy is increased. When the system is initially prepared in a coherent state, application of the quantum channel defined by $U_{\text{BS}}$ results in a nonclassical state for all values of the environment energy constraint. We also discuss the following properties of the quantum channels: 1) the maximal noise that a coherent system can tolerate, beyond which the linear bosonic attenuator channel defined by $U_{\text{BS}}$ cannot impart nonclassical correlations to the system, 2) the noise added to a coherent system by the phase-preserving linear amplification channel defined by $U_{\text{TM}}$ , and 3) a generic lower bound for the trace norm contraction coefficient on the closed, convex hull of energy-constrained Gaussian states.A minimal energy quantum superposition of two maximally distinguishable, isoenergetic single mode Gaussian states is used to construct the system-environment representation of a class of linear bosonic quantum channels acting on a single bosonic mode. The quantum channels are further defined by unitary dynamics of the system and environment corresponding to either a passive linear optical element $U_{\text{BS}}$ or two-mode squeezing $U_{\text{TM}}$. The notion of nonclassicality distance is used to show that the initial environment superposition state becomes maximally nonclassical as the constraint energy is increased. When the system is initially prepared in a coherent state, application of the quantum channel defined by $U_{\text{BS}}$ results in a nonclassical state for all values of the environment energy constraint. We also discuss the following properties of the quantum channels: 1) the maximal noise that a coherent system can tolerate, beyond which the linear bosonic attenuator channel defined by $U_{\text{BS}}$ cannot impart nonclassical correlations to the system, 2) the noise added to a coherent system by the phase-preserving linear amplification channel defined by $U_{\text{TM}}$, and 3) a generic lower bound for the trace norm contraction coefficient on the closed, convex hull of energy-constrained Gaussian states.

arXiv:1703.02405Mar 7, 20173 citations

Fock majorization in bosonic quantum channels with a passive environment

Michael G. Jabbour, Nicolas J. Cerf

Abstract We introduce a class of quantum channels called passive-environment bosonic channels. These channels are relevant from a quantum thermodynamical viewpoint because they correspond to the energy-preserving linear coupling of a bosonic system with a bosonic environment that is in a passive state (no energy can be extracted from it with a unitary transformation) followed by discarding the environment. The Fock-majorization relation defined in Jabbour et al (2016 New J. Phys . 18 073047) happens to be particularly useful in this context as, unlike regular majorization, it connects the disorder of a state together with its energy. Our main result here is the preservation of Fock-majorization across all passive-environment bosonic channels. This implies a similar preservation for regular majorization over the set of passive states, and also extends to the passive-environment bosonic channels whose Stinespring dilation involves an active Gaussian unitary. Beyond bosonic systems, the class of passive-environment operations as defined here naturally generalizes the set of thermal operations and is expected to provide new insights into the thermodynamics of quantum systems.Abstract We introduce a class of quantum channels called passive-environment bosonic channels. These channels are relevant from a quantum thermodynamical viewpoint because they correspond to the energy-preserving linear coupling of a bosonic system with a bosonic environment that is in a passive state (no energy can be extracted from it with a unitary transformation) followed by discarding the environment. The Fock-majorization relation defined in Jabbour et al (2016 New J. Phys . 18 073047) happens to be particularly useful in this context as, unlike regular majorization, it connects the disorder of a state together with its energy. Our main result here is the preservation of Fock-majorization across all passive-environment bosonic channels. This implies a similar preservation for regular majorization over the set of passive states, and also extends to the passive-environment bosonic channels whose Stinespring dilation involves an active Gaussian unitary. Beyond bosonic systems, the class of passive-environment operations as defined here naturally generalizes the set of thermal operations and is expected to provide new insights into the thermodynamics of quantum systems.

arXiv:1806.06044Journal of Physics A Mathematical and TheoreticalNov 14, 20185 citations

Bounding the energy-constrained quantum and private capacities of phase-insensitive bosonic Gaussian channels

