Nonorthogonal quantum state discrimination (QSD) plays an important role in quantum information and quantum communication. In addition, compared to Hermitian quantum systems, parity-time-($\mathcal{PT}$-)symmetric non-Hermitian quantum systems exhibit novel phenomena and have attracted considerable attention. Here, we experimentally demonstrate QSD in a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric system (i.e., $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric QSD), by having quantum states evolve under a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric Hamiltonian in a lossy linear optical setup. We observe that two initially nonorthogonal states can rapidly evolve into orthogonal states, and the required evolution time can even be vanishing provided the matrix elements of the Hamiltonian become sufficiently large. We also observe that the cost of such a discrimination is a dissipation of quantum states into the environment. Furthermore, by comparing $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric QSD with optimal strategies in Hermitian systems, we find that at the critical value, $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric QSD is equivalent to the optimal unambiguous state discrimination in Hermitian systems. We also extend the $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric QSD to the case of discriminating three nonorthogonal states. The QSD in a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric system opens a new door for quantum state discrimination, which has important applications in quantum computing, quantum cryptography, and quantum communication.
We propose an optimal discrimination scheme for a case of four linearly independent nonorthogonal symmetric quantum states, based on linear optics only. The probability of discrimination is in agreement with the optimal probability for unambiguous discrimination among N symmetric states [Phys. Lett. A \textbf{250}, 223 (1998)]. The experimental setup can be extended for the case of discrimination among $2^M$ nonorthogonal symmetric quantum states.
We study an optimized measurement which discriminates N mixed quantum states occurring with given prior robabilities. The measurement yields the maximum achievable confidence for each of the N conclusive outcomes, thereby keeping the overall probability of inconclusive outcomes as small as possible. It corresponds to optimum unambiguous discrimination when for each outcome the confidence is equal to unity. Necessary and sufficient optimality conditions are derived and general properties of the optimum measurement are obtained. The results are applied to the optimized maximum-confidence discrim…
We provide a solution of finding optimal measurement strategy for distinguishing between symmetric mixed quantum states. It is assumed that the matrix elements of at least one of the symmetric quantum states are all real and nonnegative in the basis of the eigenstates of the symmetry operator.
We consider a state discrimination problem which deals with settings of minimum-error and unambiguous discrimination systematically by introducing a margin for the probability of an incorrect guess. We analyze discrimination of three symmetric pure states of a qubit. The measurements are classified into three types, and one of the three types is optimal depending on the value of the error margin. The problem is formulated as one of semidefinite programming. Starting with the dual problem derived from the primal one, we analytically obtain the optimal success probability and the optimal measure…
The quantum formalism permits one to discriminate sometimes between any set of linearly-independent pure states with certainty. We obtain the maximum probability with which a set of equally-likely, symmetric, linearly-independent states can be discriminated. The form of this bound is examined for symmetric coherent states of a harmonic oscillator or field mode.
We present the optimal measurement strategy for distinguishing between three quantum states exhibiting a mirror symmetry. The three states live in a two-dimensional Hilbert space, and are thus overcomplete. By mirror symmetry we understand that the transformation {|+> -> |+>, |-> -> -|->} leaves the set of states invariant. The obtained measurement strategy minimizes the error probability. An experimental realization for polarized photons, realizable with current technology, is suggested.
A state discrimination problem in an operational probabilistic theory (OPT) is investigated in diagrammatic terms. It is well-known that, in the case of quantum theory, if a state set has a certain symmetry, then there exists a minimum-error measurement having the same type of symmetry. However, to our knowledge, it is not yet clear whether this property also holds in a more general OPT. We show that it also holds in OPTs, i.e., for a symmetric state set, there exists a minimum-error measurement that has the same type of symmetry. It is also shown that this result can be utilized to optimize o…
We solve the problem of quantum state discrimination with "general (symmetric) figures of merit" for an even number of symmetric quantum bits with use of the no-signaling principle. It turns out that conditional probability has the same form for any figure of merit. Optimal measurement and corresponding conditional probability are the same for any monotonous figure of merit.
