Stefan Weigert
University of York, Mathematics, Faculty Member
A fundamental problem in the theory of PT-invariant quantum systems is to determine whether a given system `respects' this symmetry or not. If not, the system usually develops non-real eigenvalues. It is shown in this contribution how to... more
A fundamental problem in the theory of PT-invariant quantum systems is to determine whether a given system `respects' this symmetry or not. If not, the system usually develops non-real eigenvalues. It is shown in this contribution how to algorithmically detect the existence of complex eigenvalues for a given PT-symmetric matrix. The procedure uses classical results from stability theory which qualitatively locate the zeros of real polynomials in the complex plane. The interest and value of the present approach lies in the fact that it avoids diagonalization of the Hamiltonian at hand.
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State reconstruction for quantum spins is reviewed. Emphasis is on non-tomographic approaches which are based on measurements performed with a Stern-Gerlach apparatus. Two consequences of successfully implemented state reconstruction are... more
State reconstruction for quantum spins is reviewed. Emphasis is on non-tomographic approaches which are based on measurements performed with a Stern-Gerlach apparatus. Two consequences of successfully implemented state reconstruction are pointed out. First, it allows one to determine experimentally the expectation value of an arbitrary operator without a device measuring it. Second, state reconstruction suggests a reformulation of Schroedinger's equation in terms of expectation values only, without explicit reference to a wave function or a density operator.
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Coherent and anticoherent states of spin systems up to spin j=2 are known to be optimal in order to detect rotations by a known angle but unknown rotation axis. These optimal quantum rotosensors are characterized by minimal fidelity,... more
Coherent and anticoherent states of spin systems up to spin j=2 are known to be optimal in order to detect rotations by a known angle but unknown rotation axis. These optimal quantum rotosensors are characterized by minimal fidelity, given by the overlap of a state before and after a rotation, averaged over all directions in space. We calculate a closed-form expression for the average fidelity in terms of anticoherent measures, valid for arbitrary values of the quantum number j. We identify optimal rotosensors (i) for arbitrary rotation angles in the case of spin quantum numbers up to j=7/2 and (ii) for small rotation angles in the case of spin quantum numbers up to j=5. The closed-form expression we derive allows us to explain the central role of anticoherence measures in the problem of optimal detection of rotation angles for arbitrary values of j.
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Abstract: Lueders theorem states that two observables commute if measuring one of them does not disturb the measurement outcomes of the other. We study measurements which are described by continuous positive operator-valued measurements... more
Abstract: Lueders theorem states that two observables commute if measuring one of them does not disturb the measurement outcomes of the other. We study measurements which are described by continuous positive operator-valued measurements (or POVMs) associated with coherent states on a Lie group. In general, operators turn out to be invariant under the Lueders map if their P-and Q-symbols coincide. For a spin corresponding to SU (2), the identity is shown to be the only operator with this property.
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ABSTRACT Quantum mechanics of a particle in an infinite square well under the influence of a time-dependent electric field is reconsidered. In some gauge, the Hamiltonian depends linearly on the momentum operator which is symmetric but... more
ABSTRACT Quantum mechanics of a particle in an infinite square well under the influence of a time-dependent electric field is reconsidered. In some gauge, the Hamiltonian depends linearly on the momentum operator which is symmetric but not self-adjoint when defined on a finite interval. In spite of this symmetric part, the Hamiltonian operator is shown to be self-adjoint. This follows from a theorem by Kato and Rellich which guarantees the stability of a self-adjoint operator under certain symmetric perturbations. The result, which has been assumed tacitly by other authors, is important in order to establish the equivalence of different Hamiltonian operators related to each other by quantum gauge transformations. Implications for the quantization procedure of a particle in a box are pointed out.
