Related papers: Is the quantum state (an) observable?
Quantum measurements are our eyes to the quantum systems consisting of a multitude of microscopic degrees of freedom. However, the intrinsic uncertainty of quantum measurements and the exponentially large Hilbert space pose natural barriers…
The paper proves that quantum mechanics is compatible with the constructive realism of modern philosophy of science. The proof is based on the observation that properties of quantum systems that are uniquely determined by their preparations…
The measurement of quantum states is one of the most important problems in quantum mechanics. We introduce a quantum state tomography technique in which the state of a qubit is reconstructed, while the qubit remains undetected. The key…
We investigate quantum state discrimination with confidentiality. $N$ observers share a given quantum state belonging to a finite set of known states. The observers want to determine the state as accurately as possible and send a…
A simple model of quantum particle is proposed in which the particle in a {\it macroscopic} rest frame is represented by a {\it microscopic d}-dimensional oscillator, {\it s=(d-1)/2} being the spin of the particle. The state vectors are…
Given the state of a quantum system, one can calculate the expectation value of any observable of the system. However, the inverse problem of determining the state by performing different measurements is not a trivial task. In various…
We consider the problem of determining the mixed quantum state of a large but finite number of identically prepared quantum systems from data obtained in a sequence of ideal (von Neumann) measurements, each performed on an individual copy…
Despite being the most fundamental object in quantum theory, physicists are yet to reach a consensus on the interpretation of a quantum wavefunction. In the broad class of realist approaches, quantum states are viewed as Liouville-like…
It is a central fact in quantum mechanics that non-orthogonal states cannot be distinguished perfectly. This property ensures the security of quantum key distribution. It is therefore an important task in quantum communication to design and…
Observations or measurements taken of a quantum system (a small number of fundamental particles) are inherently random. If the state of the system depends on unknown parameters, then the distribution of the outcome depends on these…
Quantum state tomography is the experimental procedure of determining an unknown state. It is not only essential for the verification of resources and processors of quantum information but is also important in its own right with regard to…
We introduce a generalization of entanglement based on the idea that entanglement is relative to a distinguished subspace of observables rather than a distinguished subsystem decomposition. A pure quantum state is entangled relative to such…
It is pointed out that there exists an unambiguous definition of locality that enables one to distinguish local and nonlocal quantities. Observables of both types coexist in quantum optics but one must be very careful when attempting to…
The key observation about quantum reality is that it often appears as if, at some moment, the probability of a quantum event becomes a definite outcome for us. A careful analysis suggests, however, that what we perceive as a definite state…
We demonstrate that the task of determining an unknown quantum state can be accomplished efficiently by making a sequential measurement of two observables $\hat{A}$ and $\hat{B}$, provided that the two observables are chosen in such a way…
Various topics concerning the entanglement of composite quantum systems are considered with particular emphasis concerning the strict relations of such a problem with the one of attributing objective properties to the constituents. Most of…
We explore further the suggestion to describe a pre- and post-selected system by a two-state, which is determined by two conditions. Starting with a formal definition of a two-state Hilbert space and basic operations, we systematically…
This paper discusses experiments with single-particle systems, some of whose states appear to be entangled. It shows that the interpretation of the experiments in terms of entanglement is ill-defined. Three forms of ambiguity are discussed.…
The paper argues that far from challenging - or even refuting - Bohm's quantum theory, the no-hidden-variables theorems in fact support the Bohmian ontology for quantum mechanics. The reason is that (i) all measurements come down to…
It is shown that the nature of quantum states that emerge from decoherence is such that one can {\em measure} the expectation value of any observable of the system in a single measurement. This can be done even when such pointer states are…