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Acta Physica Sinica

Quantum Fisher information and parameter estimation in non-Hermitian Hamiltonians

Jing Li, Hai-Tao Ding, Dan-Wei Zhang

Published Jan 1, 2023• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Quantum Fisher information bounds the ultimate precision limit in the parameter estimation and has important applications in quantum metrology. In recent years, the theoretical and experimental studies of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians realized in quantum systems have attracted wide attention. Here, the parameter estimation based on eigenstates of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians is investigated, and the corresponding quantum Fisher information and quantum Cramér-Rao bound for the single-parameter and two-parameter estimations are given. In particular, the quantum Fisher information about estimating intrinsic momentum and external parameters in the non-reciprocal and gain-and-loss Su-Schrieffer-Heeger models, and non-Hermitian versions of the quantum Ising chain, Chern-insulator model and two-level system are calculated and analyzed. For these non-Hermitian models, the results show that in the case of single-parameter estimation in these non-Hermitian models, the quantum Fisher information increases significantly in the gapless regime and near the exceptional points, which can improve the accuracy limit of parameter estimation. For the two-parameter estimation, the determinant of the quantum Fisher information matrix also increases obviously near the gapless and exceptional points. In addition, a higher overall accuracy can be achieved in the topological regime than in the trivial regime, and the topological bound in two-parameter estimation can be determined by the Chern number.

