This communication is an enquiry into the circumstances under which entropy and subentropy methods can give an answer to the question of quantum entanglement in the composite state. Using a general quantum dynamical system we obtain the analytical solution when the atom initially starts from its excited state and the field in different initial states. Different features of the entanglement are investigated when the field is initially assumed to be in a coherent state, an even coherent state (Schrodinger cate state) and a statistical mixture of coherent states. Our results show that the setting of the initial state and the Stark shift play important role in the evolution of the sub-entropies and entanglement.
In this work, the probability uncertainties related to a stationary quantum system with solitonic mass distribution when subjected to deformable hyperbolic potentials are studied. Shannon's entropy and Fisher's information of a position-dependent mass are calculated. To investigate the concept of Shannon and Fisher entropies of the solitonic mass distribution subject to the hyperbolic potential, it is necessary to obtain the analytic solutions at position and momentum space. For the Hamiltonian operator to be Hermitian, we consider the stationary Schrödinger equation ordered by Zhu-Kroemer. Th…
For a quantum state undergoing unitary Schrödinger time evolution, the von Neumann entropy is constant. Yet the second law of thermodynamics, and our experience, show that entropy increases with time. Ingarden introduced the quantum operator entropy, which is the Shannon entropy of the probability distribution for the eigenvalues of a Hermitian operator. These entropies characterize the missing information about a particular observable inherent in the quantum state itself. The von Neumann entropy is the quantum operator entropy for the case when the operator is the density matrix. We examine p…
We extensively discuss how Schrodinger cat states (superpositions of well-separated coherent states) in optical systems can be used for quantum information processing.
We analyze condition of orthogonality between optical Schrodinger cat-like-states constructed as superposition of two coherent states. We show that the orthogonality condition leads to quantization of values of a naturally emerging symplectic form, while values of the corresponding metric form are continuous. A complete analytical solution of the problem is presented.
Particle distributions in squeezed states, even and odd coherent states are given in terms of multivariable Hermite polynomials. The Q--function and Wigner function for nonclassical field states are discussed.
The Rényi entropies $R_{p}[ρ], 0<p<\infty$ of the probability density $ρ_{n,l,m}(\vec{r})$ of a physical system completely characterize the chemical and physical properties of the quantum state described by the three integer quantum numbers $(n,l,m)$. The analytical determination of these quantities is practically impossible up until now, even for the very few systems where their Schrödinger equation is exactly solved. In this work, the Rényi entropies of Rydberg (highly-excited) hydrogenic states are explicitly calculated in terms of the quantum numbers and the parameter $p$. To do that we us…
Macroscopic objects appear to have definite positions. In a many-worlds interpretation of quantum theory, this appearance is an illusion; the correct view is the "view from outside" in which even macroscopic objects are in general in a superposition of different positions. In the Bohm model, objects really are in definite positions. This additional aspect of reality is accessible only from the "inside"; thus in the Bohm model the view from inside can be more correct than is the view from outside.
The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a short pedagogical explanation why "quantum collapse" is not a metaphysical event, by pointing out the analogy with a "classical collapse" which is associated with the Monty Hall Paradox.
We propose a scheme to engineer Schrödinger-cat states of propagating optical pulses. Multi-dimensional and multi-partite cat states can be generated simply by reflecting coherent optical pulses successively from a single-atom cavity. The influences of various sources of noise, including the atomic spontaneous emission and the pulse shape distortion, are characterized through detailed numerical simulation, which demonstrates practicality of this scheme within the reach of current experimental technology.
Pseudopure "cat" state, a superposition of quantum states with all spins up and all spins down, is experimentally demonstrated for a system of twelve dipolar-coupled nuclear spins of fully 13C-labeled benzene molecule oriented in a liquid-crystalline matrix.
The manuscript investigates the entropy squeezing of a qubit (two-level atom) interacting with the cavity field in the Schrödinger cat states. The effects of the Schrödinger cat states of the field on the squeezing are examined. Our results suggest that entropy squeezing is not sensitive to the superposition features of two coherent states of the Schrödinger cat states. Furthermore, it is found that entropy squeezing occurs as the qubit initially close to its maximally coherent state, and the qubit initially in the maximally coherent state can generate optimal squeezing. This also demonstrates…
From the following thought experiments, it is demonstrated that the collapse of wave function of an isolated system is possible without external observer. It will be shown that the analysis by Feynman path integral method supports this conclusion. The argument is based on two assumptions: 1. The condition of Schrodinger's cat experiment 2. Feynman path integral; This could explain Schrodinger's cat paradox and its implication on the black hole information paradox will be discussed.
