In this article we propose a solution to the measurement problem in quantum mechanics. We point out that the measurement problem can be traced to an a priori notion of classicality in the formulation of quantum mechanics. If this notion of classicality is dropped and instead classicality is defined in purely quantum mechanical terms the measurement problem can be avoided. We give such a definition of classicality. It identifies classicality as a property of large quantum system. We show how the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics is a result of this notion of classicality. We also comment on what the implications of this view are for the search of a quantum theory of gravity.
We describe a set of measurement protocols for performing non-classicality tests and the verification of entangled superposition states of macroscopic continuous variable systems, such as nanomechanical resonators. Following earlier works, we first consider a setup where a two-level system is used to indirectly probe the motion of the mechanical system via Ramsey measurements and discuss the application of this methods for detecting non-classical mechanical states. We then show that the generalization of this techniques to multiple resonator modes allows the conditioned preparation and the det…
We have studied the emergence of classical states in the perturbative interaction model. The states which interact with many other degrees of freedom, such as the center of mass of a macro-object, play important role. Although the random phase mechanism is effective as same as Zurek's strong correlation model, there are enormous states, each of which independently developes due to the orthogonality of the environmental states. In these privileged states, the subsystem picture with the separability is stable.
We discuss the emergence of classical trajectories in Bohmian Mechanics (BM), when a macroscopic object interacts with an external environment. We show that in such a case the conditional wave function of the system follows a dynamics which, under reasonable assumptions, corresponds to that of the Ghirardi-Rimini-Weber (GRW) collapse model. As a consequence, Bohmian trajectories evolve classically. Our analysis also shows how the GRW (istantaneous) collapse process can be derived by an underlying continuous interaction of a quantum system with an external agent, thus throwing a light on how co…
We establish a method of directly measuring and estimating non-classicality - operationally defined in terms of the distinguishability of a given state from one with a positive Wigner function. It allows to certify non-classicality, based on possibly much fewer measurement settings than necessary for obtaining complete tomographic knowledge, and is at the same time equipped with a full certificate. We find that even from measuring two conjugate variables alone, one may infer the non-classicality of quantum mechanical modes. This method also provides a practical tool to eventually certify such …
We study information measures in quantu mechanics, with particular emphasis on providing a quantification of the notions of classicality and predictability. Our primary tool is the Shannon - Wehrl entropy I. We give a precise criterion for phase space classicality and argue that in view of this a) I provides a measure of the degree of deviation from classicality for closed system b) I - S (S the von Neumann entropy) plays the same role in open systems We examine particular examples in non-relativistic quantum mechanics. Finally, (this being one of our main motivations) we comment on field clas…
We study the effects of post-selection measurements on both the non-classicality of the state of a mechanical oscillator and the entanglement between two mechanical systems that are part of a distributed optomechanical network. We address the cases of both Gaussian and non-Gaussian measurements, identifying the values of the parameters for which simple photon-counting and Geiger-like measurements are effective in distilling a strongly non-classical mechanical state and enhancing the purely mechanical entanglement between two elements of the network.
Quantum mechanics provides a statistical description about nature, and thus would be incomplete if its statistical predictions could not be accounted for by some realistic models with hidden variables. There are, however, two powerful theorems against the hidden-variable theories showing that certain quantum features cannot be reproduced based on two rationale premises of locality, Bell's theorem, and noncontextuality, due to Bell, Kochen and Specker (BKS). Noncontextuality is independent of nonlocality, and the contextuality manifests itself even in a single object. Here we report an experime…
In this paper, we investigate the classicality and quantumness of a quantum ensemble. We define a quantity called classicality to characterize how classical a quantum ensemble is. An ensemble of commuting states that can be manipulated classically has a unit classicality, while a general ensemble has a classicality less than 1. We also study how quantum an ensemble is by defining a related quantity called quantumness. We find that the classicality of an ensemble is closely related to how perfectly the ensemble can be cloned, and that the quantumness of an ensemble is essentially responsible fo…
A fluid analog of the information flux in the phase-space associated to purity and von Neumann entropy are identified in the Weyl-Wigner formalism of quantum mechanics. Once constrained by symmetry and positiveness, the encountered continuity equations provide novel quantifiers for non-classicality (non-Liouvillian fluidity) given in terms of quantum decoherence, purity and von Neumann entropy fluxes. Through definitions in the Weyl-Wigner formalism, one can identify the quantum fluctuations that distort the classical-quantum coincidence regime, and the corresponding quantum information profil…
An explicit dynamical model for non relativistic quantum mechanics with an effective gravitational interaction is proposed, which, as being well defined, allows in principle for the evaluation of every physical quantity. Its non unitary dynamics results from a unitary one in a space with twice as many degrees of freedom as the ordinary ones. It exhibits a threshold for the emergence of classical behavior for bodies of ordinary density on rather long times or instantaneously, respectively at around 10^11 or 10^20 proton masses.
