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Title: Local and Global Distinguishability in Quantum Interferometry

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
 [1];  [2]
  1. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109 (United States)
  2. Hearne Institute for Theoretical Physics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 (United States)

A statistical distinguishability based on relative entropy characterizes the fitness of quantum states for phase estimation. This criterion is employed in the context of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and used to interpolate between two regimes of local and global phase distinguishability. The scaling of distinguishability in these regimes with photon number is explored for various quantum states. It emerges that local distinguishability is dependent on a discrepancy between quantum and classical rotational energy. Our analysis demonstrates that the Heisenberg limit is the true upper limit for local phase sensitivity. Only the ''NOON'' states share this bound, but other states exhibit a better trade-off when comparing local and global phase regimes.

OSTI ID:
21028135
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Vol. 99, Issue 7; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.070801; (c) 2007 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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