This thesis details two experimental tests that can be applied to particular quantum states to reveal important information. We begin by discussing the relevant background in quantum information. We introduce qubits and qudits as basic quantum states, and we discuss the evolution and measurement of quantum states. We then discuss quantum state tomography as a means by which to obtain complete information about a state, followed by a discussion of state discrimination as a means by which to determine the state given the promise that it is drawn from some known set. We then discuss relevant experimental techniques in quantum optics, including measurement, generation of entanglement, and generation of single photons from entanglement. The first experiment we discuss deals with the causal structure of a system, which is the description of the origin of correlations between two or more states. The causal structure can be direct-cause, meaning that one state causes the other; common-cause, meaning that both states are caused by another; or hybrid-cause, which is a combination of the two. We perform the first implementation of a new type of tomography to determine the causal structure; this is called causal tomography and functions regardless of whether two qubits are related by a common state, a process, or some combination thereof. We implement a process on two entangled photons so that we can select the exact causal structure that results, which ranges continuously between direct-cause and common-cause structures. Using causal tomography, we recover causal structures that closely match expected results and demonstrate that quantum mechanics provides an advantage in causal inference. The second experiment we discuss deals with the unambiguous discrimination of multiple quantum states. For the first time, we apply the principles of unambiguous state discrimination to high-dimensional systems. Given a state chosen randomly out of d possible states encoded in d dimensions, we implement a procedure for determining which state was chosen; this procedure in theory functions without error. We encode and detect the states in the orbital angular momentum degree of freedom up to dimension d=14. Although no experiment can provide perfectly error-free measurement due to inevitable imperfections, we obtain an error rate below the theoretical error rate of minimum-error state discrimination for dimensions up to d=12. At the time of submission of this thesis, this work has been accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters.

In this thesis we study the subset of quantum operations that can be implemented using only local quantum operations and classical communication (LOCC). This restricted paradigm serves as a tool to study not only quantum correlations and other nonlocal quantum effects, but also resource transformations such as channel capacities. The mathematical structure of LOCC is complex and difficult to characterize. In the first part of this thesis we provide a precise description of LOCC and related operational classes in terms of quantum instruments. Our formalism captures both finite round protocols as well as those that utilize an unbounded number of communication rounds. This perspective allows us to measure the distance between two LOCC instruments and hence discuss the closure of LOCC in a rigorous way. While the set of LOCC is not topologically closed, we show that the operations that can be implemented using some fixed number rounds of communication constitute a compact subset of all quantum operations. We also exhibit a subset of LOCC measurements that is closed. Additionally we establish the existence of an open ball around the completely depolarizing map consisting entirely of LOCC implementable maps. In the second part of this thesis we focus on the task of discriminating states from some known set S by LOCC. Building on the work in the paper "Quantum nonlocality without entanglement", we provide a framework for lower bounding the error probability of any LOCC protocol aiming at discriminating the states from S. We apply our framework to an orthonormal product basis known as the domino states. This gives an alternative and simplified bound quantifying how well these states can be discriminated using LOCC. We generalize this result for similar bases in larger dimensions, as well as the "rotated" domino states, resolving a long-standing open question. These results give new examples of quantitative gaps between the classes of separable and LOCC operations. In the last part of this thesis, we ask what differentiates separable from LOCC operations. Both of these classes play a key role in the study of entanglement. Separable operations are known to be strictly more powerful than LOCC ones, but no simple explanation of this phenomenon is known. We show that, in the case of bipartite von Neumann measurements, the ability to interpolate is an operational principle that separates LOCC and separable operations.