Can the computational complexity theory of computer science and mathematics say something new about unresolved problems in quantum physics? Particularly, can the P versus NP question in the computational complexity theory be a factor in the elucidation of the emergency of classicality in quantum mechanics? The paper compares two different ways of deriving classicality from the quantum formalism resulted from two differing hypotheses regarding the P versus NP question -- the approach of the quantum decoherence theory implying that P = NP and the computational complexity approach which assumes t…
We analyze seemingly contradictory claims in the literature about the role played by decoherence in ensuring classical behavior for the chaotically tumbling satellite Hyperion. We show that the controversy is resolved once the very different assumptions underlying these claims are recognized. In doing so, we emphasize the distinct notions of the problem of classicality in the ensemble interpretation of quantum mechanics and in decoherence-based approaches that are aimed at addressing the measurement problem.
We show that the existing argument on the non-classicality of the continuous variable quantum teleportation (CVQT) experiment by the average fidelity criterion is incomplete therefore so far it is still unclear whether the CVQT experiment(Furusawa et al, Science,282, 706(1998)) is really non-classical.
At the heart of quantum thermodynamics lies a fundamental question about what is genuine "quantum" in quantum heat engines and how to seek this quantumness, so that thermodynamical tasks could be performed more efficiently compared with classical protocols. Here, using the concept of $P$-representability, we define a function called classicality, which quantifies the degree of non-classicality of bosonic modes. This function allows us to explore the role of non-classicality in quantum heat engines and design optimal protocols for work extraction. For two specific cycles, a quantum Otto and a g…
The ultimate goal of the classicality programme is to quantify the amount of quantumness of certain processes. Here, classicality is studied for a restricted type of process: quantum information processing (QIP). Under special conditions, one can force some qubits of a quantum computer into a classical state without affecting the outcome of the computation. The minimal set of conditions is described and its structure is studied. Some implications of this formalism are the increase of noise robustness, a proof of the quantumness of mixed state quantum computing and a step forward in understandi…
Entanglement is one of the pillars of quantum mechanics and quantum information processing, and as a result the quantumness of nonentangled states has typically been overlooked and unrecognized. We give a robust definition for the classicality versus quantumness of a single multipartite quantum state, a set of states, and a protocol using quantum states. We show a variety of nonentangled (separable) states that exhibit interesting quantum properties, and we explore the ``zoo'' of separable states; several interesting subclasses are defined based on their diagonalizing bases, and their non-clas…
The notion of `weak classical limit' for coupled N-level quantum systems as N -> infinity is introduced to understand the precise sense in which one attains classicality. There exist proofs that a system becomes classical at large N. On the other hand, it is known that non-locality and entanglement, the two hallmarks of non-classicality, thrive even as N -> infinity. We reconcile these results in this paper by showing that so called classicality is not so much an inherent property of the system, as it is a consequence of limited experimental resources. Our focus is largely on non-locality, for…
Regarding the limit hbar-->0 as the classical limit of quantum mechanics seems to be silly because hbar is a definite constant of physics, but it was successfully used in the derivation of the WKB approximation. A superseded version of the WKB approximation is proposed in the classical limit alpha-->0 where alpha=m/M is the screening parameter of an object in which m is the mass of the effective screening layer and M the total mass. This version is applicable to not only approximate solution of Schrodinger equation of a quantum particle but also that of a nanoparticle. Moreover, the version sh…
The notion of classicality of quantum evolution of light is an object of both conceptual and practical importance. The main goal of this work is to derive the exact conditions for the classicality of quantum Gaussian evolution, i.e. the evolution of Gaussian states of light and their convex combinations, a model which is of great significance in quantum optics and information. Several examples, ranging from Gaussian thermal operations to entanglement-maximizing dissipative engineering, are discussed. Our results are obtained using the recently introduced mesoscopic theory of the reduced state …
Many non-classicality indicators are used to measure quantum effects of different systems. Kenfack's and Sadeghi's non-classicality indicators are introduced in terms of the amount of Wigner function's negativities and interferences in phase space quantum mechanics, respectively. They are, effectively, applied for some real distribution functions. In this paper, we compared these non-classicality indicators for the entangled state of photonic number states in the Wigner, Husimi and Rivier representations. It is shown that for a two-level entangled state, Sadeghi's indicator has more benefits w…
Here we demonstrate that photocurrent noise reduction below the standard quantum limit and modal anticorrelation can arise in two mode coupled two-VECSEL system with common pump. This effect occurs due to correlated loss of laser modes. It is possible to suppress noise below the standard quantum limit even for Poissonian coherent pumping, whereas the regularity of the pump can be harmful for non-classicality.
