Indefinite causal order (ICO) is playing a key role in recent quantum technologies. Here, we experimentally study quantum thermodynamics driven by ICO on nuclear spins using the nuclear magnetic resonance system. We realize the ICO of two thermalizing channels to exhibit how the mechanism works, and show that the working substance can be cooled or heated albeit it undergoes thermal contacts with reservoirs of the same temperature. Moreover, we construct a single cycle of the ICO refrigerator based on the Maxwell's demon mechanism, and evaluate its performance by measuring the work consumption and the heat energy extracted from the low-temperature reservoir. Unlike classical refrigerators in which the coefficient of performance (COP) is perversely higher the closer the temperature of the high-temperature and low-temperature reservoirs are to each other, the ICO refrigerator's COP is always bounded to small values due to the non-unit success probability in projecting the ancillary qubit to the preferable subspace. To enhance the COP, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a general framework based on the density matrix exponentiation (DME) approach, as an extension to the ICO refrigeration. The COP is observed to be enhanced by more than three times with the DME approach. Our work demonstrates a new way for non-classical heat exchange, and paves the way towards construction of quantum refrigerators on a quantum system.
An indefinite causal order, where the causes of events are not necessarily in past events, is predicted by the process matrix framework. A fundamental question is how these non-separable causal structures can be related to the thermodynamic phenomena. Here, we approach this problem by considering the existence of two cooperating local Maxwell's demons which try to exploit the presence of global correlations and indefinite causal order to optimize the extraction of work. Thus, we prove that it is possible to have a larger probability to lower the local energy to zero if causal inequalities are …
Quantum causality extends the conventional notion of fixed causal structure by allowing channels and operations to act in an indefinite causal order. The importance of such an indefinite causal order ranges from the foundational---e.g. towards a theory of quantum gravity---to the applied---e.g. for advantages in communication and computation. In this review, we will walk through the basic theory of indefinite causal order and focus on experiments that rely on a physically realisable indefinite causal ordered process---the quantum switch.
We show a method of describing processes with indefinite causal order (ICO) by a definite causal order. We do so by relabeling the processes that take place in the circuit in accordance with the basis of measurement of control qubit. Causal nonseparability is alleviated at a cost of nonlocality of the acting processes. This result highlights the key role of superposition in creating the paradox of ICO. We also draw attention to the issue of growing incompatibility of language in its current form (especially the logical structures it embodies) with the quantum logic.
Quantum Fisher information is the principal tool used to give the ultimate precision bound on the estimation of parameters for quantum channels. In this work, we present analytical expressions for the quantum Fisher information with three noisy channels for the case where the channels are in superposition of causal orders. We found that the quantum Fisher information increases as the number of causal orders increases for certain combinations. We also show that certain combinations of causal orders attain higher precision on bounds than others for the same number of causal orders. Based on our …
We propose a thermodynamic refrigeration cycle which uses Indefinite Causal Orders to achieve non-classical cooling. The cycle cools a cold reservoir while consuming purity in a control qubit. We first show that the application to an input state of two identical thermalizing channels of temperature $T$ in an indefinite causal order can result in an output state with a temperature not equal to $T$. We investigate the properties of the refrigeration cycle and show that thermodynamically, the result is compatible with unitary quantum mechanics in the circuit model but could not be achieved classi…
Recently, the possible existence of quantum processes with indefinite causal order has been extensively discussed, in particular using the formalism of process matrices. Here we give a new perspective on this question, by establishing a direct connection to the theory of multi-time quantum states. Specifically, we show that process matrices are equivalent to a particular class of pre- and post- selected quantum states. This offers a new conceptual point of view to the nature of process matrices. Our results also provide an explicit recipe to experimentally implement any process matrix in a pro…
Reconstructions of quantum theory usually implicitly assume that experimental events are ordered within a global causal structure. The process matrix framework accommodates quantum correlations that violate an inequality verified by all causally ordered correlations. Using a generalized probabilistic framework, we propose three principles constraining bipartite correlations to the quantum bound. Our approach highlights the role of a measure of dependence other than mutual information for an information-theoretic reconstruction of causal structures in quantum theory.
