In a new study, experts explore new possibilities for transmitting quantum information without the restrictive properties of the traditional approach. The novel method shows potential in many fields of quantum information processing.
Challenges of Quantum Communication Systems
As a potent field of physics, quantum mechanics is built to prevent information from being copied or replicated. A quantum state confines all the relevant information in the system and modifies them to one of the possible outcomes of the measurement when observed.
This means that the quantum state cannot be replicated since it needs to be measured to make this possible. Such a principle is known as the no-cloning theorem, which states that quantum information cannot be copied and pasted as with classical data.
In physics, the no-cloning theorem states that making an identical and independent copy of an arbitrary unknown quantum state is impossible. This theorem is an evolution of the no-go theorem proposed by James Park in the 1970s.
According to the no-cloning theorem, a set of pure states can only be cloned if the states are mutually orthogonal. In other words, there cannot be physical processes that produce copies of quantum states like in classical physics.
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Revolutionizing Quantum Communications
The problem presented by the no-cloning theorem motivated a group of researchers to explore new possibilities for transmitting quantum information. The team consisted of Prof. Giulio Chiribella from the University of Hong Kong, Prof. Francesco Buscemi from Nagoya University, Prof. James Fullwood from Hainan University, and Prof. Arthur Parzygnat from MIT.
The team's approach was to introduce virtual quantum broadcasting channels, as these may have important applications in quantum information processing. The details of their study were discussed in the paper "Virtual Quantum Broadcasting."
While the no-cloning theorem prohibits traditional copying methods, virtual broadcasting channels or maps operate virtually, meaning they do not involve direct physical replication. The map outlined by the researchers establishes a correlation between various instances of a quantum state. This mechanism effectively allows the transmission of information without violating the basic principles of quantum mechanics.
The virtual broadcasting map is unique and satisfies three axioms that ensure consistency under changes. The researchers were able to prove that a physical approximation of such a map can be made using a universal cloner. This device can create the most faithful copies of an arbitrary quantum state.
In addition, the team was able to show how the virtual broadcasting map can be achieved by decomposition. Finally, they established the equivalence between the action of a time evolution function and the action of the virtual broadcasting map on any arbitrary state.
This suggests that the map can behave like a time operation, enabling the creation of correlated virtual copies of quantum states over time. By establishing a theorem for virtual quantum broadcasting, the experts have provided new possibilities for quantum information, quantum computing, and quantum cryptography.
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