We propose a general argument to show that if a physical system can mediate locally the generation of entanglement between two quantum systems, then it itself must be non-classical. Remarkably, we do not assume any classical or quantum formalism to describe the mediating physical system: our result follows from general information-theoretic principles, drawn from the recently proposed constructor theory of information. This argument provides the indispensable theoretical basis for recently proposed tests of non-classicality in gravity, based on witnessing gravitationally-induced entanglement i…
Quantum mechanics provides a statistical description about nature, and thus would be incomplete if its statistical predictions could not be accounted for some realistic models with hidden variables. There are, however, two powerful theorems against the hidden-variable theories showing that certain quantum features cannot be reproduced based on two rationale premises of classicality, the Bell theorem, and noncontextuality, due to Bell, Kochen and Specker (BKS) . Tests of the Bell inequality and the BKS theorem are both of fundamental interests and of great significance . The Bell theorem has al…
Quantum discord quantifies non-classical correlations in quantum states. We introduce discord for states in causal probabilistic theories, inspired by the original definition proposed in Ref. [17]. We show that the only probabilistic theory in which all states have null discord is classical probability theory. Non-null discord is then not just a quantum feature, but a generic signature of non-classicality.
This paper establishes a direct, robust and intimate connection between (i) non classicality tests for various quantum features, e.g., non-Boolean logic, quantum coherence, nonlocality, quantum entanglement, quantum discord; (ii) negative probability, and (iii) anomalous weak values. It has been shown [Adhikary et al. Eur. Phys. J. D, 74(68):68, 2020] that nonexistence of a classical joint probability scheme gives rise to sufficiency conditions for nonlocality, a nonclassical feature not restricted to quantum mechanics. The conditions for nonclassical features of quantum mechanics are obtained…
When is the quantum speed limit (QSL) really quantum? While vanishing QSL times often indicate emergent classical behavior, it is still not entirely understood what precise aspects of classicality are at the origin of this dynamical feature. Here, we show that vanishing QSL times (or, equivalently, diverging quantum speeds) can be traced back to reduced uncertainty in quantum observables and thus can be understood as a consequence of emerging classicality for these particular observables. We illustrate this mechanism by developing a QSL formalism for continuous variable quantum systems undergo…
We show that the operational definition of non-classicality of a quantum state depends on the motion of the observer. We use the relativistic Unruh-DeWitt detector model to witness nonclassicality of the probed field state. It turns out that the witness based on the properties of the P-representation of the quantum state depends on the trajectory of the detector. Inertial and noninertial motion of the device have qualitatively different impact on the performance of the witness.
The origin of non-classicality in physical systems and its connection to distinctly quantum features such as entanglement and coherence is a central question in quantum physics. This work analyses this question theoretically and experimentally, linking quantitatively non-classicality with quantum coherence. On the theoretical front, we show when the coherence of an observable is linearly related to the degree of violation of the Kolmogorov condition, which quantifies the deviation from any classical (non-invasive) explanation of the multi-time statistics. Experimentally, we probe this connecti…
The classical limit of quantum mechanics is discussed for closed quantum systems in terms of observational aspects. Initially, the failure of the limit h->0 is explicitly demonstrated in a model of two quantum mechanically interacting oscillators by showing that neither quantum expectations reduce to Newtonian trajectories nor entanglement vanishes. This result suggests that the quantum-to-classical transition occurs only at an approximative level, which is regulated by the low accuracy of the measurements. In order to verify the consistence of these ideas we take into account the experimental…
Recently, Vedral and one of us proposed an entanglement-based witness of non-classicality in systems that need not obey quantum theory, based on constructor-information-theoretic ideas, which offers a robust foundation for recently proposed table-top tests of non-classicality in gravity. The witness asserts that if a mediator can entangle locally two quantum systems, then it has to be non-classical. Hall and Reginatto claimed that there are classical systems that can entangle two quantum systems, thus violating our proposed witness. Here we refute that claim, explaining that the counterexample…
In nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, Hudsons theorem states that a Gaussian wavefunction is the only pure state corresponding to a positive Wigner function (WF). We explicitly construct non Gaussian Dirac spinors with positive relativistic WF. These pure states are coherent superpositions of particles and antiparticles, while the existence of positive WF exclusive composed of particles is conjectured. These observations challenge a common belief that states with positive WF are classical or have classical analogues, and may open new venues in relativistic quantum information.
