We construct the optimal 1 to 2 cloning transformation for the family of displaced thermal equilibrium states of a harmonic oscillator, with a fixed and known temperature. The transformation is Gaussian and it is optimal with respect to the figure of merit based on the joint output state and norm distance. The proof of the result is based on the equivalence between the optimal cloning problem and that of optimal amplification of Gaussian states which is then reduced to an optimization problem for diagonal states of a quantum oscillator. A key concept in finding the optimum is that of stochastic ordering which plays a similar role in the purely classical problem of Gaussian cloning. The result is then extended to the case of n to m cloning of mixed Gaussian states.
We discuss the "partial" quantum cloning of the pure two-partite states, when the "part" of initial state related to the one qubit is copied only. The same approach gives the possibility to design the quantum copying machine for the mixed qubit states.
Quantum cloning machine for arbitrary mixed states in symmetric subspace is proposed. This quantum cloning machine can be used to copy part of the output state of another quantum cloning machine and is useful in quantum computation and quantum information. The shrinking factor of this quantum cloning achieves the well-known upper bound. When the input is identical pure states, two different fidelities of this cloning machine are optimal.
Quantum cloning of two identical mixed qubits $ρ\otimes ρ$ is studied. We propose the quantum cloning transformations not only for the triplet (symmetric) states but also for the singlet (antisymmetric) state. We can copy these two identical mixed qubits to M (M>2) copies. This quantum cloning machine is optimal in the sense that the shrinking factor between the input and the output single qubit achieves the upper bound. The result shows that we can copy two identical mixed qubits with the same quality as that of two identical pure states.
We extend the concept of the relative error to mixed-state cloning and related physical operations, in which the ancilla contains some a priori information about the input state. The lower bound on the relative error is obtained. It is shown that this result contributes to the stronger no-cloning theorem.
Orthogonal pure states can be cloned as well as deleted. However if there is an initial disorder in the system, that is for orthogonal mixed states, one cannot perform deletion. And cloning, in such cases, necessarily produces an irreversibility, in the form of leakage of information into the environment.
We show how to implement the optimal Gaussian $N$-to-$M$ cloning with linear optics and homodyne detection. We also show that the Gaussian $N$-to-$M$ cloning of known-phase coherent states can be performed with the fidelity $\sqrt \frac{2 M N}{2M N+M -N}$ by linear optics and homodyne detection, and with $\frac{2}{\sqrt{1+\frac{1}{N}}+\sqrt {1-\frac{1}{M}}}$ by utilizing quadrature squeezing. From the classical limit of the cloning (1-to-$\infty$ cloning), a necessary condition of continuous variable quantum key distribution using known-phase coherent states is provided.
In this paper we investigate the efficiency of quantum cloning of $N$ identical mixed qubits. We employ a recently introduced measure of distinguishability of quantum states called quantum Chernoff bound. We evaluate the quantum Chernoff bound between the output clones generated by the cloning machine and the initial mixed qubit state. Our analysis is illustrated by performing numerical calculation of the quantum Chernoff bound for different scenarios that involves the number of initial qubits $N$ and the number of output imperfect copies $M$.
By relevant modifications, the known global-fidelity limits of state-dependent cloning are extended to mixed quantum states. We assume that the ancilla contains some a priori information about the input state. As it is shown, the obtained results contribute to the stronger no-cloning theorem. An attainability of presented limits is discussed.
We investigate the asymmetric Gaussian cloning of coherent states which produces M copies from N input replicas, such that the fidelity of all copies may be different. We show that the optimal asymmetric Gaussian cloning can be performed with a single phase-insensitive amplifier and an array of beam splitters. We obtain a simple analytical expression characterizing the set of optimal asymmetric Gaussian cloning machines.
We investigate the security of continuous-variable (CV) quantum key distribution (QKD) using coherent states and reverse reconciliation against Gaussian individual attacks based on an optimal Gaussian $1 \to 2$ cloning machine. We provide an implementation of the optimal Gaussian individual attack. we also find a Bell-measurement attack which works without delayed choice of measurements and has better performance than the cloning attack.
We investigate the performances of a selective cloning machine based on linear optical elements and Gaussian measurements, which allows to clone at will one of the two incoming input states. This machine is a complete generalization of a 1 to 2 cloning scheme demonstrated by U. L. Andersen et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. vol. 94, 240503 (2005)]. The input-output fidelity is studied for generic Gaussian input state and the effect of non-unit quantum efficiency is also taken into account. We show that if the states to be cloned are squeezed states with known squeezing parameter, then the fidelity can b…
We investigate phase-insensitive linear amplification at the quantum limit for single- and two-mode states and show that there exists a broad class of non-Gaussian states whose nonclassicality survives even at an arbitrarily large gain. We identify the corresponding observable nonclassical effects and find that they include, remarkably, two-mode entanglement. The implications of our results for quantum cloning outside the Gaussian regime are also addressed.
