Entanglement is the resource that most sharply distinguishes quantum information processing from its classical counterpart, and this thesis examines it from two complementary directions: how it can be detected and quantified, and how it, together with the broader machinery of quantum correlations, interference, and measurement, can be put to use. We first study two simple, measurable conditions that detect bipartite entanglement, and show that the extent to which either is violated yields a lower bound on the negativity of a state. The bound is established for two qubits, extended to systems of arbitrary finite dimension, and sharpened when partial knowledge of the Schmidt vectors is available. We then turn to discrete-outcome quantum sensor networks, in which one seeks only to determine which detectors, or which group or spatial pattern of detectors, has responded to a signal. Working in the weak-interaction regime, where the output states are nonorthogonal, we use minimum-error and unambiguous state discrimination to show that entangled initial states and collective measurements confer an advantage when detectors are grouped, and we develop a shift-operator formalism that gives closed-form success probabilities for the detection of shifted patterns in one- and two-dimensional arrays. Next we consider the problem of learning two unknown pure qubit states, together with their probabilities of occurrence, from a scrambled stream; we show that receiving the systems in identically prepared pairs supplies exactly the extra quantum information needed, since the resulting two-qubit state in the symmetric subspace has a unique decomposition into pure product states, which we recover by tomography. Finally, we show how interference and measurement can convert information encoded in the phases of quantum amplitudes into information encoded in their magnitudes, amplifying the amplitudes that carry useful information and suppressing those that do not, and we apply this technique to states produced by the quantum approximate optimization algorithm for the MaxCut and minimum-vertex-cover problems. Throughout, a single theme recurs: the correlations and superpositions permitted by quantum mechanics are at once something to be measured and something to be exploited.
Entanglement is the resource that most sharply distinguishes quantum information processing from its classical counterpart, and this thesis examines it from two complementary directions: how it can be detected and quantified, and how it, together with the broader machinery of quantum correlations, interference, and measurement, can be put to use. We first study two simple, measurable conditions that detect bipartite entanglement, and show that the extent to which either is violated yields a lower bound on the negativity of a state. The bound is established for two qubits, extended to systems of arbitrary finite dimension, and sharpened when partial knowledge of the Schmidt vectors is available. We then turn to discrete-outcome quantum sensor networks, in which one seeks only to determine which detectors, or which group or spatial pattern of detectors, has responded to a signal. Working in the weak-interaction regime, where the output states are nonorthogonal, we use minimum-error and unambiguous state discrimination to show that entangled initial states and collective measurements confer an advantage when detectors are grouped, and we develop a shift-operator formalism that gives closed-form success probabilities for the detection of shifted patterns in one- and two-dimensional arrays. Next we consider the problem of learning two unknown pure qubit states, together with their probabilities of occurrence, from a scrambled stream; we show that receiving the systems in identically prepared pairs supplies exactly the extra quantum information needed, since the resulting two-qubit state in the symmetric subspace has a unique decomposition into pure product states, which we recover by tomography. Finally, we show how interference and measurement can convert information encoded in the phases of quantum amplitudes into information encoded in their magnitudes, amplifying the amplitudes that carry useful information and suppressing those that do not, and we apply this technique to states produced by the quantum approximate optimization algorithm for the MaxCut and minimum-vertex-cover problems. Throughout, a single theme recurs: the correlations and superpositions permitted by quantum mechanics are at once something to be measured and something to be exploited.