Understanding the demarcation line between classical and quantum is an important issue in modern physics. The development of such an understanding requires a clear picture of the various concurrent notions of `classicality' in quantum theory presently in use. Here, we focus on the relationship between Kolmogorov consistency of measurement statistics -- the foundational footing of classical stochastic processes in standard probability theory -- and the commutativity (or absence thereof) of measurement operators -- a concept at the core of quantum theory. Kolmogorov consistency implies that the …
Although quantum coherence is a basic trait of quantum mechanics, the presence of coherences in the quantum description of a certain phenomenon does not rule out the possibility to give an alternative description of the same phenomenon in purely classical terms. Here, we give definite criteria to determine when and to what extent quantum coherence is equivalent to non-classicality. We prove that a Markovian multi-time statistics obtained from repeated measurements of a non-degenerate observable cannot be traced back to a classical statistics if and only if the dynamics is able to generate cohe…
We introduce the quantum-house effect, a non-local phenomenon which apparently does not require quantum discord to be present. It suffices for the effect if neither subsystem of a bipartite system is in a pure state. This way, the quantum-house effect completely fills the gap between trivial correlations and quantum discord. However, we discuss why the situation is more subtle than that, by showing that in a concrete cryptographic setting called "the quantum-house game", the ability to produce quantum discord is in fact necessary for the quantum-house effect to work. Then, we suggest a princip…
We investigate signatures of non-classicality in quantum states, in particular, those involved in the DQC1 model of mixed-state quantum computation [Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 5672 (1998)]. To do so, we consider two known non-classicality criteria. The first quantifies disturbance of a quantum state under locally noneffective unitary operations (LNU), which are local unitaries acting invariantly on a subsystem. The second quantifies measurement induced disturbance (MID) in the eigenbasis of the reduced density matrices. We study the role of both figures of non-classicality in the exponential speedup…
The task of testing whether quantum theory applies to all physical systems and all scales requires considering situations where a quantum probe interacts with another system that need not obey quantum theory in full. Important examples include the cases where a quantum mass probes the gravitational field, for which a unique quantum theory of gravity does not yet exist, or a quantum field, such as light, interacts with a macroscopic system, such as a biological molecule, which may or may not obey unitary quantum theory. In this context a class of experiments has recently been proposed, where th…
The high resilience to de-coherence shown by a recently discovered Macroscopic Quantum Superposition (MQS) generated by a quantum injected optical parametric amplifier (QI-OPA) and involving a number of photons in excess of 5x10^4 motivates the present theoretical and numerical investigation. The results are analyzed in comparison with the properties of the MQS based on coherent states and NOON states, in the perspective of the comprehensive theory of the subject by W.H.Zurek. In that perspective the concepts of "pointer state", "einselection" are applied to the new scheme.
Mixtures of coherent states are commonly regarded as classical. Here we show that there is a quantum advantage in discriminating between coherent states in a mixture, implying the presence of quantum properties in the mixture, which are however not captured by commonly used non-classicality measures. We identify a set of desired properties for any non-classicality measure that aims to capture these quantum features, and define the discord potential CD, which we show to satisfy all those properties. We compare the discord potential with recently proposed coherence monotones, and prove that the …
We introduce a simple measure of "classicality" of pure and mixed quantum states as a maximum value of the Hilbert-Schmidt "scalar products" between the renormalized statistical operators of the state concerned and all displaced thermal states. Choosing Fock states as the reference set, we introduce the measure of "anticlassicality". Both measures are illustrated for the Fock, coherent phase, and generic mixed Gaussian states. Gaussian states are shown to be the closest to thermal states possessing the same degree of quantum purity. On the contrary, Fock states appear to be more close to mixed…
Mixing and decoherence are both manifestations of classicality within quantum theory, each of which admit a very general category-theoretic construction. We show under which conditions these two 'roads to classicality' coincide. This is indeed the case for (finite-dimensional) quantum theory, where each construction yields the category of C*-algebras and completely positive maps. We present counterexamples where the property fails which includes relational and modal theories. Finally, we provide a new interpretation for our category-theoretic generalisation of decoherence in terms of 'leaking …
We study the quantum kicked rotor in resonance subjected to an unitary noise defined through Kraus operators, we show that this type of decoherence does not, in general, lead to the classical diffusive behavior. We find exact analytical expressions for the density matrix and the variance in the primary resonances. The variance does not loose its ballistic behavior, however the coherence decays as a power law. The secondary resonances are treated numerically, obtaining a power-law decay for the variance and an exponential law decay for the coherence.