The communication power of indefinite causal order
QICI Quantum Information and Computation Initiative, School of Computing and Data Science, The University of Hong Kong（香港大学计算与数据科学学院量子信息与计算倡议）；Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, Institut Néel（格勒诺布尔阿尔卑斯大学）；Quantum Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford（牛津大学计算机科学系量子研究组）；Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics（理论物理前沿研究所）
In quantum mechanics events can happen in no definite causal order: in practice this can be verified by measuring a causal witness, in the same way that an entanglement witness verifies entanglement. Indefinite causal order can be observed in a quantum switch, where two operations act in a quantum superposition of the two possible orders. Here we realise a photonic quantum switch, where polarisation coherently controls the order of two operations, $\hat{A}$ and $\hat{B}$, on the transverse spatial mode of the photons. Our setup avoids the limitations of earlier implementations: the operations …
Indefinite causal order with output-signalling instruments
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte（北里奥格兰德联邦大学）；International Institute of Physics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte（北里奥格兰德联邦大学国际物理研究所）；Technische Universität Wien（维也纳工业大学）；Università degli Studi di Pavia（帕维亚大学）
In all existing quantum walk models, the assumption about a pre-existing fixed background causal structure is always made and has been taken for granted. Nevertheless, in this work we will get rid of this tacit assumption especially by introducing indefinite causal order ways of coin tossing and investigate this modern scenario. We find that an ideal-shape and fast-spreading uniform distribution can be prepared with our new model. First we will show how an always-symmetrical instantaneous distribution appears in an indefinite causal order quantum walk, which then paves the way for deriving con…
The information bleaching refers to any physical process that removes quantum information from the initial state of the physical system. The no-hiding theorem proves that if information is lost from the initial system, then it cannot remain in the bipartite quantum correlation and must be found in the remainder of the Hilbert space. We show that when hiding map acts on the input state in the presence of indefinite causal order, then it is possible to hide quantum information in the correlation. One may ask, does it then violate the no-hiding theorem? We analyse this question and argue that in …
A quantum-controlled device may produce a scenario in which two general quantum operations can be performed in such a way that it is not possible to associate a definite order for the operations application. Such an indefinite causal order can be explored to produce nontrivial effects in quantum thermal devices. We investigate a measurement-powered thermal device that consists of generalized measurement channels with adjustable intensity parameters, where energy is exchanged with the apparatus in the form of work or heat. The measurement-based device can operate as a heat engine, a thermal acc…
Recent frameworks describing quantum mechanics in the absence of a global causal order admit the existence of causally indefinite processes, where it is impossible to ascribe causal order for events A and B. These frameworks even allow for processes that violate the so-called causal inequalities, which are analogous to Bell's inequalities. However, the physicality of these exotic processes is, in the general case, still under debate, bringing into question their foundational relevance. While it is known that causally indefinite processes can be probabilistically realised by means of a quantum …
Treating the time of an event as a quantum variable, we derive a scheme in which superpositions in time are used to perform operations in an indefinite causal order. We use some aspects of a recently developed space-time-symmetric formalism of events. We propose a specific implementation of the scheme and recover the Quantum SWITCH, where quantum operations are performed in an order which is entangled with the state of a control qubit. Our scheme does not rely on any exotic quantum gravitational effect, but instead on phenomena which are naturally fuzzy in time, such as the decay of an excited…
Charging efficiency bursts in a quantum battery with cyclic indefinite causal order
National Cheng Kung University（国立成功大学）；Center for Quantum Frontiers of Research and Technology, NCKU（国立成功大学量子前沿科技研究中心）；University of Rochester（罗切斯特大学）；National Center for Theoretical Sciences（国家理论科学中心）
We address the study of quantum metrology enhanced by indefinite causal order, demonstrating a quadratic advantage in the estimation of the product of two average displacements in a continuous variable system. We prove that no setup where the displacements are probed in a fixed order can have root-mean-square error vanishing faster than the Heisenberg limit 1/N, where N is the number of displacements contributing to the average. In stark contrast, we show that a setup that probes the displacements in a superposition of two alternative orders yields a root-mean-square error vanishing with super…
Investigating the role of causal order in quantum mechanics has recently revealed that the causal distribution of events may not be a-priori well-defined in quantum theory. While this has triggered a growing interest on the theoretical side, creating processes without a causal order is an experimental task. Here we report the first decisive demonstration of a process with an indefinite causal order. To do this, we quantify how incompatible our set-up is with a definite causal order by measuring a 'causal witness'. This mathematical object incorporates a series of measurements which are designe…
We present an instance of a task of minimum-error discrimination of two qubit-qubit quantum channels for which a sequential strategy outperforms any parallel strategy. We then establish two new classes of strategies for channel discrimination that involve indefinite causal order and show that there exists a strict hierarchy among the performance of all four strategies. Our proof technique employs a general method of computer-assisted proofs. We also provide a systematic method for finding pairs of channels that showcase this phenomenon, demonstrating that the hierarchy between the strategies i…