It is shown that generalized measurements, required for optimally discriminating between nonorthogonal joint polarization states of two indistinguishable photons, can be realized with the help of polarization-dependent two-photon absorption and by means of sum-frequency generation. Optimization schemes are investigated with respect to minimizing the error probability in inferring the states, as well as with respect to maximizing the probability of success for unambiguous discrimination. Moreover, an implementation of error-minimizing discrimination between N symmetric single-photon states is s…
We investigate unambiguous discrimination between given quantum states with a sequential measurement, which is restricted to local measurements and one-way classical communication. If the given states are binary or those each of whose individual systems is two-dimensional, then it is in some cases known whether a sequential measurement achieves a globally optimal unambiguous measurement. In contrast, for more than two states each of whose individual systems is more than two-dimensional, the problem becomes extremely complicated. This paper focuses on symmetric ternary pure states each of whose…
We present a theoretical study of minimum error probability discrimination, using quantum- optical probe states, of M optical phase shifts situated symmetrically on the unit circle. We assume ideal lossless conditions and full freedom for implementing quantum measurements and for probe state selection, subject only to a constraint on the average energy, i.e., photon number. In particular, the probe state is allowed to have any number of signal and ancillary modes, and to be pure or mixed. Our results are based on a simple criterion that partitions the set of pure probe states into equivalence …
Quantum state separation is a probabilistic map that transforms a given set of pure states into another set of more distinguishable ones. Here we investigate such a map acting onto uniparametric families of symmetric linearly dependent or independent quantum states. We obtained analytical solutions for the success probability of the maps--which is shown to be optimal--as well as explicit constructions in terms of positive operator valued measures. Our results can be used for state discrimination strategies interpolating continuously between minimum-error and unambiguous (or maximum-confidence)…
This paper deals with the quantum optimal discrimination among mixed quantum states enjoying geometrical uniform symmetry with respect to a reference density operator $ρ_0$. It is well-known that the minimal error probability is given by the positive operator-valued measure (POVM) obtained as a solution of a convex optimization problem, namely a set of operators satisfying geometrical symmetry, with respect to a reference operator $Π_0$, and maximizing $\textrm{Tr}(ρ_0 Π_0)$. In this paper, by resolving the dual problem, we show that the same result is obtained by minimizing the trace of a sem…
Quantum Key Distribution or QKD provides symmetric key distribution using the quantum mechanics/channels with new security properties. The security of QKD relies on the difficulty of the quantum state discrimination problem. We discover that the recent developments in $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry can be used to expedite the quantum state discrimination problem and therefore to attack the BB84 QKD scheme. We analyze the security of the BB84 scheme and show that the attack significantly increases the eavesdropping success rate over the previous Hermitian quantum state discrimination approach. We desi…
We study the maximum-confidence (MC) measurement strategy for discriminating among nonorthogonal symmetric qudit states. Restricting to linearly dependent and equally likely pure states, we find the optimal positive operator valued measure (POVM) that maximizes our confidence in identifying each state in the set and minimizes the probability of obtaining inconclusive results. The physical realization of this POVM is completely determined and it is shown that after an inconclusive outcome, the input states may be mapped into a new set of equiprobable symmetric states, restricted, however, to a …
The problem of quantum state discrimination, which is a foundational aspect of quantum information theory, and its relation to the theory of majorization are discussed. The purpose of this study is to review different approaches to the problem and analyze different cases of quantum-state discrimination, most importantly the discrimination of bipartite entangled quantum states under local operations and classical communication. Two partial results on using entanglement as a resource for quantum-state discrimination and discrimination with remaining entanglement is given. The important points ar…
Roa et al. showed that quantum state discrimination between two nonorthogonal quantum states does not require quantum entanglement but quantum dissonance only. We find that quantum coherence can also be utilized for unambiguous quantum state discrimination. We present a protocol and quantify the required coherence for this task. We discuss the optimal unambiguous quantum state discrimination strategy in some cases. In particular, our work illustrates an avenue to find the optimal strategy for discriminating two nonorthogonal quantum states by measuring quantum coherence.
We propose a numerical algorithm for finding optimal measurements for quantum-state discrimination. The theory of the semidefinite programming provides a simple check of the optimality of the numerically obtained results.
We quantify the usefulness of a bipartite quantum state in the ancilla-assisted channel discrimination of arbitrary quantum channels, formally defining a worst-case-scenario channel discrimination power for bipartite quantum states. We show that such a quantifier is deeply connected with the operator Schmidt decomposition of the state. We compute the channel discrimination power exactly for pure states, and provide upper and lower bounds for general mixed states. We show that highly entangled states can outperform any state that passes the realignment criterion for separability. Furthermore, w…
We consider quantum-memory assisted protocols for discriminating quantum channels. We show that for optimal discrimination of memory channels, memory assisted protocols are needed. This leads to a new notion of distance for channels with memory. For optimal discrimination and estimation of sets of unitary channels memory-assisted protocols are not required.