A minimal example of quantum non-classicality without freedom of choice
Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Universidade Estadual de Campinas（坎皮纳斯州立大学格莱巴·瓦塔金物理研究所）；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）；School of Science and Technology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte（北里奥格兰德联邦大学理学院）
We propose a new witness operation for the non-classical character of a harmonic oscillator state. The method does not require state reconstruction. For all harmonic oscillator states that are classical, a bound is established for the evolution of a qubit which is coupled to the oscillator. Any violation of the bound can be rigorously attributed to the non-classical character of the initial oscillator state.
In the past ten-fifteen years, stochastic models of continuous wave function collapse were being proposed to describe the continuous emergence of classicality from quantum. We advocate that the hybrid dynamics of canonically coupled quantum and classical systems is a more basic concept. Continuous collapse formalisms are obtained as special cases. To illustrate our claim we show how von Neumann collapse follows from hybrid dynamical equations.
Classical and quantum world views differ in peculiar ways. Understanding decisive quantum features -- for which no classical explanation exist -- and their interrelations is of foundational interest. Moreover, recognizing non-classical features carries practical significance in information processing tasks as it offers insights as to why quantum protocols work better than their classical counterparts. We focus here on two celebrated notions of non-classicality viz., negativity of P phase-space representation and entanglement in symmetric multiqubit systems. We prove that they imply each other.
We present two possible criteria quantifying the degree of classicality of an arbitrary (finite dimensional) dynamical system. The inputs for these criteria are the classical dynamical structure of the system together with the quantum and the classical data providing the two alternative descriptions of its initial time configuration. It is proved that a general quantum system satisfying the criteria up to some extend displays a time evolution consistent with the classical predictions up to some degree and thus it is argued that the criteria provide a suitable measure of classicality. The featu…
Inspired by an old idea of von Neumann, we seek a pair of commuting operators X,P which are, in a specific sense, "close" to the canonical non-commuting position and momentum operators, x,p. The construction of such operators is related to the problem of finding complete sets of orthonormal phase space localized states, a problem severely constrained by the Balian-Low theorem. Here these constraints are avoided by restricting attention to situations in which the density matrix is reasonably decohered (i.e., spread out in phase space). Commuting position and momentum operators are argued to be …
Gaussian quantum systems exhibit many explicitly quantum effects but can be simulated classically. Using both the Hilbert space (Koopman) and the phase-space (Moyal) formalisms we investigate how robust this classicality is. We find failures of consistency of the dynamics of a hybrid classical-quantum systems from both perspectives. By demanding that no unobservable operators couple to the quantum sector in the Koopmanian formalism, we show that the classical equations of motion act on their quantum counterparts without experiencing any back-reaction, resulting in non-conservation of energy in…
We investigate the implications of quantum Darwinism in a composite quantum system with interacting constituents exhibiting a decoherence-free subspace. We consider a two-qubit system coupled to an $N$-qubit environment via a dephasing interaction. For excitation preserving interactions between the system qubits, an analytical expression for the dynamics is obtained. It demonstrates that part of the system Hilbert space redundantly proliferates its information to the environment, while the remaining subspace is decoupled and preserves clear non-classical signatures. For measurements performed …
Quantum resource theories seek to quantify sources of non-classicality that bestow quantum technologies their operational advantage. Chief among these are studies of quantum correlations and quantum coherence. The former to isolate non-classicality in the correlations between systems, the latter to capture non-classicality of quantum superpositions within a single physical system. Here we present a scheme that cyclically inter-converts between these resources without loss. The first stage converts coherence present in an input system into correlations with an ancilla. The second stage harnesse…
It is now widely accepted that environmental entanglement and the resulting decoherence processes play a crucial role in the quantum-to-classical transition and the emergence of "classicality" from quantum mechanics. To this extent, decoherence is often understood as signifying a break with the Copenhagen interpretation, and in particular with Bohr's view of the indispensability of classical concepts. This paper analyzes the relationship between Bohr's understanding of the quantum-classical divide and his doctrine of classical concepts and the decoherence-based program of emergent classicality…
A unified formalism was developed in [S. Adhikary et. al., arXiv:1710.04371 [quant-ph]], for describing non-classicality of states by introducing pseudo projection operators in which both quantum logic and quantum probability are naturally embedded. In this paper we show, as the first practical application, how non-locality and entanglement emerge as two such important manifestations. It provides a perspective complementary to (i) the understanding of them that we have currently (in terms of LHV models) and (ii) to the algebraic approaches employed. The work also makes it possible to obtain, i…