We analyze in details a scheme for cloning of Gaussian states based on linear optical components and homodyne detection recently demonstrated by U. L. Andersen et al. [PRL 94 240503 (2005)]. The input-output fidelity is evaluated for a generic (pure or mixed) Gaussian state taking into account the effect of non-unit quantum efficiency and unbalanced mode-mixing. In addition, since in most quantum information protocols the covariance matrix of the set of input states is not perfectly known, we evaluate the average cloning fidelity for classes of Gaussian states with the degree of squeezing and …
The cloning of continuous quantum variables is analyzed based on the concept of Gaussian cloning machines, i.e., transformations that yield copies that are Gaussian mixtures centered on the state to be copied. The optimality of Gaussian cloning machines that transform N identical input states into M output states is investigated, and bounds on the fidelity of the process are derived via a connection with quantum estimation theory. In particular, the optimal N-to-M cloning fidelity for coherent states is found to be equal to MN/(MN+M-N).
We derive optimal cloning limits for finite Gaussian distributions of coherent states, and describe techniques for achieving them. We discuss the relation of these limits to state estimation and the no-cloning limit in teleportation. A qualitatively different cloning limit is derived for a single-quadrature Gaussian quantum cloner.
We consider one of the quantum key distribution protocols recently introduced in Ref. [Pirandola et al., Nature Physics 4, 726 (2008)]. This protocol consists in a two-way quantum communication between Alice and Bob, where Alice encodes secret information via a random phase-space displacement of a coherent state. In particular, we study its security against a specific class of individual attacks which are based on combinations of Gaussian quantum cloning machines.
The efficacies of maximally and that of non-maximally entangled mixed states as teleportation channels have been studied. A new class of non-maximally entangled mixed states have been proposed also. Their advantages as quantum teleportation channels over existing non-maximally entangled mixed states have been verified. The mixed states can also be generated using quantum cloning machines. We have also studied how one can utilize the mixed entangled states obtained as output from a state independent quantum cloning machine in teleportation and dense coding. Mixed states can also be used in secr…
We consider the optimal cloning of quantum coherent states with single-clone and joint fidelity as figures of merit. Both optimal fidelities are attained for phase space translation covariant cloners. Remarkably, the joint fidelity is maximized by a Gaussian cloner, whereas the single-clone fidelity can be enhanced by non-Gaussian operations: a symmetric non-Gaussian 1-to-2 cloner can achieve a single-clone fidelity of approximately 0.6826, perceivably higher than the optimal fidelity of 2/3 in a Gaussian setting. This optimal cloner can be realized by means of an optical parametric amplifier …
The fidelity of a quantum transformation is strongly linked with the prior partial information of the state to be transformed. We illustrate this interesting point by proposing and demonstrating the superior cloning of coherent states with prior partial information. More specifically, we propose two simple transformations that under the Gaussian assumption optimally clone symmetric Gaussian distributions of coherent states as well as coherent states with known phases. Furthermore, we implement for the first time near-optimal state-dependent cloning schemes relying on simple linear optics and f…
Cloning, or approximate cloning, is one of basic operations in quantum information processing. In this paper, we deal with cloning of classical states, or probability distribution in asymptotic setting. We study the quality of the approximate (n,rn)-clone, with n being very large and r being constant. The result turns out to be \parallel N(0,r1)-N(0,1)\paralell_1, where N(μ,Σ) is the Gaussian distribution with mean μ and covariance Σ. Notablly, this value does not depend on the the family of porbability distributions to be cloned. The key of the argument is use of local asymptotic normality: I…
We propose an optical implementation of the Gaussian continuous-variable quantum cloning machines. We construct a symmetric N -> M cloner which optimally clones coherent states and we also provide an explicit design of an asymmetric 1 -> 2 cloning machine. All proposed cloning devices can be built from just a single non-degenerate optical parametric amplifier and several beam splitters.
We present a computational circuit which realizes contextually the Tele-UNOT gate and the universal optimal quantum cloning machine (UOQCM). We report the experimental realization of the probabilistic UOQCM with polarization encoded qubits. This is achieved by combining on a symmetric beam-splitter the input qubit with an ancilla in a fully mixed state.