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On 29 July 2008, Professor Anthony Thomas Sudbery - known as Tony to his friends and colleagues - celebrated his 65th birthday. To mark this occasion and to honour Tony's scientific... more
On 29 July 2008, Professor Anthony Thomas Sudbery - known as Tony to his friends and colleagues - celebrated his 65th birthday. To mark this occasion and to honour Tony's scientific achievements, a 2-day Symposion was held at the University of York on 29-30 September 2008 under the sponsorship of the Institute of Physics and the London Mathematical Society. The
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We derive Born's rule and the density-operator formalism for quantum systems with Hilbert spaces of dimension two or larger. Our extension of Gleason's theorem only relies upon the consistent assignment of probabilities to the outcomes of... more
We derive Born's rule and the density-operator formalism for quantum systems with Hilbert spaces of dimension two or larger. Our extension of Gleason's theorem only relies upon the consistent assignment of probabilities to the outcomes of projective measurements and their classical mixtures. This assumption is significantly weaker than those required for existing Gleason-type theorems valid in dimension two.
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... Consequently, the collected data will be compatible with a continuous family of quantum states. ... Within the field of quantum cloning ( no-cloning theorem), the quality of a given reconstruction ... principle, even the most complete... more
... Consequently, the collected data will be compatible with a continuous family of quantum states. ... Within the field of quantum cloning ( no-cloning theorem), the quality of a given reconstruction ... principle, even the most complete description of the state of a quantum system will not ...
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ABSTRACT All mutually unbiased bases in dimension 6 consisting of product states only are constructed. Several continuous families of pairs and two triples of mutually unbiased product bases are found to exist but no quadruple. The... more
ABSTRACT All mutually unbiased bases in dimension 6 consisting of product states only are constructed. Several continuous families of pairs and two triples of mutually unbiased product bases are found to exist but no quadruple. The exhaustive classification leads to a proof that a complete set of seven mutually unbiased bases, if it exists, cannot contain a triple of mutually unbiased product bases.
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We study sets of pure states in a Hilbert space of dimension d which are mutually unbiased (MU), that is, the squares of the moduli of their scalar products are equal to zero, one, or 1/d. These sets will be called a MU constellation, and... more
We study sets of pure states in a Hilbert space of dimension d which are mutually unbiased (MU), that is, the squares of the moduli of their scalar products are equal to zero, one, or 1/d. These sets will be called a MU constellation, and if four MU bases were to exist for d=6, they would give rise to 35 different MU constellations. Using a numerical minimisation procedure, we are able to identify only 18 of them in spite of extensive searches. The missing MU constellations provide the strongest numerical evidence so far that no seven MU bases exist in dimension six.
A new approach to play games quantum mechanically is proposed. We consider two players who perform measurements in an EPR-type setting. The payoff relations are defined as functions of *correlations*, i.e. without reference to classical... more
A new approach to play games quantum mechanically is proposed. We consider two players who perform measurements in an EPR-type setting. The payoff relations are defined as functions of *correlations*, i.e. without reference to classical or quantum mechanics. Classical bi-matrix games are reproduced if the input states are classical and perfectly anti-correlated, that is, for a classical correlation game. However, for a quantum correlation game, with an entangled singlet state as input, qualitatively different solutions are obtained. For example, the Prisoners' Dilemma acquires a Nash equilibrium if the players both apply a mixed strategy. It appears to be conceptually impossible to reproduce the properties of quantum correlation games within the framework of classical games.
In Moyal's formulation of quantum mechanics, a quantum spin s is described in terms of continuous symbols, i.e. by smooth functions on a two-dimensional sphere. Such prescriptions to associate operators with Wigner functions, P- or... more
In Moyal's formulation of quantum mechanics, a quantum spin s is described in terms of continuous symbols, i.e. by smooth functions on a two-dimensional sphere. Such prescriptions to associate operators with Wigner functions, P- or Q-symbols, are conveniently expressed in terms of operator kernels satisfying the Stratonovich-Weyl postulates. In analogy to this approach, a discrete Moyal formalism is defined on the basis of a modified set of postulates. It is shown that appropriately modified postulates single out a well-defined set of kernels which give rise to discrete symbols. Now operators are represented by functions taking values on (2s+1)(2s+1) points of the sphere. The discrete symbols contain no redundant information, contrary to the continuous ones. The properties of the resulting discrete Moyal formalism for a quantum spin are worked out in detail and compared to the continuous formalism, and it is illustrated by the example of a spin 1/2.