On Conjectures of Classical and Quantum Correlations in Bipartite States

Lin Zhang, Junde Wu

In this paper, two conjectures which were proposed in Luo et al (2010 Phys. Rev. A 82 052122 ) on the correlations in a bipartite state ρ AB are studied. If the mutual information I (ρ AB ) between two quantum systems A and B before any measurement is considered as the total amount of correlations in the state ρ AB , then it can be separated into two parts: classical correlations and quantum correlations. The so-called classical correlations C (ρ AB ) in the state ρ AB are defined by the maximizing mutual information between two quantum systems A and B after von Neumann measurements on system B . We show that it is upper bounded by the von Neumann entropies of both subsystems A and B , which answered the conjecture on the classical correlation. If the quantum correlations Q (ρ AB ) in the state ρ AB are defined by Q (ρ AB ) = I (ρ AB ) − C (ρ AB ), we also show that it is upper bounded by the von Neumann entropy of subsystem B . It is also found that Q (ρ AB ) is upper bounded by the von Neumann entropy of subsystem A for a class of states.

Thiago Rodrigues de Oliveira

Przemysław Kościk

Zhang Lin, Junde Wu

In this paper, two conjectures which were proposed in [Phys. Rev. A \textbf{82}, 052122(2010)] on the correlations in a bipartite state $\rho^{AB}$ are studied. If the mutual information $I\Pa{\rho^{AB}}$ between two quantum systems $A$ and $B$ before any measurement is considered as the total amount of correlations in the state $\rho^{AB}$, then it can be separated into two parts: classical correlations and quantum correlations. The so-called classical correlations $C\Pa{\rho^{AB}}$ in the state $\rho^{AB}$, defined by the maximizing mutual information between two quantum systems $A$ and $B$ after von Neumann measurements on system $B$, we show that it is upper bounded by the von Neumann entropies of both subsystems $A$ and $B$, this answered the conjecture on the classical correlation. If the quantum correlations $Q\Pa{\rho^{AB}}$ in the state $\rho^{AB}$ is defined by $Q\Pa{\rho^{AB}}= I\Pa{\rho^{AB}} - C\Pa{\rho^{AB}}$, we show also that it is upper bounded by the von Neumann entropy of subsystem $B$. It is also obtained that $Q\Pa{\rho^{AB}}$ is upper bounded by the von Neumann entropy of subsystem $A$ for a class of states.

Nan Li, Shunlong Luo

How strongly can one system be correlated with another? In the classical world, this basic question concerning correlative capacity has a very satisfying answer: The ``effective size'' of the marginal system, as quantified by the Shannon entropy, sets a tight upper bound to the correlations, as quantified by the mutual information. Although in the quantum world bipartite correlations, like their classical counterparts, are also well quantified by mutual information, the similarity ends here: The correlations in a bipartite quantum system can be twice as large as the marginal entropy. In the paradigm of quantum discord, the correlations are split into classical and quantum components, and it was conjectured that both the classical and quantum correlations are (like the classical mutual information) bounded above by each subsystem's entropy. In this work, by exploiting the interplay between entanglement of formation, mutual information, and quantum discord, we disprove that conjecture. We further indicate a scheme to restore harmony between quantum and classical correlative capacities. The results illustrate dramatically the asymmetric nature of quantum discord and highlight some subtle and unusual features of quantum correlations.

Zhihua Guo, Huaixin Cao, Shixian Qu