Kunal Sharma, Mark M. Wilde, Sushovit Adhikari +1 more

We establish several upper bounds on the energy-constrained quantum and private capacities of all single-mode phase-insensitive bosonic Gaussian channels. The first upper bound, which we call the ‘data-processing bound,’ is the simplest and is obtained by decomposing a phase-insensitive channel as a pure-loss channel followed by a quantum-limited amplifier channel. We prove that the data-processing bound can be at most 1.45 bits larger than a known lower bound on these capacities of the phase-insensitive Gaussian channel. We discuss another data-processing upper bound as well. Two other upper bounds, which we call the ‘ ε -degradable bound’ and the ‘ ε -close-degradable bound,’ are established using the notion of approximate degradability along with energy constraints. We find a strong limitation on any potential superadditivity of the coherent information of any phase-insensitive Gaussian channel in the low-noise regime, as the data-processing bound is very near to a known lower bound in such cases. We also find improved achievable rates of private communication through bosonic thermal channels, by employing coding schemes that make use of displaced thermal states. We end by proving that an optimal Gaussian input state for the energy-constrained, generalized channel divergence of two particular Gaussian channels is the two-mode squeezed vacuum state that saturates the energy constraint. What remains open for several interesting channel divergences, such as the diamond norm or the Rényi channel divergence, is to determine whether, among all input states, a Gaussian state is optimal.We establish several upper bounds on the energy-constrained quantum and private capacities of all single-mode phase-insensitive bosonic Gaussian channels. The first upper bound, which we call the ‘data-processing bound,’ is the simplest and is obtained by decomposing a phase-insensitive channel as a pure-loss channel followed by a quantum-limited amplifier channel. We prove that the data-processing bound can be at most 1.45 bits larger than a known lower bound on these capacities of the phase-insensitive Gaussian channel. We discuss another data-processing upper bound as well. Two other upper bounds, which we call the ‘ ε -degradable bound’ and the ‘ ε -close-degradable bound,’ are established using the notion of approximate degradability along with energy constraints. We find a strong limitation on any potential superadditivity of the coherent information of any phase-insensitive Gaussian channel in the low-noise regime, as the data-processing bound is very near to a known lower bound in such cases. We also find improved achievable rates of private communication through bosonic thermal channels, by employing coding schemes that make use of displaced thermal states. We end by proving that an optimal Gaussian input state for the energy-constrained, generalized channel divergence of two particular Gaussian channels is the two-mode squeezed vacuum state that saturates the energy constraint. What remains open for several interesting channel divergences, such as the diamond norm or the Rényi channel divergence, is to determine whether, among all input states, a Gaussian state is optimal.

arXiv:1708.07257New Journal of PhysicsApr 30, 201859 citations

On Non-Gaussian Linear Quantum Optics

Alexander Evgen’evich Teretenkov

Abstract This paper studies a class of single-mode bosonic models of open quantum systems in which the dynamics of the creation and annihilation operators remains linear despite the strongly non-Gaussian nature of the induced dissipation. It is shown that, in contrast to isolated bosonic systems—where linear dynamics uniquely corresponds to quadratic Hamiltonians and Gaussian states—linearity of the operator dynamics in open systems does not guarantee Gaussianity of the state evolution. We construct quantum channels and Gorini–Kossakowski–Sudarshan–Lindblad generators for which the dynamics of the creation and annihilation operators is linear and closed, while Gaussian states are driven beyond the convex hull of Gaussian states during the evolution. In particular, the emergence of negativity of the Wigner function at a finite evolution time is demonstrated.Abstract This paper studies a class of single-mode bosonic models of open quantum systems in which the dynamics of the creation and annihilation operators remains linear despite the strongly non-Gaussian nature of the induced dissipation. It is shown that, in contrast to isolated bosonic systems—where linear dynamics uniquely corresponds to quadratic Hamiltonians and Gaussian states—linearity of the operator dynamics in open systems does not guarantee Gaussianity of the state evolution. We construct quantum channels and Gorini–Kossakowski–Sudarshan–Lindblad generators for which the dynamics of the creation and annihilation operators is linear and closed, while Gaussian states are driven beyond the convex hull of Gaussian states during the evolution. In particular, the emergence of negativity of the Wigner function at a finite evolution time is demonstrated.

Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences PhysicsJul 1, 20261 citation

