Quantum channel estimation and discrimination are fundamentally related information processing tasks of interest in quantum information science. In this paper, we analyze these tasks by employing the right logarithmic derivative Fisher information and the geometric Rényi relative entropy, respectively, and we also identify connections between these distinguishability measures. A key result of our paper is that a chain-rule property holds for the right logarithmic derivative Fisher information and the geometric Rényi relative entropy for the interval $α\in(0,1) $ of the Rényi parameter $α$. In channel estimation, these results imply a condition for the unattainability of Heisenberg scaling, while in channel discrimination, they lead to improved bounds on error rates in the Chernoff and Hoeffding error exponent settings. More generally, we introduce the amortized quantum Fisher information as a conceptual framework for analyzing general sequential protocols that estimate a parameter encoded in a quantum channel, and we use this framework, beyond the aforementioned application, to show that Heisenberg scaling is not possible when a parameter is encoded in a classical-quantum channel. We then identify a number of other conceptual and technical connections between the tasks of estimation and discrimination and the distinguishability measures involved in analyzing each. As part of this work, we present a detailed overview of the geometric Rényi relative entropy of quantum states and channels, as well as its properties, which may be of independent interest.
It is shown that different distinguishability measures impose different orderings on ensembles of $N$ pure quantum states. This is demonstrated using ensembles of equally-probable, linearly independent, symmetrical pure states, with the maximum probabilities of correct hypothesis testing and unambiguous state discrimination being the distinguishability measures. This finding implies that there is no absolute scale for comparing the distinguishability of any two ensembles of $N$ quantum states, and that distinguishability comparison is necessarily relative to a particular discrimination strateg…
In this paper, we consider the problem of discriminating quantum states by local operations and classical communication (LOCC) when an arbitrarily small amount of error is permitted. This paradigm is known as asymptotic state discrimination, and we derive necessary conditions for when two multipartite states of any size can be discriminated perfectly by asymptotic LOCC. We use this new criterion to prove a gap in the LOCC and separable distinguishability norms. We then turn to the operational advantage of using two-way classical communication over one-way communication in LOCC processing. With…
We provide a feasible necessary and sufficient condition for when an unknown quantum operation (quantum device) secretely selected from a set of known quantum operations can be identified perfectly within a finite number of queries, and thus complete the characterization of the perfect distinguishability of quantum operations. We further design an optimal protocol which can achieve the perfect discrimination between two quantum operations by a minimal number of queries. Interestingly, employing the techniques from the theory of $q$-numerical range we find that an optimal perfect discrimination…
We examine the effect of decoherence and intermolecular interactions (chiral discrimination energies) on the chiral stability and the distinguishability of initially pure versus mixed states in an open chiral system. Under a two-level approximation for a system, intermolecular interactions are introduced by a mean-field theory, and interaction between a system and an environment is modeled by a continuous measurement of a population difference between the two chiral states. The resultant equations are explored for various parameters, with emphasis on the combined effects of the initial conditi…
Quantum discrimination and estimation are pivotal for many quantum technologies, and their performance depends on the optimal choice of probe state and measurement. Here we show that their performance can be further improved by suitably tailoring the pulses that make up the interferometer. Developing an optimal control framework and applying it to the discrimination and estimation of a magnetic field in the presence of noise, we find an increase in the overall achievable state distinguishability. Moreover, the maximum distinguishability can be stabilized for times that are more than an order o…
We investigate local distinguishability of quantum states by use of the convex analysis about joint numerical range of operators on a Hilbert space. We show that any two orthogonal pure states are distinguishable by local operations and classical communications, even for infinite dimensional systems. An estimate of the local discrimination probability is also given for some family of more than two pure states.