DOI
10.7498/aps.72.20230862

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Quantum Fisher information bounds the ultimate precision limit in the parameter estimation and has important applications in quantum metrology. In recent years, the theoretical and experimental studies of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians realized in quantum systems have attracted wide attention. Here, the parameter estimation based on eigenstates of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians is investigated, and the corresponding quantum Fisher information and quantum Cramér-Rao bound for the single-parameter and two-parameter estimations are given. In particular, the quantum Fisher information about estimating intrinsic momentum and external parameters in the non-reciprocal and gain-and-loss Su-Schrieffer-Heeger models, and non-Hermitian versions of the quantum Ising chain, Chern-insulator model and two-level system are calculated and analyzed. For these non-Hermitian models, the results show that in the case of single-parameter estimation in these non-Hermitian models, the quantum Fisher information increases significantly in the gapless regime and near the exceptional points, which can improve the accuracy limit of parameter estimation. For the two-parameter estimation, the determinant of the quantum Fisher information matrix also increases obviously near the gapless and exceptional points. In addition, a higher overall accuracy can be achieved in the topological regime than in the trivial regime, and the topological bound in two-parameter estimation can be determined by the Chern number.
The quantum Fisher information constrains the achievable precision in parameter estimation via the quantum Cramér-Rao bound, which has attracted much attention in Hermitian systems since the 60s of the last century. However, less attention has been paid to non-Hermitian systems. In this Letter, working with different logarithmic operators, we derive two previously unknown expressions for quantum Fisher information, and two Cramér-Rao bounds lower than the well-known one are found for non-Hermitian systems. These lower bounds are due to the merit of non-Hermitian observable and it can be understood as a result of extended regimes of optimization. Two experimentally feasible examples are presented to illustrate the theory, saturation of these bounds and estimation precisions beyond the Heisenberg limit are predicted and discussed. A setup to measure non-Hermitian observable is also proposed.
Non-Hermitian quantum metrology, an emerging field at the intersection of quantum estimation and non-Hermitian physics, holds promise for revolutionizing precision measurement. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of non-Hermitian quantum parameter estimation in the quantum regime, with a special focus on achieving Heisenberg scaling. We introduce a concise expression for the quantum Fisher information (QFI) that applies to general non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, enabling the analysis of estimation precision in these systems. Our findings unveil the remarkable potential of non-Hermitian systems to attain the Heisenberg scaling of 1/ t , where t represents time. Moreover, we derive optimal measurement conditions based on the proposed QFI expression, demonstrating the attainment of the quantum Cramér-Rao bound. By constructing non-unitary evolutions governed by two non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, one with parity-time symmetry and the other without specific symmetries, we experimentally validate our theoretical analysis. The experimental results affirm the realization of Heisenberg scaling in estimation precision, marking a substantial milestone in non-Hermitian quantum metrology.
Quantum parameter estimation with Hermitian systems has been applied in various fields, but there are relatively few results concerning non-Hermitian systems. Here, we study the quantum parameter estimation for general non-Hermitian Hamiltonians and derive an intuitive expression of quantum Fisher information (QFI) for pure states. Furthermore, we propose the condition for optimal measurements, which is applicable to both Hermitian and non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. To illustrate these results, we calculate and study the QFI of a specific parity-time (PT)(\mathcal{PT})(PT) -symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonian and give the optimal measurement. Surprisingly, we find some interesting properties of this PT\mathcal{PT}PT-symmetric Hamiltonian QFI, such as the mutations in QFI at exceptional point. Moreover, we also compare the variance of estimation generated by the optimal measurement with the theoretical precision bound to verify the condition for optimal measurements we proposed.
Non-Hermitian systems have attracted considerable interest over the last few decades due to their unique spectral and dynamical properties not encountered in Hermitian counterparts. An intensely debated question is whether non-Hermitian systems, described by pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians with real spectra, can offer enhanced sensitivity for parameter estimation when they are operated at or close to exceptional points. However, much of the current analysis and conclusions are based on mathematical formalism developed for Hermitian quantum systems, which is questionable when applied to pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians, whose Hilbert space is intrinsically nonflat. Here, we develop a covariant formulation of quantum Fisher information (QFI) defined on the deformed Hilbert space of pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians. This covariant framework ensures the preservation of the state norm and enables a consistent treatment of parameter sensitivity. We further show that the covariant QFI of pseudo-Hermitian systems is dual to the ordinary QFI of corresponding Hermitian systems. Importantly, this correspondence naturally imposes an upper bound on the covariant QFI and allows one to identify optimal projections which saturate the corresponding classical Fisher information to this ultimate limit. The developed framework also enables to set the criteria under which pseudo-Hermitian sensors can exhibit an advantage over their Hermitian counterparts of the same dimensionality.
ABSTRACT Non‐Hermitian systems have attracted increasing attention in recent years, particularly those exhibiting Parity‐Time (PT) symmetry. Quantum metrology establishes the ultimate attainable bounds for parameter estimation in both Hermitian and non‐Hermitian systems. However, comparatively little is known about non‐Hermitian systems with anti‐Parity‐Time (APT) symmetry. In this work, we investigate the theoretical bounds on quantum parameter estimation precision for an APT‐symmetric system governed by the Bogoliubov–de Gennes (BdG) Hamiltonian. We explicitly derive the expression for the quantum Fisher information (QFI) and compare the attainable precision limits for both multiplicative and non‐multiplicative parameters in the BdG Hamiltonian. Our analysis of the effective QFI reveals that quantum parameter estimation precision can be significantly enhanced as the system approaches the exceptional point with unbroken APT symmetry, where Heisenberg scaling becomes achievable. We also examine how the effective QFI depends on the choice of initial states. Furthermore, we demonstrate that entanglement in multi‐particle initial state can provide an additional enhancement to the QFI. The ratio of limit of parameter estimation precision of the entangled state to the greatest one we have found over all the tensor product states is 1.22, which is greater than 1. Our analysis of two‐particle states confirms that entanglement in the initial state can further increase the QFI, highlighting it as a valuable quantum resource. These findings lay a theoretical foundation for future experimental explorations of parameter estimation in APT‐symmetric non‐Hermitian systems.
Non-Hermitian systems exhibit great potential for quantum-enhanced sensing, yet a unified information-theoretic framework to quantify their sensing capabilities remains elusive. Here, we investigate quantum Fisher information (QFI) in phase estimation processes governed by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. In two-dimensional systems, we derive a closed-form formula for QFI using the Bloch representation, which applies to both pure and mixed states, as well as Hermitian and non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. Such a general formula allows us to rigorously establish upper bounds on QFI and to identify the conditions under which these bounds are achievable. By scrutinizing a specific non-Hermitian Hamiltonian with parity-time (PT) symmetry, we demonstrate that the upper bound of QFI is exactly attained in the PT-symmetry regime, at the exceptional point, and in the PT-symmetry-breaking regime. Finally, we extend our analysis to mixed states in higher dimensions, establishing a practical inequality that sets the lower and upper bounds of QFI.