We analyze a reversibility of optimal Gaussian $1\to 2$ quantum cloning of a coherent state using only local operations on the clones and classical communication between them and propose a feasible experimental test of this feature. Performing Bell-type homodyne measurement on one clone and anti-clone, an arbitrary unknown input state (not only a coherent state) can be restored in the other clone by applying appropriate local unitary displacement operation. We generalize this concept to a partial LOCC reversal of the cloning and we show that this procedure converts the symmetric cloner to an a…
Inria, Télécom Paris – LTCI, Institut Polytechnique de Paris（法国国家信息与自动化研究所，巴黎电信学院-信息与通信实验室，巴黎理工学院）；QuSoft & Institute for Logic, Language and Computation & Korteweg-de Vries Institute for Mathematics, University of Amsterdam（QuSoft、逻辑语言与计算研究所、科特维格-德弗里斯数学研究所，阿姆斯特丹大学）；UC Berkeley（加州大学伯克利分校）
Cloning machines, that is, transformations that achieve the best approximate copying of a quantum state compatible with the no-cloning theorem, have been a fundamental research topic over the last five years. This study is of particular significance given the close connection between quantum cloning and quantum cryptography: using an optimal cloner generally makes it possible to obtain a tight bound on the best individual eavesdropping strategy in a quantum cryptosystem. In this Chapter, the issue of cloning a continuous-variable quantum system will be analyzed, and a Gaussian cloning transfor…
The cloning of quantum variables with continuous spectra is investigated. We define a Gaussian 1-to-2 cloning machine, which copies equally well two conjugate variables such as position and momentum or the two quadrature components of a light mode. The resulting cloning fidelity for coherent states, namely $F=2/3$, is shown to be optimal. An asymmetric version of this Gaussian cloner is then used to assess the security of a continuous-variable quantum key distribution scheme that allows two remote parties to share a Gaussian key. The information versus disturbance tradeoff underlying this cont…
We show that there does not exist any universal quantum cloning machine that can broadcast an arbitrary mixed qubit with a constant fidelity. Based on this result, we investigate the dependent quantum cloner in the sense that some parameter of the input qubit $ρ_s(θ,ω,λ)$ is regarded as constant in the fidelity. For the case of constant $ω$, we establish the $1\to2$ optimal symmetric dependent cloner with a fidelity 1/2. It is also shown that the $1\to M$ optimal quantum cloning machine for pure qubits is also optimal for mixed qubits, when $λ$ is the unique parameter in the fidelity. For gene…
A scheme for optimal Gaussian cloning of optical coherent states is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Its optical realization is based entirely on simple linear optical elements and homodyne detection. The optimality of the presented scheme is only limited by detection inefficiencies. Experimentally we achieved a cloning fidelity of about 65%, which almost touches the optimal value of 2/3.
We describe an optical scheme for optimal Gaussian n to m cloning of coherent states. The scheme, which generalizes a recently demonstrated scheme for 1 to 2 cloning, involves only linear optical components and homodyne detection.
We derive a tight upper bound for the fidelity of a universal N to M qubit cloner, valid for any M \geq N, where the output of the cloner is required to be supported on the symmetric subspace. Our proof is based on the concatenation of two cloners and the connection between quantum cloning and quantum state estimation. We generalise the operation of a quantum cloner to mixed and/or entangled input qubits described by a density matrix supported on the symmetric subspace of the constituent qubits. We also extend the validity of optimal state estimation methods to inputs of this kind.
We report on experimental implementation of the optimal universal asymmetric 1->2 quantum cloning machine for qubits encoded into polarization states of single photons. Our linear optical machine performs asymmetric cloning by partially symmetrizing the input polarization state of signal photon and a blank copy idler photon prepared in a maximally mixed state. We show that the employed method of measurement of mean clone fidelities exhibits strong resilience to imperfect calibration of the relative efficiencies of single-photon detectors used in the experiment. Reliable characterization of the…
A scheme for the optimal Gaussian cloning of coherent light states at the light-atoms interface is proposed. The distinct feature of this proposal is that the clones are stored in an atomic quantum memory, which is important for applications in quantum communication. The atomic quantum cloning machine requires only a single passage of the light pulse through the atomic ensembles followed by the measurement of a light quadrature and an appropriate feedback, which renders the protocol experimentally feasible. An alternative protocol, where one of the clones is carried by the outgoing light pulse…
The N to M (M>N) universal quantum broadcasting of mixed states are proposed for qubits system. The broadcasting of mixed states is universal and optimal in the sense that the shrinking factor is independent of input state and achieves the upper bound. The quantum broadcasting of mixed qubits is a generalization of the universal quantum cloning machine for identical pure input states. A new pure state decompositions of the identical mixed qubits are obtained.