Coherence measures and their operational interpretations lay the cornerstone of coherence theory. In this paper, we introduce a class of coherence measures with $α$-affinity, say $α$-affinity of coherence for $α\in (0, 1)$. Furthermore, we obtain the analytic formulae for these coherence measures and study their corresponding convex roof extension. We provide an operational interpretation for $1/2$-affinity of coherence by showing that it is equal to the error probability to discrimination a set of pure states with the least square measurement. Employing this relationship we regain the optimal…
We study discrimination of m quantum measurements in the scenario when the unknown measurement with n outcomes can be used only once. We show that ancilla-assisted discrimination procedures provide a nontrivial advantage over simple (ancilla-free) schemes for perfect distinguishability and we prove that inevitably m <= n. We derive necessary and sufficient conditions of perfect distinguishability of general binary measurements. We show that the optimization of the discrimination of projective qubit measurements and their mixtures with white noise is equivalent to the discrimination of specific…
It is shown that local distinguishability of orthogonal mixed states can be completely characterized by local distinguishability of their supports irrespective of entanglement and mixedness of the states. This leads to two kinds of upper bounds on the number of perfect LOCC distinguishable orthogonal mixed states. The first one depends only on pure-state entanglement within the supports of the states, and therefore may be easy to compute in many instances. The second bound is optimal in the sense that it optimizes the bounding quantities, not necessarily function of entanglement alone, over al…
Originated from the superposition principle in quantum mechanics, coherence has been extensively studied as a kind important resource in quantum information processing. We investigate the distinguishability of coherence-breaking channels with the help of quantum entanglement. By explicitly computing the minimal error probability of channel discrimination, it is shown that entanglement can enhance the capacity of coherence-breaking channel distinguishability with same types for some cases while cannot enhanced for some other cases. For coherence-breaking channels with different types, the chann…
Distinguishing physical processes is one of the fundamental problems in quantum physics. Although distinguishability of quantum preparations and quantum channels have been studied considerably, distinguishability of quantum measurements remains largely unexplored. We investigate the problem of single-shot discrimination of quantum measurements using two strategies, one based on single quantum systems and the other one based on entangled quantum systems. First, we formally define both scenarios. We then construct sets of measurements (including non-projective) in arbitrary finite dimensions tha…
A survey of various concepts in quantum information is given, with a main emphasis on the distinguishability of quantum states and quantum correlations. Covered topics include generalized and least square measurements, state discrimination, quantum relative entropies, the Bures distance on the set of quantum states, the quantum Fisher information, the quantum Chernoff bound, bipartite entanglement, the quantum discord, and geometrical measures of quantum correlations. The article is intended both for physicists interested not only by collections of results but also by the mathematical methods …
The indistinguishability of non-orthogonal pure states lies at the heart of quantum information processing. Although the indistinguishability reflects the impossibility of measuring complementary physical quantities by a single measurement, we demonstrate that the distinguishability can be perfectly retrieved simply with the help of posterior classical partial information. We demonstrate this by showing an ensemble of non-orthogonal pure states such that a state randomly sampled from the ensemble can be perfectly identified by a single measurement with help of the post-processing of the measur…
Recently, the resource theory of asymmetric distinguishability for quantum strategies was introduced by [Wang et al., Phys. Rev. Research 1, 033169 (2019)]. The fundamental objects in the resource theory are pairs of quantum strategies, which are generalizations of quantum channels that provide a framework to describe an arbitrary quantum interaction. In the present paper, we provide semi-definite program characterizations of the one-shot operational quantities in this resource theory. We then apply these semi-definite programs to study the advantage conferred by adaptive strategies in discrim…
A quantum analogue of the famous Blackwell Theorem in classical statistics has recently been proposed. Given two quantum channels A and B, a set of payoff functions have been proven to have values for B at least as high as they are for A if and only if there exists a quantum garbling channel E such that A=EB. When such a channel E exists, we can globally compare A and B in terms of their `noisiness'. We show that this method of channel noise comparison is equivalent to one obtained by considering the degradation of the distinguishability of states. Here, the channel A is said to be at least as…
We consider the problem of optimally discriminating two Pauli channels in the minimax strategy, maximizing the smallest of the probabilities of correct identification of the channel. We find the optimal input state at the channel and show the conditions under which using entanglement strictly enhances distinguishability. We finally compare the minimax strategy with the Bayesian one.
