Quantum-Nano Centre, 200 University Ave West, Room QNC 1201
Waterloo, ON CA N2L 3G1
Supervisor: Jonathan Baugh
Quantum-Nano Centre, 200 University Ave West, Room QNC 1201 Waterloo, ON CA N2L 3G1
The Unruh effect is the flat space analogue to Hawking radiation, describing how an observer in flat spacetime perceives the quantum vacuum state to be in a thermal state when moving along a constantly accelerated trajectory. This effect is often described operationally using the qubit-based Unruh-DeWitt detector.
We study Unruh phenomena for more general qudit detectors coupled to a quantized scalar field, noting the limitations to the utility of the detailed balance condition as an indicator for Unruh thermality of higher-dimensional qudit detector models. We illustrate these limitations using two types of qutrit detector models based on the spin-1 representations of SU(2) and the non-Hermitian generalization of the Pauli observables (the Heisenberg-Weyl operators).
[2309.04598] Unruh phenomena and thermalization for qudit detectors (arxiv.org)
200 University Ave W. Waterloo On. N2G 4K3 QNC 1201
Motivated by limitations on the depth of near-term quantum devices, we study the depth-computation trade-off in the query model, where the depth corresponds to the number of adaptive query rounds and the computation per layer corresponds to the number of parallel queries per round. We achieve the strongest known separation between quantum algorithms with r versus r−1 rounds of adaptivity. We do so by using the k-fold Forrelation problem introduced by Aaronson and Ambainis (SICOMP'18). For k=2r, this problem can be solved using an r round quantum algorithm with only one query per round, yet we show that any r−1 round quantum algorithm needs an exponential (in the number of qubits) number of parallel queries per round.
Our results are proven following the Fourier analytic machinery developed in recent works on quantum-classical separations. The key new component in our result are bounds on the Fourier weights of quantum query algorithms with bounded number of rounds of adaptivity. These may be of independent interest as they distinguish the polynomials that arise from such algorithms from arbitrary bounded polynomials of the same degree.
Joint work with Uma Girish, Makrand Sinha, Avishay Tal
Research Advancement Centre, 475 Wes Graham Way, Room RAC 2009, Waterloo, ON, CA N2L 6R2
Supervisor: Dr. Michele Mosca. Thesis available from mgo@uwaterloo.ca. Oral defence Friday, February 2, 9:00 a.m., online.
Quantum-Nano Centre, 200 University Ave West, Room QNC 0101 Waterloo, ON CA N2L 3G1
Quantum metrology studies estimation of unknown parameters in quantum systems. The Heisenberg limit of estimation precision 1/N, with N being the number of probes, is the ultimate sensing limit allowed by quantum mechanics that quadratically outperforms the classically-achievable standard quantum limit 1/√N. The Heisenberg limit is attainable using multi-probe entanglement in the ideal, noiseless case. However, in presence of noise, many quantum systems only allow a constant factor of improvement over the standard quantum limit. To elucidate the noise effect in quantum metrology, we prove a necessary and sufficient condition for achieving the Heisenberg limit using quantum controls. We show that when the condition is satisfied, there exist quantum error correction protocols to achieve the Heisenberg limit; when the condition is violated, no quantum controls can break the standard quantum limit (although quantum error correction can be used to maximize the constant-factor improvement). We will also discuss the modified sensing limits when only restricted types of quantum controls can be applied.
200 University Ave W. Waterloo On Can QNC 1201
In the seminal 1948 paper "a mathematical theory of communication", Shannon introduced the concept of a classical source as a random variable and established its optimal compression rate, given by Shannon entropy. Nearly five decades later, Schumacher rigorously defined the notion of a quantum source and its compressibility. Schumacher's definition involved a quantum system and correlations with a purifying reference system. In our work, we build upon Schumacher's quantum source model, extending it to the most general form allowed by quantum mechanics. This extension involves considering the source and the reference in a mixed state, along with the presence of additional systems treated as side information. We address and solve various problems posed by these modifications, determining the optimal compression rates. While our work contributes significant progress in quantum source compression, we point out remaining open questions that require further exploration.
University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W. Waterloo, ON. QNC 1201 + ZOOM
In this work, we prove that the entanglement cost equals the regularized entanglement of formation for any infinite-dimensional quantum state with finite quantum entropy on at least one of the subsystems. This generalizes a foundational result in quantum information theory that was previously formulated only for operations and states on finite-dimensional systems. The extension to infinite dimensions is nontrivial because the conventional tools for establishing both the direct and converse bounds, i.e., strong typically, monotonicity, and asymptotic continuity, are no longer directly applicable. To address this problem, we construct a new entanglement dilution protocol for infinite-dimensional states implementable by local operations and a finite amount of one-way classical communication (one-way LOCC), using weak and strong typicality multiple times. We also prove the optimality of this protocol among all protocols even under infinite-dimensional separable operations by developing an argument based on alternative forms of monotonicity and asymptotic continuity of the entanglement of formation for infinite-dimensional states. Along the way, we derive a new integral representation for the quantum entropy of infinite-dimensional states, which we believe to be of independent interest. Our results allow us to fully characterize an important operational entanglement measure -- the entanglement cost -- for all infinite-dimensional physical systems. This talk is based on arXiv:2401.09554.
Quantum-Nano Centre, 200 University Ave West, Room QNC 1201 Waterloo, ON CA N2L 3G1
Clifford theory studies the connection between representations of a group and those of its normal subgroups. In recent work, I examined the Clifford theory of the Clifford group to determine parts of its character table for future applications. The goal of this talk is to introduce the representation theory and Clifford theory of finite groups sufficiently to understand next week's talk when I will explain the Clifford theory of the n-qubit Clifford group. Note that these are two distinct Cliffords. I may also briefly discuss the applications of Clifford theory in quantum error correction, time permitting.
Quantum-Nano Centre, 200 University Ave West,
Waterloo, ON CA N2L 3G1
Join LAUNCH and the Institute for Quantum Computing for a free, drop-in Family STEAM Day event! Come by anytime between 10:00am and 3:00pm and join us for fun, interactive, hands-on STEAM activities, challenges and even fun robot competitions!