Overcomplete families of states of the type of Barut-Girardello coherent states (BG CS) are constructed for noncompact algebras $u(p,q)$ and $sp(N,C)$ in quadratic bosonic representation. The $sp(N,C)$ BG CS are obtained in the form of multimode ordinary Schrödinger cat states. A set of such macroscopic superpositions is pointed out which is overcomplete in the whole $N$ mode Hilbert space (while the associated $sp(N,C)$ representation is reducible). The multimode squared amplitude Schrödinger cat states are introduced as macroscopic superpositions of the obtained $sp(N,C)$ BG CS.}
In addition to being a very interesting quantum phenomenon, Schrödinger cat swapping has the potential for application in the preparation of quantum states that could be used in metrology and other quantum processing. We study in detail the effects of field decoherence on a cat-swapping system comprising a set of identical qubits, or spins, all coupled to a field mode. We demonstrate that increasing the number of spins actually mitigates the effects of field decoherence on the collapse and revival of a spin Schrödinger cat, which could be of significant utility in quantum metrology and other q…
Schrödinger cat states, consisting of superpositions of macroscopically distinct states, provide key resources for a large number of emerging quantum technologies in quantum information processing. Here we propose how to generate and manipulate mechanical and optical Schrödinger cat states with distinguishable superposition components by exploiting the unique properties of cavity optomechanical systems based on Bose-Einstein condensate. Specifically, we show that in comparison with its solid-state counterparts, almost a $3$ order of magnitude enhancement in the size of the mechanical Schröding…
The Wehrl information entropy and its phase density, the so-called Wehrl phase distribution, are applied to describe Schrödinger cat and cat-like (kitten) states. The advantages of the Wehrl phase distribution over the Wehrl entropy in a description of the superposition principle are presented. The entropic measures are compared with a conventional phase distribution from the Husimi Q-function. Compact-form formulae for the entropic measures are found for superpositions of well-separated states. Examples of Schrödinger cats (including even, odd and Yurke-Stoler coherent states), as well as the…
Deep in the ultrastrong light-matter coupling regime, it has been predicted that the ground state of a two-level atom interacting with a cavity mode takes the form of a "virtual" Schrödinger cat entangled state between light and matter. We propose a method to convert this Schrödinger cat state from virtual to real, and back again, by driving the atom with optimally chosen pulses. Our system consists of a four-level atom, with two of these levels ultrastrongly coupled to a cavity mode. We show that the Schrödinger cat state can be converted between virtual and real by making use of either an id…
Schrodinger's famous cat has long been misunderstood. According to quantum theory and experiments with entangled systems, an entangled state such as the Schrodinger's cat state is neither a superposition of states of either subsystem nor a superposition of compound states of the composite system, but rather a nonlocal superposition of correlations between pairs of states of the two subsystems. The entangled post-measurement state that results from an ideal measurement is not paradoxical, but is merely a coherent superposition of two statistical correlations at "zero phase angle," i.e. at 100% …
The marginal distribution of squeezed, rotated and shifted quadrature for two types of nonclassical states of a trapped ion - squeezed correlated states and squeezed even and odd coherent states (squeezed Schrodinger cat states) - is studied.
We carry out probabilistic phase-space sampling of mesoscopic Schrödinger cat quantum states, demonstrating multipartite Bell violations for up to 60 qubits. We use states similar to those generated in photonic and ion-trap experiments. These results show that mesoscopic quantum superpositions are directly accessible to probabilistic sampling, and we analyze the properties of sampling errors. We also demonstrate dynamical simulation of super-decoherence in ion traps. Our computer simulations can be either exponentially faster or slower than experiment, depending on the correlations measured.