Quantum coherence is a prime resource in quantum computing and quantum communication. Quantum coherence of an arbitrary qubit state can be created at a remote location using maximally entangled state, local operation and classical communication. However, if there is a noisy channel acting on one side of the shared resource, then, it is not possible to create perfect quantum coherence remotely. Here, we present a method for the creation of quantum coherence at a remote location via the use of entangled state and indefinite causal order. We show this specifically for the superposition of two com…
Unambiguous arbitrary high-dimensional Bell states analyzer via indefinite causal order
School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing（北京科技大学数学与物理学院）；Department of Mathematics and Physics, Shijiazhuang Tiedao University（石家庄铁道大学数学与物理系）
In quantum Shannon theory, transmission of information is enhanced by quantum features. Up to very recently, the trajectories of transmission remained fully classical. Recently, a new paradigm was proposed by playing quantum tricks on two completely depolarizing quantum channels i.e. using coherent control in space or time of the two quantum channels. We extend here this control to the transmission of information through a network of an arbitrary number $N$ of channels with arbitrary individual capacity i.e. information preservation characteristics in the case of indefinite causal order. We pr…
In all our well-established theories, it is assumed that events are embedded in a global causal structure such that, for every pair of events, the causal order between them is always fixed. However, the possible interplay between quantum mechanics and general relativity may require a revision of this paradigm. The process matrix framework keeps the validity of quantum physics locally but does not assume the existence of a global causal order. It allows to describe causal structures corresponding to a quantum superposition of 'A is before B' and 'B is before A'. So far, the framework has been d…
In the classical world, physical events always happen in a fixed causal order. However, it was recently revealed that quantum mechanics allows events to occur with indefinite causal order (ICO). In this study, we use an optical quantum switch to experimentally investigate the application of ICO in thermodynamic tasks. Specifically, we simulate the working system interacting with two identical thermal reservoirs in an ICO, observing the quantum heat extraction even though they are in thermal equilibrium where heat extraction is unaccessible by traditional thermal contact. Using such a process, …
We show that quantum indefinite causal structure generically reduce two-party correlations. For significant indefiniteness in the causal structure captured by some general conditions, the correlation is shown to be reduced down to zero. The result offers an operational model-independent ultraviolet regularization mechanism. It may be applied to various approaches of quantum gravity that allow quantum indefinite spacetime causal structure.
Classical communication capacity of a channel can be enhanced either through a device called a 'quantum switch' or by putting the channel in a quantum superposition. The gains in the two cases, although different, have their origin in the use of a quantum resource, but is it the same resource? Here this question is explored through simulating large sets of random channels. We find that quantum superposition always provides an advantage, while the quantum switch does not: it can either increase or decrease communication capacity. The origin of this discrepancy can be attributed to a subtle comb…
When transforming pairs of independent quantum operations according to the fundamental rules of quantum theory, an intriguing phenomenon emerges: some such higher-order operations may act on the input operations in an indefinite causal order. Recently, the formalism of process matrices has been developed to investigate these noncausal properties of higher-order operations. This formalism predicts, in principle, statistics that ensure indefinite causal order even in a device-independent scenario, where the involved operations are not characterised. Nevertheless, all physical implementations of …
If two identical copies of a completely depolarizing channel are put into a superposition of their possible causal orders, they can transmit non-zero classical information. Here, we study how well we can transmit classical information with $N$ depolarizing channels put in superposition of $M$ causal orders via quantum SWITCH. We calculate Holevo quantity if the superposition uses only cyclic permutations of channels and find that it increases with $M$ and it is independent of $N$. For a qubit it never reaches $1$ if we are increasing $M$. On the other hand, the classical capacity decreases wit…
Realization of indefinite causal order (ICO), a theoretical possibility that even causal relations between physical events can be subjected to quantum superposition, apart from its general significance for the fundamental physics research, would also enable quantum information processing that outperforms protocols in which the underlying causal structure is definite. In this paper, we start with a proposition that an observer in a state of quantum superposition of being at two different relative distances from the event horizon of a black hole, effectively resides in ICO space-time generated b…
Quantum mechanics, in principle, allows for processes with indefinite causal order. However, most of these causal anomalies have not yet been detected experimentally. We show that every such process can be simulated experimentally by means of non-Markovian dynamics with a measurement on additional degrees of freedom. Explicitly, we provide a constructive scheme to implement arbitrary acausal processes. Furthermore, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for open system dynamics with measurement to yield processes that respect causality locally, and find that tripartite entanglement and no…