We show that quantum state discrimination sits neatly in the framework of Bayesian experimental design. In this setting, the two main branches of quantum state discrimination (minimal error and maximal confidence) simply correspond to two different utility functions. This view allows straightforward extensions and mixing of different discrimination tasks by examining the utility functions, and to describe multi-objective discrimination tasks. In addition, the probability of success and the total confidence are resource monotones quantifying the usefulness of measurements. We give general condi…
The discrimination of quantum measurements is an important subject of quantum information processes. In this paper we present a novel protocol for local quantum measurement discrimination with multi-qubit entanglement systems. It is shown that, in the case of Bob did not know Alice's result of measurement, if both two observers (Alice and Bob) agreed in advance that Alice should measure her qubits before an appointed time t, the local discrimination of two different kinds of measurement can be completed via numerous eight-qubit GHZ entangled states and selective projective measurement.
We address the one-dimensional quantum Ising model as an example of system exhibiting criticality and study in some details the discrimination problem for pairs of states corresponding to different values of the coupling constant. We evaluate the error probability for single-copy discrimination, the Chernoff bound for $n$-copy discrimination in the asymptotic limit, and the Chernoff metric for the discrimination of infinitesimally close states. We point out scaling properties of the above quantities, and derive the external field optimizing state discrimination for short chains as well as in t…
We present a general scheme to realize the POVMs for the unambiguous discrimination of quantum states. For any set of pure states it enables us to set up a feasible linear optical circuit to perform their optimal discrimination, if they are prepared as single-photon states. An example of unknown states discrimination is discussed as the illustration of the general scheme.
If the system is known to be in one of two non-orthogonal quantum states, $|ψ_1\rangle$ or $|ψ_2\rangle$, it is not possible to discriminate them by a single measurement due to the unitarity constraint. In a regular Hermitian quantum mechanics, the successful discrimination is possible to perform with the probability $p < 1$, while in $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric quantum mechanics a \textit{simulated single-measurement} quantum state discrimination with the success rate $p$ can be done. We extend the $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric quantum state discrimination approach for the case of three pure quantum …
We consider the unambiguous discrimination of multipartite quantum states and provide an upper bound for the maximum success probability of optimal local discrimination. We also provide a necessary and sufficient condition to realize the upper bound. We further establish a necessary and sufficient condition for this upper bound to be saturated. Finally, we illustrate our results using examples in multidimensional multipartite quantum systems.
We address the problem of unambiguous discrimination and identification among quantum observables. We set a general framework and investigate in details the case of qubit observables. In particular, we show that perfect discrimination with two shots is possible only for sharp qubit observables (e.g. Stern-Gerlach apparatuses) associated with mutually orthogonal directions. We also show that for sharp qubit observables associated to nonorthogonal directions unambiguous discrimination with an inconclusive result is always possible.
We consider two different optimized measurement strategies for the discrimination of nonorthogonal quantum states. The first is conclusive discrimination with a minimum probability of inferring an erroneous result, and the second is unambiguous, i. e. error-free, discrimination with a minimum probability of getting an inconclusive outcome, where the measurement fails to give a definite answer. For distinguishing between two mixed quantum states, we investigate the relation between the minimum error probability achievable in conclusive discrimination, and the minimum failure probability that ca…
We propose a generalized discrimination scheme for mixed quantum states. In the present scenario we allow for certain fixed fraction of inconclusive results and we maximize the success rate of the quantum-state discrimination. This protocol interpolates between the Ivanovic-Dieks-Peres scheme and the Helstrom one. We formulate the extremal equations for the optimal positive operator valued measure describing the discrimination device and establish a criterion for its optimality. We also devise a numerical method for efficient solving of these extremal equations.
We study the discrimination of multipartite quantum states by local operations and classical communication. We derive that any optimal discrimination of quantum states spanning a two-dimensional Hilbert space in which each party's space is finite dimensional is possible by local operations and one-way classical communication, regardless of the optimality criterion used and how entangled the states are.
We formulate minimum-error and unambiguous discrimination problems for quantum processes in the language of process positive operator valued measures (PPOVM). In this framework we present the known solution for minimum-error discrimination of unitary channels. We derive a "fidelity-like" lower bound on the failure probability of the unambiguous discrimination of arbitrary quantum processes. This bound is saturated (in a certain range of apriori probabilities) in the case of unambiguous discrimination of unitary channels. Surprisingly, the optimal solution for both tasks is based on the optimiz…
Quantum Stochastic Walks (QSW) allow for a generalization of both quantum and classical random walks by describing the dynamic evolution of an open quantum system on a network, with nodes corresponding to quantum states of a fixed basis. We consider the problem of quantum state discrimination on such a system, and we solve it by optimizing the network topology weights. Finally, we test it on different quantum network topologies and compare it with optimal theoretical bounds.
We address the problem of discriminating with minimal error probability two given quantum operations. We show that the use of entangled input states generally improves the discrimination. For Pauli channels we provide a complete comparison of the optimal strategies where either entangled or unentangled input states are used.
