Quantum Kaleidoscopes and Bell's theorem

A quantum kaleidoscope is defined as a set of observables, or states, consisting of many different subsets that provide closely related proofs of the Bell-Kochen-Specker (BKS) and Bell nonlocality theorems. The kaleidoscopes prove the BKS theorem through a simple parity argument, which also doubles as a proof of Bell's nonlocality theorem if use is made of the right sort of entanglement. Three closely related kaleidoscopes are introduced and discussed in this paper: a 15-observable kaleidoscope, a 24-state kaleidoscope and a 60-state kaleidoscope. The close relationship of these kaleidoscopes to a configuration of 12 points and 16 lines known as Reye's configuration is pointed out. The "rotations" needed to make each kaleidoscope yield all its apparitions are laid out. The 60-state kaleidoscope, whose underlying geometrical structure is that of ten interlinked Reye's configurations (together with their duals), possesses a total of 1120 apparitions that provide proofs of the two Bell theorems. Some applications of these kaleidoscopes to problems in quantum tomography and quantum state estimation are discussed.Comment: Two new references (No. 21 and 22) to related work have been adde

Entanglement Patterns in Mutually Unbiased Basis Sets for N Prime-state Particles

A few simply-stated rules govern the entanglement patterns that can occur in mutually unbiased basis sets (MUBs), and constrain the combinations of such patterns that can coexist (ie, the stoichiometry) in full complements of p^N+1 MUBs. We consider Hilbert spaces of prime power dimension (as realized by systems of N prime-state particles, or qupits), where full complements are known to exist, and we assume only that MUBs are eigenbases of generalized Pauli operators, without using a particular construction. The general rules include the following: 1) In any MUB, a particular qupit appears either in a pure state, or totally entangled, and 2) in any full MUB complement, each qupit is pure in p+1 bases (not necessarily the same ones), and totally entangled in the remaining p^N-p. It follows that the maximum number of product bases is p+1, and when this number is realized, all remaining p^N-p bases in the complement are characterized by the total entanglement of every qupit. This "standard distribution" is inescapable for two qupits (of any p), where only product and generalized Bell bases are admissible MUB types. This and the following results generalize previous results for qubits and qutrits. With three qupits there are three MUB types, and a number of combinations (p+2) are possible in full complements. With N=4, there are 6 MUB types for p=2, but new MUB types become possible with larger p, and these are essential to the realization of full complements. With this example, we argue that new MUB types, showing new entanglement characteristics, should enter with every step in N, and when N is a prime plus 1, also at critical p values, p=N-1. Such MUBs should play critical roles in filling complements.Comment: 27 pages, one figure, to be submitted to Physical Revie

Probing the Dark Ages at Z~20: The SCI-HI 21 cm All-Sky Spectrum Experiment

We present first results from the SCI-HI experiment, which we used to measure the all-sky-averaged \cm brightness temperature in the redshift range 14.8<z<22.7. The instrument consists of a single broadband sub-wavelength size antenna and a sampling system for real-time data processing and recording. Preliminary observations were completed in June 2013 at Isla Guadalupe, a Mexican biosphere reserve located in the Pacific Ocean. The data was cleaned to excise channels contaminated by radio frequency interference (RFI), and the system response was calibrated by comparing the measured brightness temperature to the Global Sky Model of the Galaxy and by independent measurement of Johnson noise from a calibration terminator. We present our results, discuss the cosmological implications, and describe plans for future work.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Generating qudits with d=3,4 encoded on two-photon states

We present an experimental method to engineer arbitrary pure states of qudits with d=3,4 using linear optics and a single nonlinear crystal.Comment: 4 pages, 1 eps figure. Minor changes. The title has been changed for publication on Physical Review

Rapid-purification protocols for optical homodyning

We present a number of rapid-purification feedback protocols for optical homodyne detection of a single optical qubit. We derive first a protocol that speeds up the rate of increase of the average purity of the system, and find that like the equivalent protocol for a non-disspative measurement, this generates a deterministic evolution for the purity in the limit of strong feedback. We also consider two analogues of the Wiseman-Ralph rapid-purification protocol in this setting, and show that like that protocol they speed up the average time taken to reach a fixed level of purity. We also examine how the performance of these algorithms changes with detection efficiency, being an important practical consideration.Comment: 6 pages, revtex4, 3 eps figure

On the structure of the sets of mutually unbiased bases for N qubits

For a system of N qubits, spanning a Hilbert space of dimension d=2^N, it is known that there exists d+1 mutually unbiased bases. Different construction algorithms exist, and it is remarkable that different methods lead to sets of bases with different properties as far as separability is concerned. Here we derive the four sets of nine bases for three qubits, and show how they are unitarily related. We also briefly discuss the four-qubit case, give the entanglement structure of sixteen sets of bases,and show some of them, and their interrelations, as examples. The extension of the method to the general case of N qubits is outlined.Comment: 16 pages, 10 tables, 1 figur

Solution to the Mean King's problem with mutually unbiased bases for arbitrary levels

The Mean King's problem with mutually unbiased bases is reconsidered for arbitrary d-level systems. Hayashi, Horibe and Hashimoto [Phys. Rev. A 71, 052331 (2005)] related the problem to the existence of a maximal set of d-1 mutually orthogonal Latin squares, in their restricted setting that allows only measurements of projection-valued measures. However, we then cannot find a solution to the problem when e.g., d=6 or d=10. In contrast to their result, we show that the King's problem always has a solution for arbitrary levels if we also allow positive operator-valued measures. In constructing the solution, we use orthogonal arrays in combinatorial design theory.Comment: REVTeX4, 4 page