Recently, J. A. Bergou et al. proposed sequential state discrimination as a new quantum state discrimination scheme. In the scheme, by the successful sequential discrimination of a qubit state, receivers Bob and Charlie can share the information of the qubit prepared by a sender Alice. A merit of the scheme is that a quantum channel is established between Bob and Charlie, but a classical communication is not allowed. In this report, we present a method for extending the original sequential state discrimination of two qubit states to a scheme of N linearly independent pure quantum states. Specifically, we obtain the conditions for the sequential state discrimination of N = 3 pure quantum states. We can analytically provide conditions when there is a special symmetry among N = 3 linearly independent pure quantum states. Additionally, we show that the scenario proposed in this study can be applied to quantum key distribution. Furthermore, we show that the sequential state discrimination of three qutrit states performs better than the strategy of probabilistic quantum cloning.
Recently, J. A. Bergou et al. proposed sequential state discrimination as a new quantum state discrimination scheme. In the scheme, by the successful sequential discrimination of a qubit state, receivers Bob and Charlie can share the information of the qubit prepared by a sender Alice. A merit of the scheme is that a quantum channel is established between Bob and Charlie, but a classical communication is not allowed. In this report, we present a method for extending the original sequential state discrimination of two qubit states to a scheme of N linearly independent pure quantum states. Specifically, we obtain the conditions for the sequential state discrimination of N = 3 pure quantum states. We can analytically provide conditions when there is a special symmetry among N = 3 linearly independent pure quantum states. Additionally, we show that the scenario proposed in this study can be applied to quantum key distribution. Furthermore, we show that the sequential state discrimination of three qutrit states performs better than the strategy of probabilistic quantum cloning.
Recently, sequential state discrimination, as a quantum-key distribution protocol, has been proposed for multiple receivers. A previous study [J. A. Bergou et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 100501 (2013)] showed that every receiver could successfully perform a sequential state discrimination of two pure states with identical prior probabilities. In this study, we extend the sequential state discrimination to mixed states with arbitrary prior probability. First, we analytically obtain the condition of the receiver's optimal measurement. In addition, we show that the optimal probability for every receiver to share the mixed state prepared by the sender is not zero. Furthermore, we compare the sequential state discrimination to the strategies of quantum reproducing and quantum broadcasting. We find that there are cases in which, unlike that of the pure state, the sequential state discrimination of mixed states shows a better performance than the other strategies.
The problem of discriminating between non-orthogonal states is one that has generated a lot of interest. This basic formalism is useful in many areas of quantum information. It serves as a fundamental basis for many quantum key distribution schemes, it functions as an integral part of other quantum algorithms, and it is useful in experimental settings where orthogonal states are not always possible to generate. Additionally, the discrimination problem reveals important fundamental properties, and is intrinsically related to entanglement. In this thesis, the focus is on exploring the problem of sequentially discriminating between non-orthogonal states. In the simplest version these schemes, Alice sends one of two known pure states to Bob who performs a non-optimal discrimination procedure such that the post measurement states resulting from his measurement can then be discriminated by a third participant, Charlie. In these schemes, the goal is to optimize the joint probability of both Bob and Charlie succeeding. In devising such a scheme, there are several different criteria that can be prioritized. The most basic scheme, referred to as Minimum Error (ME) discrimination, prioritizes Bob's and Charlie's abilities to successfully determine which state was sent by Alice. In this scheme, Bob and Charlie each set up two detectors and based on the result from the detector they make a guess as to which state was sent. For instance, if Bob registers a click in his first detector, he concludes that Alice sent the first state. As each detector has some probability to produce a result for either incoming result, Bob and Charlie optimize their joint probability of success by optimizing the probability that each detector will fire when the correlated state is sent by Alice. Another possible scheme, referred to as Unambiguous Discrimination (UD), prioritizes Bob's and Charlie's ability to correctly determine the state sent by Alice. In this scheme, Bob and Charlie each set up three detectors, where if a result is obtained from the first two detectors Bob or Charlie can determine with certainty which state was sent by Alice. One final setup, referred to as Discrimination with a Fixed Rate of Inconclusive Outcome, is a combination of the previous two schemes, where Bob and Charlie maximize their probability of successfully determining the state sent by Alice where they allow some fixed probability that they will not be able to determine which state Alice sent. This fixed inconclusive probability allows Bob and Charlie to control how much they prioritize correctly determining the state that was sent, as in the Unambiguous Discrimination, versus prioritizing successfully determining the state sent by Alice, as in Minimum Error discrimination. One final topic that will be discussed by this thesis is Quantum Retrodiction. Quantum Retrodiction applies an alternate perspective on the communication protocol between Alice and Bob. In the predictive model, Alice calculates the probability that Bob gets a specific measurement result given that she prepares her system in a specific state. In the retrodictive model, Bob calculates the probability that Alice prepared her system in a specific state given the result of his measurement. This alternate perspective on the communication procedure gives new a new understanding and new tools for approaching the problem of state discrimination, as exemplified by applying the retrodictive formalism to unambiguous discrimination.