We propose a method to generate an optical Schrödinger-cat-like state in a cavity in a substantial decoherence regime. Even when the cavity decay rate is considerably large, a cat-like state can be generated in a laser-like setting if the gain for the field is larger than the loss. Under the condition that opposite-phase atomic dipoles repeatedly traverse the cavity, the cavity field converges to a squeezed vacuum state in a steady state. A Schrödinger-cat-like state is then generated when a single photon decay occurs. The phase-space distribution of the cat state can be revealed in homodyne d…
The recent experiment on superconducting quantum interference device provides new opportunity to clarify the fundamental interpretation of quantum mechanics. After analyzing this and relevant experiments, we claim the point of view that the quantum state in abstract sense contains no information and the wave function is the probability amplitude of fictitious measurement corresponding to the real one which is prepared to be done by the observer. Talking about the quantum state or wave function too materialized in ordinary language would often cause misunderstanding. So basically, the Schröding…
In recent years, there has been an increased interest in the generation of superposition of coherent states with opposite phases, the so-called photonic Schrodinger-cat states. These experiments are very challenging and so far, cats involving small photon numbers only have been implemented. Here, we propose to consider two-mode squeezed states as examples of a Schrodinger-cat-like state. In particular, we are interested in several criteria aiming to identify quantum states that are macroscopic superpositions in a more general sense. We show how these criteria can be extended to continuous vari…
Investigated idea was actuated by the old opinion that a measurement of a quantum observable should be regarded a as a single deterministic sampling. But, according to the last decades studies, such observables are veritable random variables and their measurements must imply significant sets of statistical samplings. So one finds the indubitable caducity of the approached idea. Contiguously the respective finding allows to put into a new light the controversial questions like the Schrodinger's cat thought experiment or description of quantum measurements.
Quantum effects and, in particular, entanglement are by now widely recognized in all areas of physics and related fields. However, we feel that the precise notion of entanglement---though mathematically well-defined---still generates confusion even in the academic environment. Our aim in this article is to point out and clarify some aspects of the notion of entanglement, in particular with respect to observable quantities. We do this by illustrating common misconceptions with Schrödinger's cat paradox, explain them in mathematical terms and provide examples where misunderstandings arise and ho…
We discuss general properties of the equilibrium state of parametric down-conversion in superconducting quantum circuits with detunings and Kerr anharmonicities, in the strongly nonlinear regime. By comparing moments of the steady state and those of a Schrödinger cat, we show that true Schrödinger cats cannot survive in the steady state if there is any single-photon loss. A delta-function 'cat-like' steady-state distribution can be formed, but this only exists in the limit of an extremely large nonlinearity. The steady state is a mixed state, which is more complex than a mixture or linear comb…
Homodyne measurements are a widely used quantum measurement. Using a coherent state of large amplitude as the local oscillator, it can be shown that the quantum homodyne measurement limits to a field quadrature measurement. In this work, we give an example of a general idea: injecting non-classical states as a local oscillator can led to non-classical measurements. Specifically we consider injecting a superposition of coherent states, a Schrödinger cat state, as a local oscillator. We derive the Kraus operators and the positive operator-valued measure (POVM) in this situation.
Motivated by recent experiments, we consider a Schrödinger cat superposition of two widely separated coherent states in thermal equilibrium. The time development of our system is obtained using Wigner distribution functions. In contrast to our discussion for a two-Gaussian wave packet [Phys. Lett. A 286 (2001) 87], we find that, in the absence of dissipation, the interference term does not decay rapidly in time, but in common with the other two terms, it oscillates in time and persists for all times
This report experimentally demonstrates that the theoretical background of the atom-field scenario points out that the NMR quadrupolar Hamiltonian works as an effective Hamiltonian to generate Schrödinger's cat states in a $2I+1$ low dimensional Hilbert space. The versatility of this nuclear spin setup is verified by monitoring the $^{23}$Na nucleus of a lyotropic liquid crystal sample at the nematic phase. The quantum state tomography and the Wigner quasiprobability distribution function are performed to characterize the accuracy of the experimental implementation.