We show that in the case of unknown {\em harmonic oscillator coherent states} it is possible to achieve what we call {\it perfect information cloning}. By this we mean that it is still possible to make arbitrary number of copies of a state which has {\it exactly} the same information content as the original unknown coherent state. By making use of this {\it perfect information cloning} it would be possible to estimate the original state through measurements and make arbitrary number of copies of the estimator. We define the notion of a {\em Measurement Fidelity}. We show that this information …
We address the problem of finding optimal CPTP (completely positive, trace preserving) maps between a set of binary pure states and another set of binary generic mixed state in a two dimensional space. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of such CPTP maps can be discussed within a simple geometrical picture. We exploit this analysis to show the existence of an optimal quantum repeater which is superior to the known repeating strategies for a set of coherent states sent through a lossy quantum channel. We also show that the geometrical formulation of the CPTP mapping condi…
Quantum coherence (QCh) is considered to be a key ingredient in quantum resource theories and also plays a pivotal role in the design and implementation of various information processing tasks. Consequently, it becomes important for us to create more number coherent quantum states between two labs from a given coherent state shared initially. We call this process as \textbf{Broadcasting of Quantum Coherence (QCh)}. In this work we extensively study the problem of broadcasting of QCh. In order to have a holistic view of broadcasting, we start with a most general representation two qubit mixed s…
Optimal physical approximations of pure-state cloning and transposition are complementary channels
Sorbonne Université, CNRS, LIP6（索邦大学，法国国家科学研究中心，LIP6）；QuSoft；Institute for Logic, Language and Computation, and Korteweg-de Vries Institute for Mathematics, University of Amsterdam（阿姆斯特丹大学逻辑语言计算研究所与科特维格-德弗里斯数学研究所）；International Centre for Theory of Quantum Technologies, University of Gdańsk（格但斯克大学量子技术理论国际中心）
"Broadcasting", namely distributing information over many users, suffers in-principle limitations when the information is quantum. This poses a critical issue in quantum information theory, for distributed processing and networked communications. For pure states ideal broadcasting coincides with the so-called "quantum cloning", describing an hypothetical ideal device capable of producing from a finite number N of copies of a state (drawn from a set) a larger number M>N of output copies of the same state. Since such a transformation is not isometric, it cannot be achieved by any physical machin…
We consider to treat the usual probabilistic cloning, state separation, unambiguous state discrimination, \emph{etc} in a uniform framework. All these transformations can be regarded as special examples of generalized completely positive trace non-increasing maps on a finite number of input states. From the system-ancilla model we construct the corresponding unitary implementation of pure $\to$ pure, pure $\to$ mixed, mixed $\to$ pure, and mixed $\to$ mixed states transformations in the whole system and obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions on the existence of the desired maps. We exp…
We study a class of mixed non-Gaussian entangled states that, whilst closely related to Gaussian entangled states, none-the-less exhibit distinct properties previously only associated with more exotic, pure non-Gaussian states.
A noisy Gaussian channel is defined as a channel in which an input field mode is subjected to random Gaussian displacements in phase space. We introduce the quantum fidelity of a Gaussian channel for pure and mixed input states, and we derive a universal scaling law of the fidelity for pure initial states. We also find the maximum fidelity of a Gaussian channel over all input states. Quantum cloning and continuous-variable teleportation are presented as physical examples of Gaussian channels to which the fidelity results can be applied.
We introduce a new decomposition of the multiqubit states of the form $ρ^{\otimes N}$ and employ it to construct the optimal single qubit purification procedure. The same decomposition allows us to study optimal quantum cloning and state estimation of mixed states.
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics（Perimeter理论物理研究所）；QuSoft, CWI（QuSoft，荷兰数学与计算机科学研究学会）；Sorbonne Université, CNRS, LIP6（索邦大学，法国国家科学研究中心，LIP6实验室）；QuSoft, University of Amsterdam（QuSoft，阿姆斯特丹大学）
We find that the purifications of several Gaussian maximally mixed states (GMMSs) correspond to some Gaussian maximally entangled states (GMESs) in the continuous-variable regime. Here, we consider a two-mode squeezed vacuum (TMSV) state as a purification of the thermal state and construct a general formalism of the Gaussian purification process. Moreover, we introduce other kind of GMESs via the process. All of our purified states of the GMMSs exhibit Gaussian profiles; thus, the states show maximal quantum entanglement in the Gaussian regime.