In this thesis we study the subset of quantum operations that can be implemented using only local quantum operations and classical communication (LOCC). This restricted paradigm serves as a tool to study not only quantum correlations and other nonlocal quantum effects, but also resource transformations such as channel capacities. The mathematical structure of LOCC is complex and difficult to characterize. In the first part of this thesis we provide a precise description of LOCC and related operational classes in terms of quantum instruments. Our formalism captures both finite round protocols as well as those that utilize an unbounded number of communication rounds. This perspective allows us to measure the distance between two LOCC instruments and hence discuss the closure of LOCC in a rigorous way. While the set of LOCC is not topologically closed, we show that the operations that can be implemented using some fixed number rounds of communication constitute a compact subset of all quantum operations. We also exhibit a subset of LOCC measurements that is closed. Additionally we establish the existence of an open ball around the completely depolarizing map consisting entirely of LOCC implementable maps. In the second part of this thesis we focus on the task of discriminating states from some known set S by LOCC. Building on the work in the paper "Quantum nonlocality without entanglement", we provide a framework for lower bounding the error probability of any LOCC protocol aiming at discriminating the states from S. We apply our framework to an orthonormal product basis known as the domino states. This gives an alternative and simplified bound quantifying how well these states can be discriminated using LOCC. We generalize this result for similar bases in larger dimensions, as well as the "rotated" domino states, resolving a long-standing open question. These results give new examples of quantitative gaps between the classes of separable and LOCC operations. In the last part of this thesis, we ask what differentiates separable from LOCC operations. Both of these classes play a key role in the study of entanglement. Separable operations are known to be strictly more powerful than LOCC ones, but no simple explanation of this phenomenon is known. We show that, in the case of bipartite von Neumann measurements, the ability to interpolate is an operational principle that separates LOCC and separable operations.

Quantum state discrimination is a fundamental problem in quantum information science. We investigate the optimal distinguishability of orthogonal two-qubit (bipartite) quantum states. The scenario consists of three parties: Alice, Bob, and Charlie. Charlie prepares one of two orthogonal states and sends one qubit to Alice and the other to Bob. Their goal is to correctly identify which state Charlie sent. In most state discrimination scenarios, it is assumed that Alice and Bob can freely communicate with one another so as to collectively agree on the best guess. In this research, we consider a more restricted setting where only one-way classical communication is possible from Alice to Bob. Under this setting, we study two figures of merit (i) Alice's optimal probability, $P$, of identifying the state , and (ii) Alice's optimal probability, $P^\perp$, of identifying the state along with helping Bob identify the state perfectly. We show that in general $P\neq P^\perp$ and we prove a theorem for when $P=P^\perp$. We also found that the maximum of $P-P^\perp$ can arbitrarily approach $1/2$.

Orientadores: Carlile Campos Lavor, Wilson Ricardo Matos Rabelo / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Matematica, Estatistica e Computação Cientifica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T05:05:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Evangelista_TatianedaSilva_D.pdf: 1204224 bytes, checksum: 78ba86ca8ac235e2775ed6a048ccf353 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Neste trabalho, apresentamos um novo algoritmo para realizar a discriminação ótima de N estados quânticos puros não-ortogonais, que fornece o melhor conjunto de medidas POVM para o problema, através da extensão do espaço de Hilbert de N para 2N - 1 dimensões. O algoritmo é baseado na programação semidefinida e na solução de sistemas lineares. O algoritmo foi implementado em Matlab e apresentou bons resultados computacionais. / Abstract: In this work, we propose a new algorithm to perform the optimal discrimination of N non-orthogonal pure quantum states. This algorithm obtains the best set of POVM measurements for the problem, through the extension of the Hilbert space of N to 2N-1 dimensions. The algorithm is based on semidefinite programming and on the solution of linear systems. The algorithm was implemented in Matlab and presented good computational results. / Doutorado / Otimização / Doutor em Matemática Aplicada

The aim of this diploma thesis is to find out the European Union's position on the discrimination of Rohingya in Burma since 2011. Over the years the country has initiated a number of reforms, transformed its political system and held first democratic elections. Since Burma has undergone considerable changes, the European Union first eased and then lifted almost all sanctions in 2013. The most pressing issue still facing Burma is the violations of human rights, especially in the case of Rohingya minority. Methodologically, the study is anchored by content textual analysis which was applied to a wide range of documents from which data was obtained for the analytical part of the study. The theoretical basis of the thesis is agenda-setting and salience. These theories were used to identify two hypotheses that examine the EU's position on the Rohingya crisis on the Unions agenda and its salience. Research has shown that the Parliament and the EEAS are paying the greatest attention. On the contrary, the Council and DEVCO spend less time on the issue. Despite all of the Union's efforts and the financial, human and material assistance provided, the situation has not improved and the Rohingya still face human rights abuses and are not full citizens of Burma.