Schrödinger's cat originates from the famous thought experiment querying the counterintuitive quantum superposition of macroscopic objects. As a natural extension, several "cats" (quasi-classical objects) can be prepared into coherent quantum superposition states, which is known as multipartite cat states demonstrating quantum entanglement among macroscopically distinct objects. Here we present a highly scalable approach to deterministically create flying multipartite Schrödinger cat states, by reflecting coherent state photons from a microwave cavity containing a superconducting qubit. We per…
We study the effects of continuous measurement of the field mode during the collapse and revival of spin Schrödinger cat states in the Tavis-Cummings model of N qubits (two-level quantum systems) coupled to a field mode. We show that a compromise between relatively weak and relatively strong continuous measurement will not completely destroy the collapse and revival dynamics while still providing enough signal-to-noise resolution to identify the signatures of the process in the measurement record. This type of measurement would in principle allow the verification of the occurrence of the colla…
Quantum superpositions of distinct coherent states in a single-mode harmonic oscillator, known as "cat states", have been an elegant demonstration of Schrodinger's famous cat paradox. Here, we realize a two-mode cat state of electromagnetic fields in two microwave cavities bridged by a superconducting artificial atom, which can also be viewed as an entangled pair of single-cavity cat states. We present full quantum state tomography of this complex cat state over a Hilbert space exceeding 100 dimensions via quantum non-demolition measurements of the joint photon number parity. The ability to ma…
In a previous paper we examined the role of a conscious observer in a typical quantum mechanical measurement. Four rules were given that were found to govern the stochastic choice and state reduction in several cases of continuous and intermittent observation. It was shown that consciousness always accompanies a state reduction leading to observation, but its presence is not sufficient to 'cause' a reduction. The distinction is clarified and codified by the rules that are repeated below. In this paper, these rules are successfully applied to two different versions of the Schrodinger cat experi…
The Schrödinger cat state plays a crucial role in quantum theory, and has important fundamental as well as technological implications, ranging from quantum measurement theory to quantum computers. The power of the potential implications of the cat state lies in the quantum coherence, as measured by the degree of entanglement, between its microscopic and macroscopic sectors. We show that in contrast to other cat states, it is possible to choose the states of the macroscopic sector in a way that the resulting cat state, which we term as the W-cat state, has quantum coherence that is resistant to…
In this paper, we are interested in detecting the presence of a nearby phase-sensitive object, where traveling light works out under a low-photon loss rate. Here we investigate the optimal quantum phase estimation with generalized multi-component Schrodinger cat states. In addition, we show the optimal conditions of the generalized multi-component cat states for the phase estimation in a lossless scenario. We then demonstrate that the generalized multi-component cat states can beat the performances of the NOON and two-mode squeezed vacuum states in the presence of small loss, while maintaining…
Favored schemes for trapped-ion quantum logic gates use bichromatic laser fields to couple internal qubit states with external motion through a "spin-dependent force." We introduce a new degree of freedom in this coupling that reduces its sensitivity to phase decoherence. We demonstrate bichromatic spin-dependent forces on a single trapped $^{111}$Cd$^+$ ion, and show that phase coherence of the resulting "Schrödinger-cat" states of motion depends critically upon the spectral arrangement of the optical fields. This applies directly to the operation of entangling gates on multiple ions.
Given a source of two coherent state superpositions with small separation in a traveling wave optical setting, we show that by interference and balanced homodyne measurement it is possible to conditionally prepare a symmetrically placed superposition of coherent states around the origo of the phase space. The separation of the coherent states in the superposition will be amplified during the process.
A measurement-induced continuous-variable logical gate is able to prepare Schrödinger cat states if the gate uses a non-Gaussian resource state, such as cubic phase state [I. V. Sokolov, Phys. Lett. A 384, 126762 (2020)]. Our scheme provides an alternative to hybrid circuits which use photon subtraction and (or) Fock resource states and photon number detectors. We reveal the conditions under which the gate conditionally prepares quantum superposition of two undistorted "copies" of an arbitrary input state that occupies a finite area in phase space. A detailed analysis of the fidelity between t…
Grid (or comb) states are an interesting class of bosonic states introduced by Gottesman, Kitaev and Preskill to encode a qubit into an oscillator. A method to generate or `breed' a grid state from Schrödinger cat states using beam splitters and homodyne measurements is known, but this method requires post-selection. In this paper we show how post-processing of the measurement data can be used to entirely remove the need for post-selection, making the scheme much more viable. We bound the asymptotic behavior of the breeding procedure and demonstrate the efficacy of the method numerically.
In order to know if the Schrodinger's cat is alive or dead without opening the box, observers have to play a game with nature. The observers have to "guess" (with degrees of belief) the state of the cat due to incomplete information; in other words, the observers' decision has to be made under uncertainty. We propose a quantum expected value theory for decision-making under uncertainty. Value operator is proposed to guide observers to choose corresponding actions based on their subjective beliefs through objective quantum world by maximizing the value from the measured historical results. The …
The basic idea here is that observation (or one's experience) is fundamental and the `atomic world' is postulated as the source of such observation. Once this source has been inferred to exist one may attempt to explicitly derive its structure in such a way that the observation itself can be reproduced. And so here is a purely quantum mechanical model of observation coupled to its supposed source, and the observation itself is realised as a projection of this quantum system.
