Quantum Information Theory - an Invitation

Entropy, 2016

The concept of information is not different in quantum theory from its counterpart in classical physics: a sui generis quantum information concept is not needed. However, the quantum world is radically different from its classical counterpart. This difference in structure of the material world has important consequences for the amounts of information that can be stored in physical systems and for the possibilities of information transfer. In many cases, overlap between quantum states (non-orthogonality of states) blurs distinctions and impedes efficient information transfer. However, the other typical quantum feature, entanglement, makes new and seemingly mysterious ways of transporting information possible. In this article, we suggest an interpretational scheme of quantum mechanics in terms of perspectival physical properties that may provide an intelligible account of these novel quantum possibilities, while staying close to the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics.

Processing information is what all physical systems do. Quantum computation is not just a technological promise, but the most challenging test for the conceptual problems in Quantum Mechanics. We could say that Schrödinger’s cat has been tamed and is leading us along the most charming paths of the physical world. Anyway, NP–complete problems appear impregnable even by traditional quantum computing. All that sounds paradoxical considering that the local and classical world emerges from the non–local quantum one, which permeates any aspect of the physical world. Quantum Turing Machines constrain the quantum system to yes/no answers, whereas the real computational vocation of QM would be to use superposition and non–locality to obtain probabilistic oracles beyond Turing barrier performance. In this volume we have tried to provide a panorama of these trends. On one hand the physics of traditional, Turing–based Quantum Computing — crucial to clarify the old foundational problems and surely decisive in the future in nanotechnology and quantum communication —, on the other the possibility of a broader concept of quantum information which will lead to a new pact between quantum dissipative field theory and the concept of computation in physical systems.

Fundamental Theories of Physics, 2015

Quantum theory was discovered in an adventurous way, under the urge to solve puzzles-like the spectrum of the blackbody radiation-that haunted the physics community at the beginning of the 20th century. It soon became clear, though, that quantum theory was not just a theory of specific physical systems, but rather a new language of universal applicability. Can this language be reconstructed from first principles? Can we arrive at it from logical reasoning, instead of ad hoc guesswork? A positive answer was provided in Refs. [1, 2], where we put forward six principles that identify quantum theory uniquely in a broad class of theories. We first defined a class of "theories of information", constructed as extensions of probability theory in which events can be connected into networks. In this framework, we formulated the six principles as rules governing the control and the accessibility of information. Directly from these rules, we reconstructed a number of quantum information features, and eventually, the whole Hilbert space framework. In short, our principles characterize quantum theory as the theory of information that allows for maximal control of randomness.

American Journal of Physics, 2002

• Quantum computation and quantum information is the study of the information processing tasks that can be accomplished using quantum mechanical systems. • Quantum mechanics is a mathematical framework or set of rules for the construction of physical theories.

2016

Quantum theory is the soul of theoretical physics. It is not just a theory of specific physical systems, but rather a new framework with universal applicability. This book shows how we can reconstruct the theory from six information-theoretical principles, by rebuilding the quantum rules from the bottom up. Step by step, the reader will learn how to master the counterintuitive aspects of the quantum world, and how to efficiently reconstruct quantum information protocols from first principles. Using intuitive graphical notation to represent equations, and with shorter and more efficient derivations, the theory can be understood and assimilated with exceptional ease. Offering a radically new perspective on the field, the book contains an efficient course of quantum theory and quantum information for undergraduates. The book is aimed at researchers, professionals, and students in physics, computer science, and philosophy, as well as the curious outsider seeking a deeper understanding of the theory.

2006

We criticize speculations to the effect that quantum mechanics is fundamentally about information. We do this by pointing out how unfounded such speculations in fact are. Our analysis focuses on the dubious claims of this kind recently made by Anton Zeilinger.