We address the problem of unambiguous discrimination among a given set of quantum operations. The necessary and sufficient condition for them to be unambiguously distinguishable is derived in the cases of single use and multiple uses respectively. For the latter case we explicitly construct the input states and corresponding measurements that accomplish the task. It is found that the introduction of entanglement can improve the discrimination.
Quantum mechanics forbids deterministic discrimination among non-orthogonal states. Nonetheless, the capability to distinguish nonorthogonal states unambiguously is an important primitive in quantum information processing. In this work, we experimentally implement generalized measurements in an optical system and demonstrate the first optimal unambiguous discrimination between three nonorthogonal states, with a success rate of 55%, to be compared with the 25% maximum achievable using projective measurements. Furthermore we present the first realization of unambiguous discrimination between a p…
We give a lower bound on the probability of error in quantum state discrimination. The bound is a weighted sum of the pairwise fidelities of the states to be distinguished.
Nonlocality without entanglement(NLWE) is a nonlocal phenomenon that occurs in quantum state discrimination of multipartite separable states. In the discrimination of orthogonal separable states, the term NLWE is used when the quantum states cannot be discriminated perfectly by local operations and classical communication. In this case, the occurrence of NLWE is independent of nonzero prior probabilities of quantum states being prepared. Recently, it has been found that the occurrence of NLWE can depend on nonzero prior probabilities in minimum-error discrimination of nonorthogonal separable s…
One of the most fundamental results in quantum information theory is that no measurement can perfectly discriminate between non-orthogonal quantum states. In this work, we investigate quantum advantages for discrimination tasks over noncontextual theories by considering a maximum confidence measurement that unifies different strategies of quantum state discrimination, including minimum-error and unambiguous discrimination. We first show that maximum confidence discrimination, as well as unambiguous discrimination, contains contextual advantages. We then consider a semi-device independent scena…
Discriminating between orthogonal quantum systems without destroying their entanglement is of interest to quantum computation and communication. In this paper, we explicate the schemes for the non-destructive discrimination (NDD) of 16 orthogonal four qubit cluster states and 32 orthogonal five qubit cluster states respectively. This technique will find its applications in various branches of quantum information theory.
We consider the optimal discrimination of bipartite quantum states and provide an upper bound for the maximum success probability of optimal local discrimination. We also provide a necessary and sufficient condition for a measurement to realize the upper bound. We further establish a necessary and sufficient condition for this upper bound to be saturated. Finally, we illustrate our results using an example.
The need of discriminating between different quantum states is a fundamental issue in Quantum Information and Communication. The actual realization of generally optimal strategies in this task is often limited by the need of supplemental resources and very complex receivers. We have experimentally implemented two discrimination schemes in a minimum-error scenario based on a receiver featured by a network structure and a dynamical processing of information. The first protocol implemented in our experiment, directly inspired to a recent theoretical proposal, achieves binary optimal discriminatio…
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…
There are fundamental limits to the accuracy with which one can determine the state of a quantum system. I give an overview of the main approaches to quantum state discrimination. Several strategies exist. In quantum hypothesis testing, a quantum system is prepared in a member of a known, finite set of states, and the aim is to guess which one with the minimum probability of error. Error free discrimination is also sometimes possible, if we allow for the possibility of obtaining inconclusive results. If no prior information about the state is provided, then it is impractical to try to determin…
In this paper, we introduce a mixed form of ambiguous and unambiguous quantum state discriminations, and show that the mixed form has higher success probability than the unambiguous quantum state discriminations.
We provide a simple example that illustrates the advantage of adaptive over non-adaptive strategies for quantum channel discrimination. In particular, we give a pair of entanglement-breaking channels that can be perfectly discriminated by means of an adaptive strategy that requires just two channel evaluations, but for which no non-adaptive strategy can give a perfect discrimination using any finite number of channel evaluations.
An algorithm based on quantum phase estimation, which discriminates quantum states nondestructively within a set of arbitrary orthogonal states, is described and experimentally verified by a NMR quantum information processor. The procedure is scalable and can be applied to any set of orthogonal states. Scalability is demonstrated through Matlab simulation.
Strategies to optimally discriminate between quantum states are critical in quantum technologies. We present an experimental demonstration of minimum error discrimination between entangled states, encoded in the polarization of pairs of photons. Although the optimal measurement involves projecting onto entangled states, we use a result of Walgate et al. to design an optical implementation employing only local polarization measurements and feed-forward, which performs at the Helstrom bound. Our scheme can achieve perfect discrimination of orthogonal states and minimum error discrimination of no…