Sequential state discrimination is a strategy for N separated receivers. As sequential state discrimination can be applied to multiparty quantum key distribution (QKD), it has become one of the relevant research fields in quantum information theory. Up to now, the analysis of sequential state discrimination has been confined to special cases. In this report, we consider a generalization of sequential state discrimination. Here, we do not limit the prior probabilities and the number of quantum states and receivers. We show that the generalized sequential state discrimination can be expressed as an optimization problem. Moreover, we investigate a structure of generalized sequential state discrimination for two quantum states and apply it to multiparty QKD. We demonstrate that when the number of receivers is not too many, generalized sequential state discrimination for two pure states can be suitable for multiparty QKD. In addition, we show that generalized sequential state discrimination for two mixed states can be performed with high optimal success probability. This optimal success probability is even higher than those of quantum reproducing and quantum broadcasting strategy. Thus, generalized sequential state discrimination of mixed states is adequate for performing multiparty QKD. Furthermore, we prove that generalized sequential state discrimination can be implemented experimentally by using linear optics. Finally, we analyze the security of multiparty QKD provided by optimal sequential state discrimination. Our analysis shows that the multiparty QKD guarantees nonzero secret key rate even in low channel efficiency.
The quantum key distribution for multiparty is one of the essential subjects of study. Especially, without using entangled states, performing the quantum key distribution for multiparty is a critical area of research. For this purpose, sequential state discrimination, which provides multiparty quantum communication and quantum key distribution for multiple receivers, has recently been introduced. Moreover, the sequential state discrimination is applicable for the security analysis against an eavesdropper's attack. In this work, we provide the security analysis of quantum key distribution by proposing a unified model of sequential state discrimination including an eavesdropper. In this model, the success probability of eavesdropping is used as a figure of merit for the security analysis. Moreover, we obtain a non-zero secret key rate between the sender and receiver, which implies that the sender and receiver can share a secret key despite the eavesdropper's scheme that optimizing the success probability of eavesdropping. Further, we propose an experimental methodology for the proposed model, which is implementable with linear optics. We observe that the secret key between the sender and receiver can be non-zero, even with imperfections.
We study the procedure for sequential unambiguous state discrimination. A qubit is prepared in one of two possible states and measured by two observers Bob and Charlie sequentially. A necessary condition for the state to be unambiguously discriminated by Charlie is the absence of entanglement between the principal qubit, prepared by Alice, and Bob's auxiliary system. In general, the procedure for both Bob and Charlie to recognize between two nonorthogonal states conclusively relies on the availability of quantum discord which is precisely the quantum dissonance when the entanglement is absent. In Bob's measurement, the left discord is positively correlated with the information extracted by Bob, and the right discord enhances the information left to Charlie. When their product achieves its maximum the probability for both Bob and Charlie to identify the state achieves its optimal value.
We discuss sequential unambiguous state-discrimination measurements performed on the same qubit. Alice prepares a qubit in one of two possible states. The qubit is first sent to Bob, who measures it, and then on to Charlie, who also measures it. The object in both cases is to determine which state Alice sent. In an unambiguous state discrimination measurement, we never make a mistake, i.e., misidentify the state, but the measurement may fail, in which case we gain no information about which state was sent. We find that there is a nonzero probability for both Bob and Charlie to identify the state, and we maximize this probability. The probability that Charlie's measurement succeeds depends on how much information about the state Alice sent is left in the qubit after Bob's measurement, and this information can be quantified by the overlap between the two possible states in which Bob's measurement leaves the qubit. This Letter is a first step toward developing a theory of nondestructive sequential quantum measurements, which could be useful in quantum communication schemes.