We find that the perfect distinguishability of two quantum operations by a parallel scheme depends only on an operator subspace generated from their Choi-Kraus operators. We further show that any operator subspace can be obtained from two quantum operations in such a way. This connection enables us to study the parallel distinguishability of operator subspaces directly without explicitly referring to the underlining quantum operations. We obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for the parallel distinguishability of an operator subspace that is either one-dimensional or Hermitian. In both …
Motivated by the recent discovery of a quantum Chernoff theorem for asymptotic state discrimination, we investigate the distinguishability of two bipartite mixed states under the constraint of local operations and classical communication (LOCC), in the limit of many copies. While for two pure states a result of Walgate et al. shows that LOCC is just as powerful as global measurements, data hiding states (DiVincenzo et al.) show that locality can impose severe restrictions on the distinguishability of even orthogonal states. Here we determine the optimal error probability and measurement to dis…
We studied the distinguishability of generalized Bell states under local operations and classical communication. We introduced the concept of maximally commutative set (MCS), subset of generalized Pauli matrices whose elements are mutually commutative and there is no other generalized Pauli matrix that is commute with all the elements of this set. We found that MCS can be considered as a detector for local distinguishability of set $\mathcal{S}$ of generalized Bell states. In fact, we got an efficient criterion. That is, if the difference set of $\mathcal{S}$ is disjoint with or completely con…
Chaos-Mediated Quantum State Discrimination Near Unit Fidelity
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata（印度科学教育研究所加尔各答分校）；Ben-Gurion University of the Negev（内盖夫本古里安大学）；IU Indianapolis（印第安纳大学-普渡大学印第安纳波利斯联合分校）
This paper introduces coherent quantum channel discrimination as a coherent version of conventional quantum channel discrimination. Coherent channel discrimination is phrased here as a quantum interactive proof system between a verifier and a prover, wherein the goal of the prover is to distinguish two channels called in superposition in order to distill a Bell state at the end. The key measure considered here is the success probability of distilling a Bell state, and I prove that this success probability does not increase under the action of a quantum superchannel, thus establishing this meas…
The data processing inequality (DPI) is a scalar inequality satisfied by distinguishability measures on density matrices. For some distinguishability measures, saturation of the scalar DPI implies an operator equation relating the arguments of the measure. These results are typically derived using functional analytic techniques. In a complementary approach, we use geometric techniques to derive a formula that gives an operator equation from DPI saturation for any distinguishability measure; moreover, for a broad class of distinguishability measures, the derived operator equation is sufficient …
We study optimal perfect distinguishability between a unitary and a general quantum operation. In 2-dimensional case we provide a simple sufficient and necessary condition for sequential perfect distinguishability and an analytical formula of optimal query time. We extend the sequential condition to general d-dimensional case. Meanwhile, we provide an upper bound and a lower bound for optimal sequential query time. In the process a new iterative method is given, the most notable innovation of which is its independence to auxiliary systems or entanglement. Following the idea, we further obtain …
We derive a generalized wave-particle duality relation for arbitrary multipath quantum interference phenomena. Beyond the conventional notion of the wave nature of a quantum system, i.e., the interference fringe visibility, we introduce a quantifier as the normalized quantum coherence, recently defined in the framework of quantum information theory. To witness the particle nature, we quantify the path distinguishability or the which-path information based on unambiguous quantum state discrimination. Then, the Bohr complementarity principle for multipath quantum interference can be stated as a …
The present paper studies an operator norm that captures the distinguishability of quantum strategies in the same sense that the trace norm captures the distinguishability of quantum states or the diamond norm captures the distinguishability of quantum channels. Characterizations of its unit ball and dual norm are established via strong duality of a semidefinite optimization problem. A full, formal proof of strong duality is presented for the semidefinite optimization problem in question. This norm and its properties are employed to generalize a state discrimination result of Ref. [GW05]. The …