Quantum Schrodinger cat states are of great interest in quantum communications and quantum optics. These states are used in various scientific fields such as quantum computing, quantum error correction and high-precision measurements. The analysis of the Schrodinger cat states coherence is an important task for their complete practical application. Our developed approach makes it possible to estimate the coherence of the quantum Schrodinger cat state of arbitrary dimension, as well as to find the interference visibility of the state - an important optical characteristic. The obtained simple qu…
We study the dynamics of the Jaynes-Cummings Model for an array of $N_q$ two level systems (or qubits) interacting with a quantized single mode electromagnetic cavity (or quantum bus). For an initial cavity coherent state $| α>$ and the qubit system in a specified `basin of attraction' in its Hilbert space, we demonstrate the oscillation of a superposition of two macroscopic quantum states between the qubit system and the field mode. From the perspective of either the qubit or the field system, there is collapse and revival of a `Schrödinger Cat' state.
Although quantum mechanics is a mature theory, fundamental problems discussed during its time of foundation have remained with us to this day. These problems are centered on the problematic relation between the quantum and classical worlds. The most famous element is the measurement problem, i.e., the measurement of a quantum system by a classical apparatus, and the concomitant phenomena of wave packet reduction, the appearance of probability, and the problems related to Schrödinger cat states. A fundamental question in this context is whether quantum mechanics can bootstrap itself to the clas…
Iterative $C_Z$-gate-based protocol for squeezed Schrödinger cat state engineering
ITMO University（ITMO大学）；SMARTS-Quanttelecom LLC（SMARTS-Quanttelecom有限责任公司）；Saint-Petersburg State Institute of Technology（圣彼得堡国立技术学院）；Research and Education Center of Photonics and Optical IT, ITMO University（ITMO大学光子学与光学信息技术研究与教育中心）
We give a mathematical procedure to obtain the adiabatic approximation for the generalized quantum Rabi Hamiltonian both without and with a quadratic interaction. We consider the Hamiltonian as the energy of a model describing the interaction system of a two-level artificial atom and a one-mode microwave photon in circuit QED. In the case without the quadratic interaction, we show in the adiabatic approximation that whether each bare eigenstate forms a Schrodinger-cat-like entangled state or not depends on whether the energy bias of the atom is zero or non-zero, and then, the effect of the tun…
The interference pattern in electron double-slit diffraction is a hallmark of quantum mechanics. A long standing question for stochastic electrodynamics (SED) is whether or not it is capable of reproducing such effects, as interference is a manifestation of quantum coherence. In this study, we use excited harmonic oscillators to directly test this quantum feature in SED. We use two counter-propagating dichromatic laser pulses to promote a ground-state harmonic oscillator to a squeezed Schrödinger cat state. Upon recombination of the two well-separated wavepackets, an interference pattern emerg…
We outline a toolbox comprised of passive optical elements, single photon detection and superpositions of coherent states (Schrodinger cat states). Such a toolbox is a powerful collection of primitives for quantum information processing tasks. We illustrate its use by outlining a proposal for universal quantum computation. We utilize this toolbox for quantum metrology applications, for instance weak force measurements and precise phase estimation. We show in both these cases that a sensitivity at the Heisenberg limit is achievable.
In this paper, we examine the effects of the gravitational field on the dynamical evolution of the cavity-field entropy and the creation of the Schrodinger-cat state in the Jaynes-Cummings model. We consider a moving two-level atom interacting with a single mode quantized cavity-field in the presence of a classical homogeneous gravitational field. Based on an su(2) algebra, as the dynamical symmetry group of the model, we derive the reduced density operator of the cavity-field which includes the effects of the atomic motion and the gravitational field. Also, we obtain the exact solution and th…
A scheme is proposed to prepare squeezed states and Schrödinger cat-like states of the collective spin degrees of freedom associated with a pair of ground states in an atomic ensemble. The scheme uses an effective Jaynes-Cummings interaction which can be provided by excitation of the atoms to Rydberg states and an effective J_x interaction implemented by a resonant Raman coupling between the atomic ground states. Both dynamical evolution with a constant Hamiltonian and with adiabatic variation of the two interaction terms are studied. We show that by the application of further resonant laser f…