Quantum Information Processing and Quantum Error Correction, 2012

2016

I nformation is an idea created in human brain. But information has physical aspects too. Emergence of new theory and technology in physical science always contribute to shape various theories, models and services in LIS. Shannon’s mathematical formula derives strength from the physical aspect of data or information and gives a new information theoretic approach to communication model by introducing concepts of bit and entropy. With the advancement of Quantum mechanics a new quantum mechanical model is under preparation. Phenomenon like quantum entanglement is successfully being used in computer technology which in turn helps reshape many LIS services. Quantum information science is a newly flourishing field which is expected to bring great advancements in information organization, processing, retrieval, automatic classification, NLP and other LIS related problems.

Physica Scripta, 1998

The quantum physics of light is a most fascinating field. Here I present a very personal viewpoint, focusing on my own path to quantum entanglement and then on to applications. I have been fascinated by quantum physics ever since I heard about it for the first time in school. The theory struck me immediately for two reasons: (1) its immense mathematical beauty, and (2) the unparalleled precision to which its predictions have been verified again and again. Particularly fascinating for me were the predictions of quantum mechanics for individual particles, individual quantum systems. Surprisingly, the experimental realization of many of these fundamental phenomena has led to novel ideas for applications. Starting from my early experiments with neutrons, I later became interested in quantum entanglement, initially focusing on multi-particle entanglement like GHZ states. This work opened the experimental possibility to do quantum teleportation and quantum hyper-dense coding. The latter became the first entanglement-based quantum experiment breaking a classical limitation. One of the most fascinating phenomena is entanglement swapping, the teleportation of an entangled state. This phenomenon is fundamentally interesting because it can entangle two pairs of particles which do not share any common past. Surprisingly, it also became an important ingredient in a number of applications, including quantum repeaters which will connect future quantum computers with each other. Another application is entanglement-based quantum cryptography where I present some recent long-distance experiments. Entanglement swapping has also been applied in very recent so-called loophole-free tests of Bell's theorem. Within the physics community such loophole-free experiments are perceived as providing nearly definitive proof that local realism is untenable. While, out of principle, local realism can never be excluded entirely, the 2015 achievements narrow down the remaining possibilities for local realistic explanations of the quantum phenomenon of entanglement in a significant way. These experiments may go down in the history books of science. Future experiments will address particularly the freedom-of-choice loophole using cosmic sources of randomness. Such experiments confirm that unconditionally secure quantum cryptography is possible, since quantum cryptography based on Bell's theorem can provide unconditional security. The fact that the experiments were loophole-free proves that an eavesdropper cannot avoid detection in an experiment that correctly follows the protocol. I finally discuss some recent experiments with single-and entangled-photon states in higher dimensions. Such experiments realized quantum entanglement between two photons, each with quantum numbers beyond 10 000 and also simultaneous entanglement of two photons where each carries more than 100 dimensions. Thus they offer the possibility of quantum communication with more than one bit or qubit per photon. The paper concludes discussing Einstein's contributions and viewpoints of quantum mechanics. Even if some of his positions are not supported by recent experiments, he has to be given credit for the fact that his analysis of fundamental issues gave rise to developments which led to a new information technology. Finally, I reflect on some of the lessons learned by the fact that Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.

2011

The experience from Quantum Information has lead us to look at Quantum Theory (QT) and the whole Physics from a different angle. The information-theoretical paradigm-It from Bitprophesied by John Archibald Wheeler is relentlessly advancing. Recently it has been shown that QT is derivable from pure informational principles. The possibility that there is only QT at the foundations of Physics has been then considered, with space-time, Relativity, quantization rules and Quantum Field Theory (QFT) emerging from a quantum-information processing. The resulting theory is a discrete version of QFT with automatic relativistic invariance, and without fields, Hamiltonian, and quantization rules. In this paper I review some recent advances on these lines. In particular: i) How space-time and relativistic covariance emerge from the quantum computation; ii) The derivation of the Dirac equation as free information flow, without imposing Lorentz covariance; iii) the information-theoretical meaning of inertial mass and Planck constant; iv) An observable consequence of the theory: a mass-dependent refraction index of vacuum. I will then conclude with two possible routes to Quantum Gravity.