We investigate localization of entanglement of multipartite mixed Gaussian states into a pair of modes by local Gaussian measurements on the remaining modes and classical communication. We provide a detailed proof that for arbitrary symmetric Gaussian state maximum entanglement can be localized by homodyne detection of either amplitude or phase quadrature on each mode. We then consider arbitrary mixed three-mode Gaussian states and show that the optimal Gaussian measurement on one mode yielding maximum entanglement among the other two modes can be determined by calculating roots of a high-orde…
Exact and approximate formulas for the upper bound of the relative energy difference of two Gaussian states with the fixed fidelity between them are derived. The reciprocal formulas for the upper bound of the fidelity for the fixed value of the relative energy difference are obtained as well. The bounds appear higher for pure states than for mixed ones, and their maximal values correspond to squeezed vacuum states. In particular, to guarantee the relative energy difference less than 10%, for quite arbitrary Gaussian states, the fidelity between them must exceed the level 0.998866.
We generalize the concept of topological invariants for mixed states based on the ensemble geometric phase (EGP) introduced for one-dimensional lattice models to two dimensions. In contrast to the geometric phase for density matrices suggested by Uhlmann, the EGP leads a proper Chern number for Gaussian, finite-temperature or non-equilibrium steady states. The Chern number can be expressed as an integral of the Berry curvature of the so-called fictitious Hamiltonian, constructed from single-particle correlations, over the two-dimensional Brillouin zone. For the Chern number to be non-zero the …
According to Hudson's theorem, any pure quantum state with a positive Wigner function is necessarily a Gaussian state. Here, we make a step towards the extension of this theorem to mixed quantum states by finding upper and lower bounds on the degree of non-Gaussianity of states with positive Wigner functions. The bounds are expressed in the form of parametric functions relating the degree of non-Gaussianity of a state, its purity, and the purity of the Gaussian state characterized by the same covariance matrix. Although our bounds are not tight, they permit us to visualize the set of states wi…
We develop a theory of a quantifier of bipartite Gaussian entanglement called Gaussian intrinsic entanglement (GIE) which was proposed recently in [L. Mišta {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 117}, 240505 (2016)]. The GIE provides a compromise between computable and physically meaningful entanglement quantifiers and so far it was calculated for two-mode Gaussian states including all symmetric partial minimum-uncertainty states, weakly mixed asymmetric squeezed thermal states with partial minimum uncertainty, and weakly mixed symmetric squeezed thermal states. We improve the method of derivati…
We investigate different geometries and invariant measures on the space of mixed Gaussian quan- tum states. We show that when the global purity of the state is held fixed, these measures coincide and it is possible, within this constraint, to define a unique notion of volume on the space of mixed Gaussian states. We then use the so defined measure to study typical non-classical correlations of two mode mixed Gaussian quantum states, in particular entanglement and steerability. We show that under the purity constraint alone, typical values for symplectic invariants can be computed very elegantl…
In this work we examine the entanglement of the output signal-idler squeezed vacuum state in the Heisenberg picture as a function of the coupling and internal propagation loss parameters of a microring resonator. Using the log-negativity as a measure of entanglement for a mixed Gaussian state, we examine the competitive effects of the transfer matrix that encodes the classical phenomenological loss, as well as the matrix that that incorporates the coupling and internal propagation loss due to the quantum Langevin noise fields required to preserve unitarity of the composite system,(signal-idler…
In a recent paper [Bardyn et al. Phys. Rev. X 8, 011035 (2018)], it was shown that the generalization of the many-body polarization to mixed states can be used to construct a topological invariant which is also applicable to finite-temperature and non-equilibrium Gaussian states of lattice fermions. The many-body polarization defines an ensemble geometric phase (EGP) which is identical to the Zak phase of a fictitious Hamiltonian, whose symmetries determine the topological classification. Here we show that in the case of Gaussian states of bosons the corresponding topological invariant is alwa…
We prove, using symplectic methods and The Wigner formalism, a refinement of a criterion due to Werner and Wolf for the separability of bipartite Gaussian mixed states in an arbitrary number of dimensions. We use our result to show that one can characterize separability by comparing these states with separable pure Gaussian states.
Let ρ the density matrix of a mixed Gaussian state. Assuming that one of the Robertson--Schrödinger uncertainty inequalities is saturated by ρ, e.g. (Δ^{ρ}X_1)^2(Δ^{ρ}P_1)^2=Δ^{ρ}(X_1,P_1)^2+(1/4)\hbar^2, we show that there exists a unique pure Gaussian state whose Wigner distribution is dominated by that of ρ and having the same variances and covariance Δ^{ρ}X_1,Δ^{ρ}P_1, and Δ^{ρ}(X_1,P_1) as ρ. This property can be viewed as an analytic version of Gromov's non-squeezing theorem in the linear case, which implies that the intersection of a symplectic ball by a single plane of conjugate coordi…