Classical capacity of quantum non-Gaussian attenuator and amplifier channels

Zacharie Van Herstraeten, Saikat Guha, Nicolas J. Cerf

We consider a quantum bosonic channel that couples the input mode via a beam splitter or two-mode squeezer to an environmental mode that is prepared in an arbitrary state. We investigate the classical capacity of this channel, which we call a non-Gaussian attenuator or amplifier channel. If the environment state is thermal, we of course recover a Gaussian phase-covariant channel whose classical capacity is well known. Otherwise, we derive both a lower and an upper bound to the classical capacity of the channel, drawing inspiration from the classical treatment of the capacity of non-Gaussian additive-noise channels. We show that the lower bound to the capacity is always achievable and give examples where the non-Gaussianity of the channel can be exploited so that the communication rate beats the capacity of the Gaussian-equivalent channel (i.e. the channel where the environment state is replaced by a Gaussian state with the same covariance matrix). Finally, our upper bound leads us to formulate and investigate conjectures on the input state that minimizes the output entropy of non-Gaussian attenuator or amplifier channels. Solving these conjectures would be a main step toward accessing the capacity of a large class of non-Gaussian bosonic channels.We consider a quantum bosonic channel that couples the input mode via a beam splitter or two-mode squeezer to an environmental mode that is prepared in an arbitrary state. We investigate the classical capacity of this channel, which we call a non-Gaussian attenuator or amplifier channel. If the environment state is thermal, we of course recover a Gaussian phase-covariant channel whose classical capacity is well known. Otherwise, we derive both a lower and an upper bound to the classical capacity of the channel, drawing inspiration from the classical treatment of the capacity of non-Gaussian additive-noise channels. We show that the lower bound to the capacity is always achievable and give examples where the non-Gaussianity of the channel can be exploited so that the communication rate beats the capacity of the Gaussian-equivalent channel (i.e. the channel where the environment state is replaced by a Gaussian state with the same covariance matrix). Finally, our upper bound leads us to formulate and investigate conjectures on the input state that minimizes the output entropy of non-Gaussian attenuator or amplifier channels. Solving these conjectures would be a main step toward accessing the capacity of a large class of non-Gaussian bosonic channels.

arXiv:2312.15623International Journal of Quantum InformationApr 30, 20240 citations

Bounding the energy-constrained quantum and private capacities of phase-insensitive bosonic Gaussian channels

Kunal Sharma, Mark M. Wilde, Sushovit Adhikari +1 more

We establish several upper bounds on the energy-constrained quantum and private capacities of all single-mode phase-insensitive bosonic Gaussian channels. The first upper bound, which we call the 'data-processing bound,' is the simplest and is obtained by decomposing a phase-insensitive channel as a pure-loss channel followed by a quantum-limited amplifier channel. We prove that the data-processing bound can be at most 1.45 bits larger than a known lower bound on these capacities of the phase-insensitive Gaussian channel. We discuss another data-processing upper bound as well. Two other upper bounds, which we call the 'ϵ-degradable bound' and the 'ϵ-close-degradable bound,' are established using the notion of approximate degradability along with energy constraints. We find a strong limitation on any potential superadditivity of the coherent information of any phase-insensitive Gaussian channel in the low-noise regime, as the data-processing bound is very near to a known lower bound in such cases. We also find improved achievable rates of private communication through bosonic thermal channels, by employing coding schemes that make use of displaced thermal states. We end by proving that an optimal Gaussian input state for the energy-constrained, generalized channel divergence of two particular Gaussian channels is the two-mode squeezed vacuum state that saturates the energy constraint. What remains open for several interesting channel divergences, such as the diamond norm or the Rényi channel divergence, is to determine whether, among all input states, a Gaussian state is optimal.We establish several upper bounds on the energy-constrained quantum and private capacities of all single-mode phase-insensitive bosonic Gaussian channels. The first upper bound, which we call the 'data-processing bound,' is the simplest and is obtained by decomposing a phase-insensitive channel as a pure-loss channel followed by a quantum-limited amplifier channel. We prove that the data-processing bound can be at most 1.45 bits larger than a known lower bound on these capacities of the phase-insensitive Gaussian channel. We discuss another data-processing upper bound as well. Two other upper bounds, which we call the 'ϵ-degradable bound' and the 'ϵ-close-degradable bound,' are established using the notion of approximate degradability along with energy constraints. We find a strong limitation on any potential superadditivity of the coherent information of any phase-insensitive Gaussian channel in the low-noise regime, as the data-processing bound is very near to a known lower bound in such cases. We also find improved achievable rates of private communication through bosonic thermal channels, by employing coding schemes that make use of displaced thermal states. We end by proving that an optimal Gaussian input state for the energy-constrained, generalized channel divergence of two particular Gaussian channels is the two-mode squeezed vacuum state that saturates the energy constraint. What remains open for several interesting channel divergences, such as the diamond norm or the Rényi channel divergence, is to determine whether, among all input states, a Gaussian state is optimal.

Civil War Book ReviewJun 1, 201850 citations

U_{\text{BS}}

or two-mode squeezing

U_{\text{TM}}

. The notion of nonclassicality distance is used to show that the initial environment superposition state becomes maximally nonclassical as the constraint energy is increased. When the system is initially prepared in a coherent state, application of the quantum channel defined by

U_{\text{BS}}

results in a nonclassical state for all values of the environment energy constraint. We also discuss the following properties of the quantum channels: 1) the maximal noise that a coherent system can tolerate, beyond which the linear bosonic attenuator channel defined by

U_{\text{BS}}

cannot impart nonclassical correlations to the system, 2) the noise added to a coherent system by the phase-preserving linear amplification channel defined by

U_{\text{TM}}

, and 3) a generic lower bound for the trace norm contraction coefficient on the closed, convex hull of energy-constrained Gaussian states.