Quantum states and measurements are two central physical objects in the theory of quantum mechanics. The preparation, control and measurement of quantum states lies at the heart of modern quantum information processing protocols ranging from secure communication to quantum computation and precision sensing. And yet, the reliable operation of these advanced protocols ultimately rests on a far more essential prerequisite - our ability to calibrate, certify and benchmark the quantum states we prepare and the quantum measurements we perform. Quantum information theory provides a natural framework for these tasks, meaningfully connecting the resources we expend for characterisation with the accuracy and precision we can expect in return. While decades of advances in quantum information have refined our understanding of quantum characterisation and sharpened our practical ability to calibrate with enhanced precision, important questions about the fundamental limits of quantum characterisation remain unanswered. Although incorporating entanglement at the measurement stage is known to enhance the estimation of unknown quantum states, the extent of this improvement remains poorly understood. This leaves open a fundamental question on the utility of complex entangling measurement strategies, impeding progress towards bridging the significant gap between practically achievable precision and the ultimate theoretical quantum limit. Complementary to quantum state estimation, which is relatively well-established in theory and practice, the characterisation of quantum measurements lacks a rigorous information-theoretic foundation, leading to a dearth of principled benchmarks and provably optimal strategies despite growing experimental interest. This thesis develops and applies information-theoretic tools to answer questions in quantum characterisation, with an eye to enabling practical improvements beyond current techniques in the field. First, we introduce a computable measure of entanglement enhancement for quantum state estimation and study its variation across general multi-parameter estimation problems for higher-dimensional quantum states. We show that the entanglement enhancement is maximised for full qudit state tomography but grows only linearly with system dimension even when allowing an asymptotically large number of entangling operations. Our proposed tight upper bound to entanglement enhancement therefore constitutes a strong limitation on the utility of such entangling measurements. Next, we formulate the dual problem of quantum detector estimation, developing a comprehensive framework for maximally precise calibration centred around a newly introduced quantity - the detector quantum Fisher information. This information-theoretic measure stipulates the ultimate precision attainable for measurement calibration and identifies the optimal input states that achieve this precision. Further, our framework enables the first provably optimal detector estimation experiment and reveals the scope for entanglement-based enhancements, thereby placing measurement characterisation on equal footing with state characterisation. Considered together, these results suggest two contrasting conclusions about quantum characterisation. On the one hand, they show that for quantum state estimation, increasingly powerful entangling measurements offer only diminishing returns at the ultimate precision limit. On the other hand, they highlight practical quantum advantages available for detector estimation by providing a framework that can improve calibration performance and guide future experimental design. More broadly, these results complete and advance the triad of state, process, and detector characterisation, positioning quantum information measures as not merely abstract bounds, but practical guides for deciding when complex quantum resources are genuinely worth deploying and where near-term quantum advantages are most likely to be realised.
Abstract We study the one-shot reconstruction of a quantum state when a single copy of the source is measured, the outcome is stored in a classical record of fixed finite dimension, and a state is prepared at the destination from the record. This acquisition-limited problem is distinguished from a visible benchmark in which the source label is available to the encoder. For a finite ensemble we derive finite-record bounds on the visible distortion in terms of the cumulative prior mass covered by the record and the optimal discrimination probability, identify the regimes in which they are exact, and solve the two-state visible problem at every record dimension. For pure-state ensembles, exact acquisition-limited reconstruction is possible if and only if the states are perfectly distinguishable, so nonorthogonal targets retain a positive error at every record dimension. For two equiprobable nonorthogonal pure states we derive the optimal trace-distance distortion within the reflection-symmetric two-outcome class in closed variational form and find that unrestricted numerical optimization with up to six outcomes attains the same value; the resulting symmetric value lies strictly below the guess-and-prepare, unambiguous-discrimination, fidelity-optimal, and Haar-random strategies and is realized by one classical bit and one feed-forward rotation. Every classical-record reconstruction is shown to be entanglement breaking, with a quantitative bound on the loss of entanglement with an inaccessible reference, and the record dimension is related to the spectral rank of an energy-constrained memory. These results quantify the separation between a finite classical description and the information obtainable from a single quantum system. MSC Classification: 81P15 , 81P17 , 81P45 , 81P47
Quantum entanglement stands as one of the most intriguing phenomena in quantum mechanics, defying classical intuition and paving the way for revolutionary advancements in information processing. the fundamentals of quantum entanglement and explores its applications in quantum information processing. Beginning with a concise overview of entanglement theory, we delve into various protocols and techniques that leverage entangled states to perform tasks such as quantum teleportation, superdense coding, and quantum cryptography. Furthermore, we discuss recent developments in the field, including entanglement-based quantum key distribution schemes and entanglement swapping protocols. Through a comprehensive examination of both theoretical principles and experimental implementations, this paper elucidates the pivotal role of quantum entanglement in shaping the landscape of quantum information processing, with implications for secure communication, computational speedup, and future quantum technologies.