Particle distinguishability is a significant challenge for quantum technologies, in particular photonics where the Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) effect clearly demonstrates it is detrimental to quantum interference. We take a representation theoretic approach in first quantisation, separating particles' Hilbert spaces into degrees of freedom that we control and those we do not, yielding a quantum information inspired bipartite model where distinguishability can arise as correlation with an environment carried by the particles themselves. This makes clear that the HOM experiment is an instance of a (mix…
Contextual advantage implies limited distinguishability in any physical theory
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics（Perimeter理论物理研究所）；University of Gdańsk（格但斯克大学）；University of São Paulo（圣保罗大学）；Polish Academy of Sciences（波兰科学院）
It is well known that for the discrimination of classical and quantum channels in the finite, non-asymptotic regime, adaptive strategies can give an advantage over non-adaptive strategies. However, Hayashi [IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 55(8), 3807 (2009)] showed that in the asymptotic regime, the exponential error rate for the discrimination of classical channels is not improved in the adaptive setting. We extend this result in several ways. First, we establish the strong Stein's lemma for classical-quantum channels by showing that asymptotically the exponential error rate for classical-quantum cha…
Hypothesis testing is a fundamental issue in statistical inference and has been a crucial element in the development of information sciences. The Chernoff bound gives the minimal Bayesian error probability when discriminating two hypotheses given a large number of observations. Recently the combined work of Audenaert et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 160501] and Nussbaum and Szkola [quant-ph/0607216] has proved the quantum analog of this bound, which applies when the hypotheses correspond to two quantum states. Based on the quantum Chernoff bound, we define a physically meaningful distinguishabilit…
Amplitude damping (AD) channels are good models for many physical scenarios, and so the development of protocols to discriminate between them is an important task in quantum information science. It is therefore important to bound the performance of such protocols. Since adaptivity has been shown to improve the performance of discrimination protocols, bounds on the distinguishability of AD channels must take this into account. In this paper, we use both channel simulation and a bound based on the diamond norm to significantly tighten the upper bound on the trace norm between the possible output…
In the problem of asymptotic binary i.i.d. state discrimination, the optimal asymptotics of the type I and the type II error probabilities is in general an exponential decrease to zero as a function of the number of samples; the set of achievable exponent pairs is characterized by the quantum Hoeffding bound theorem. A super-exponential decrease for both types of error probabilities is only possible in the trivial case when the two states are orthogonal, and hence can be perfectly distinguished using only a single copy of the system. In this paper we show that a qualitatively different behavio…
Distinguishability is a fundamental and operational task generally connected to information applications. In quantum information theory, from the postulates of quantum mechanics it often has an intrinsic limitation, which then dictates and also characterises capabilities of related information tasks. In this work, we consider discrimination between bipartite two-qubit unitary transformations by local operations and classical communication (LOCC) and its relations to entangling capabilities of given unitaries. We show that a pair of entangling unitaries which do not contain local parts, if they…
Correlated photons inspire abundance of metrology-related platforms, which benefit from quantum (anti-) correlations and outperform their classical-light counterparts. While such demonstrations mainly focus on entanglement, the role of photon exchange-phase and degree of distinguishability have not been widely utilized in quantum-enhanced applications. Using an interferometric setup we show that even at low degree entanglement, when a two-photon wave-function is coupled to matter, it is encoded with a reliable "which pathway?" information. An interferometric exchange-phase-cycling protocol is …
We study the fidelity approach to quantum phase transitions (QPTs) and apply it to general thermal phase transitions (PTs). We analyze two particular cases: the Stoner-Hubbard itinerant electron model of magnetism and the BCS theory of superconductivity. In both cases we show that the sudden drop of the mixed state fidelity marks the line of the phase transition. We conduct a detailed analysis of the general case of systems given by mutually commuting Hamiltonians, where the non-analyticity of the fidelity is directly related to the non-analyticity of the relevant response functions (susceptib…
