Reconstruction of quantum states from propensities (original) (raw)

Quantum-State Reconstruction by Maximizing Likelihood and Entropy

2011

Quantum state reconstruction on a finite number of copies of a quantum system with informationally incomplete measurements does, as a rule, not yield a unique result. We derive a reconstruction scheme where both the likelihood and the von Neumann entropy functionals are maximized in order to systematically select the most-likely estimator with the largest entropy, that is the least-bias estimator, consistent with a given set of measurement data. This is equivalent to the joint consideration of our partial knowledge and ignorance about the ensemble to reconstruct its identity. An interesting structure of such estimators will also be explored.

Quantum filtering in coherent states

Communications on Stochastic Analysis

We derive the form of the Belavkin-Kushner-Stratonovich equation describing the filtering of a continuous observed quantum system via non-demolition measurements when the statistics of the input field used for the indirect measurement are in a general coherent state. Dedicated to Robin Hudson on the occasion his 70th birthday.

Classical and quantum-mechanical state reconstruction

European Journal of Physics, 2012

We review the problem of state reconstruction in classical and in quantum physics, which is rarely considered at the textbook level. We review a method for retrieving a classical state in phase space, similar to that used in medical imaging known as Computer Aided Tomography. We explain how this method can be taken over to quantum mechanics, where it leads to a description of the quantum state in terms of the Wigner function which, although may take on negative values, plays the role of the probability density in phase space in classical physics. We explain another approach to quantum state reconstruction based on the notion of Mutually Unbiased Bases, and indicate the relation between these two approaches. Both are for a continuous, infinite-dimensional Hilbert space. We then study the finite-dimensional case and show how the second method, based on Mutually Unbiased Bases, can be used for state reconstruction.

Coherent states and Bayesian duality

Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 2008

We demonstrate how large classes of discrete and continuous statistical distributions can be incorporated into coherent states, using the concept of a reproducing kernel Hilbert space. Each family of coherent states is shown to contain, in a sort of duality, which resembles an analogous duality in Bayesian statistics, a discrete probability distribution and a discretely parametrized family of continuous distributions. It turns out that nonlinear coherent states, of the type widely studied in quantum optics, are a particularly useful class of coherent states from this point of view, in that they contain many of the standard statistical distributions. We also look at vector coherent states and multidimensional coherent states as carriers of mixtures of probability distributions and joint probability distributions.

On Quantum Statistical Inference

Interest in problems of statistical inference connected to measurements of quantum systems has recently increased substantially, in step with dramatic new developments in experimental techniques for studying small quantum systems. Furthermore, theoretical developments in the theory of quantum measurements have brought the basic mathematical framework for the probability calculations much closer to that of classical probability theory. The present paper reviews this field and proposes and interrelates a number of new concepts for an extension of classical statistical inference to the quantum context.

An estimation theoretical characterization of coherent states

Journal of Mathematical Physics, 1999

We introduce a class of quantum pure state models called the coherent models. A coherent model is an even dimensional manifold of pure states whose tangent space is characterized by a symplectic structure. In a rigorous framework of noncommutative statistics, it is shown that a coherent model inherits and expands the original spirit of the minimum uncertainty property of coherent states.

A Gleason-type theorem for qubits based on mixtures of projective measurements

Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 2019

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.

On Quantum Statistical Inference, II

Eprint Arxiv Quant Ph 0307191, 2003

Interest in problems of statistical inference connected to measurements of quantum systems has recently increased substantially, in step with dramatic new developments in experimental techniques for studying small quantum systems. Furthermore, theoretical developments in the theory of quantum measurements have brought the basic mathematical framework for the probability calculations much closer to that of classical probability theory. The present paper reviews this field and proposes and interrelates a number of new concepts for an extension of classical statistical inference to the quantum context. (An earlier version of the paper containing material on further topics is available as quant-ph/0307189).