Quantum entanglement is a non-classical correlation between quantum systems that cannot be accounted for by any local hidden-variable theory. Since its articulation in the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paper of 1935 and its formal testability through Bell's theorem in 1964, entanglement has evolved from a philosophical puzzle into the central resource of quantum information science. This review surveys the conceptual foundations of entanglement, the experimental record culminating in loophole-free Bell tests, and applications including quantum key distribution, quantum teleportation, and measurement-based quantum computation. We summarise quantitative results of representative Bell experiments, discuss entanglement measures for mixed states, and outline recent developments in long-distance entanglement distribution via satellites and quantum repeaters. Persistent challenges decoherence, certification of high-dimensional entanglement, and scalable distribution are identified as active frontiers of research.
Single-particle interferometers became a remarkable tool in many fields of fundamental research and technical applications, such as sensor technology. Due to their high phase sensitivity, these interferometers are susceptible to dephasing which originates typically from electromagnetic fields, mechanical vibrations or temperature drifts, leading to a reduced contrast in the spatial signal. In opposition to decoherence, where the contrast is reduced due to the entanglement of the quantum state to the environment, dephasing is a collective phase shift of the interference pattern. Therefore, it can in principle be reversed after the measurement if the spatial and temporal information about the particle events in the detection plane is available. Using two-particle correlations, it is possible to reveal the properties of the unperturbed interference pattern, such as contrast and spatial periodicity, and the dephasing characteristics. In this thesis, the second-order correlation analysis of multifrequency dephasing is discussed theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. The second-order correlation theory is derived and the equations are explained in detail. Additionally, the numerical correlation function used to extract the experimental data is provided and it is explained how the discretization influences the accuracy of the obtained parameters. Using an electron biprism interferometer, the validity of our correlation analysis is verified experimentally by applying artificially an external time-varying magnetic field dephasing the temporally integrated interference pattern. It is demonstrated successfully that the parameters of the unperturbed interference pattern can be revealed even if the contrast in the spatial signal is nearly vanished. Furthermore, the characteristics of single- and multifrequency dephasing can be identified and used for the reconstruction of the unperturbed interference pattern. The applicability of our correlation analysis is also investigated by applying external mechanical vibrations in a broad frequency range to the electron biprism interferometer. Here, the amplitude spectrum of the correlation function is used together with a numerical algorithm to identify the unknown dephasing frequencies, amplitudes, and phases. In this way, the vibrational response spectrum of the biprism interferometer including the mechanical resonances could be determined. Our correlation analysis can be applied in principle in all interferometers generating a spatial interference pattern on a detector with high spatial and temporal single-particle resolution. Such detectors are available for electrons, ions, atoms, neutrons, molecules, and photons which enables the application of our method in a wide range of interferometric experiments. In fundamental research, the second-order correlation analysis can be used to distinguish between dephasing and decoherence in experiments where the contrast of the interference pattern has to be determined. This is e.g. relevant for studying the mechanisms of decoherence and testing the limits of quantum mechanical superposition. Our method can also be a useful tool in technical applications to optimize the electromagnetic shielding and vibrational damping of the interferometer by measuring its response spectra. As the correlation analysis is suitable to identify unknown dephasing frequencies and the corresponding amplitudes, it can be applied in sensor technology. At the end of this thesis, a compact sensor for the measurement of time-varying electromagnetic fields based on an electron biprism interferometer is proposed. Due to the wide application possibilities of the described correlation analysis, it is of significant relevance in various fields of single-particle interferometry.
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.