Pairs of states, or "boxes" are the basic objects in the resource theory of asymmetric distinguishability (Wang and Wilde, 2019), where free operations are arbitrary quantum channels that are applied to both states. From this point of view, hypothesis testing is seen as a process by which a standard form of distinguishability is distilled. Motivated by the more general problem of quantum state discrimination, we consider boxes of a fixed finite number of states and study an extension of the relative submajorization preorder to such objects. In this relation a tuple of positive operators is gre…
Quantum state discrimination underlies various applications in quantum information processing tasks. It essentially describes the distinguishability of quantum systems in different states, and the general process of extracting classical information from quantum systems. It is also useful in quantum information applications, such as the characterisation of mutual information in cryptographic protocols, or as a technique to derive fundamental theorems in quantum foundations. It has deep connections to physical principles such as relativistic causality. Quantum state discrimination traces a long …
The operational meaning of coherence measure lies at very heart of the coherence theory. In this paper, we provide an operational interpretation for geometric coherence, by proving that the geometric coherence of a quantum state is equal to the minimum error probability to discriminate a set of pure states with von Neumann measurement. On the other hand, we also show that a task to ambiguously discriminate a set of linearly independent pure states can be also regards as a problem of calculating geometric coherence. That is, we reveal an equivalence relation between ambiguous quantum state disc…
Quantum State Discrimination With Stabilizer Circuits
International Institute of Physics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte（国际物理研究所，北里奥格兰德联邦大学）；Departamento de Física Teórica e Experimental, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte（理论与实验物理系，北里奥格兰德联邦大学）
Quantum information processing using linear optics is challenging due to the limited set of deterministic operations achievable without using complicated resource-intensive methods. While techniques such as the use of ancillary photons can enhance the information processing capabilities of linear optical systems they are technologically demanding. Therefore, determining the constraints posed by linear optics and optimizing linear optical operations for specific tasks under those constraints, without the use of ancillas, can facilitate their potential implementation. Here, we consider the task …
In this article we show that, in a two-arm interferometer, pure quantum states of perfect path distinguishability (particles) are geometrically equidistant from all states with constant path distinguishability D. This property is not shared by other states, such as perfect fringe-visibility (waves) or maximally entangled quantum states (entanglon). Indeed, the Bures distance between a particle and any other state depends only the distinguishability of the latter. On the contrary, the Bures distance between a wave or an entanglon, and any other single photon state depends on other set of parame…
For distinguishing quantum states sampled from a fixed ensemble, the gap in bipartite and single-party distinguishability can be interpreted as a nonlocality of the ensemble. In this paper, we consider bipartite state discrimination in a composite system consisting of $N$ subsystems, where each subsystem is shared between two parties and the state of each subsystem is randomly sampled from a particular ensemble comprising the Bell states. We show that the success probability of perfectly identifying the state converges to $1$ as $N\rightarrow\infty$ if the entropy of the probability distributi…
We analyse the problem of finding sets of quantum states that can be deterministically discriminated. From a geometric point of view this problem is equivalent to that of embedding a simplex of points whose distances are maximal with respect to the Bures distance (or trace distance). We derive upper and lower bounds for the trace distance and for the fidelity between two quantum states, which imply bounds for the Bures distance between the unitary orbits of both states. We thus show that when analysing minimal and maximal distances between states of fixed spectra it is sufficient to consider d…
Semi-classical geometric tensor in multiparameter quantum information
University of Tsukuba（筑波大学）；Center for Artificial Intelligence Research (C-AIR), University of Tsukuba（筑波大学人工智能研究中心）；Istituto Nazionale di Ottica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-INO)（意大利国家光学研究所）；European Laboratory for Nonlinear Spectroscopy (LENS)（欧洲非线性光谱学实验室）；Zhejiang University（浙江大学）；Nordita, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University（诺迪塔，瑞典皇家理工学院与斯德哥尔摩大学）
Query Complexity of Classical and Quantum Channel Discrimination
School of Electrical；Computer Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA；Department of Mathematics \& Illinois Quantum Information Science；Technology (IQUIST) Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
