Quantum theory has the distinction among physical theories of currently underpinning most of modern physics, while remaining essentially mysterious, with no general agreement about the nature of its principles or the underlying reality. Recently, the rise of quantum information science has shown that thinking in operational or information-theoretic terms can be extremely enlightening, and that a fruitful direction for understanding quantum theory is to study it in the context of more general probabilistic theories. The framework for such theories will be reviewed in the Chapter Two. In Chapter Three we will study a property of quantum theory called self-duality, which is a correspondence between states and observables. In particular, we will show that self-duality follows from a computational primitive called bit symmetry, which states that every logical bit can be mapped to any other logical bit by a reversible transformation. In Chapter Four we will study a notion of probabilistic interference based on a hierarchy of interference-type experiments involving multiple slits. We characterize theories which do not exhibit interference in experiments with k slits, and give a simple operational interpretation. We also prove a connection between bit symmetric theories which possess certain natural transformations, and those which exhibit at most two-slit interference. In Chapter Five we will focus on reconstructing the algebraic structures of quantum theory. We will show that the closest cousins to standard quantum theory, namely the finite-dimensional Jordan-algebraic theories, can be characterized by three simple principles: (1) a generalized spectral decomposition, (2) a high degree of symmetry, and (3) a generalization of the von Neumann-Luders projection postulate. Finally, we also show that the absence of three-slit interference may be used as an alternative to the third principle. In Chapter Six, we focus on quantum statistical mechanics and the problem of understanding how its characteristic features can be derived from an exact treatment of the underlying quantum system. Our central assumptions are sufficiently complex dynamics encoded as a condition on the complexity of the eigenvectors of the Hamiltonian, and an information theoretic restriction on measurement resources. We show that for almost all Hamiltonian systems measurement outcome probabilities are indistinguishable from the uniform distribution.

Quantum theory has the distinction among physical theories of currently underpinning most of modern physics, while remaining essentially mysterious, with no general agreement about the nature of its principles or the underlying reality. Recently, the rise of quantum information science has shown that thinking in operational or information-theoretic terms can be extremely enlightening, and that a fruitful direction for understanding quantum theory is to study it in the context of more general probabilistic theories. The framework for such theories will be reviewed in the Chapter Two. In Chapter Three we will study a property of quantum theory called self-duality, which is a correspondence between states and observables. In particular, we will show that self-duality follows from a computational primitive called bit symmetry, which states that every logical bit can be mapped to any other logical bit by a reversible transformation. In Chapter Four we will study a notion of probabilistic interference based on a hierarchy of interference-type experiments involving multiple slits. We characterize theories which do not exhibit interference in experiments with k slits, and give a simple operational interpretation. We also prove a connection between bit symmetric theories which possess certain natural transformations, and those which exhibit at most two-slit interference. In Chapter Five we will focus on reconstructing the algebraic structures of quantum theory. We will show that the closest cousins to standard quantum theory, namely the finite-dimensional Jordan-algebraic theories, can be characterized by three simple principles: (1) a generalized spectral decomposition, (2) a high degree of symmetry, and (3) a generalization of the von Neumann-Luders projection postulate. Finally, we also show that the absence of three-slit interference may be used as an alternative to the third principle. In Chapter Six, we focus on quantum statistical mechanics and the problem of understanding how its characteristic features can be derived from an exact treatment of the underlying quantum system. Our central assumptions are sufficiently complex dynamics encoded as a condition on the complexity of the eigenvectors of the Hamiltonian, and an information theoretic restriction on measurement resources. We show that for almost all Hamiltonian systems measurement outcome probabilities are indistinguishable from the uniform distribution.

This thesis explores various perspectives on quantum phenomena, and how our understanding of these phenomena is informed by the study of general probabilistic theories. Particular attention is given to quantum nonlocality, and its interaction with areas of physical and mathematical interest such as entropy, reversible dynamics, information-based games and the idea of negative probability. We begin with a review of non-signaling distributions and convex operational theories, including “black box” descriptions of experiments and the mathematics of convex vector spaces. In Chapter 3 we derive various classical and quantum-like quasiprobabilistic representations of arbitrary non-signaling distributions. Previously, results in which the density operator is allowed to become non-positive [1] have proved useful in derivations of quantum theory from physical requirements [2]; we derive a dual result in which the measurement operators instead are allowed to become non-positive, and show that the generation of any non-signaling distribution is possible using a fixed separable state with negligible correlation. We also derive two distinct “quasi-local” models of non-signaling correlations. Chapter 4 investigates non-local games, in particular the game known as Information Causality. By analysing the probability of success in this game, we prove the conjectured tightness of a bound given in [3] concerning how well entanglement allows us to perform the task of random access coding, and introduce a quadratic bias bound which seems to capture a great deal of information about the set of quantum-achievable correlations. By reformulating Information Causality in terms of entropies, we find that a sensible measure of entropy precludes many general probabilistic theories whose non-locality is stronger than that of quantum theory. Chapter 5 explores the role that reversible transitivity (the principle that any two pure states are joined by a reversible transformation) plays as a characteristic feature of quantum theory. It has previously been shown that in Boxworld, the theory allowing for the full set of non-signaling correlations, any reversible transformation on a restricted class of composite systems is merely a composition of relabellings of measurement choices and outcomes, and permutations of subsystems [4]. We develop a tabular description of Boxworld states and effects first introduced in [5], and use this to extend this reversibility result to any composite Boxworld system in which none of the subsystems are classical.

Due to their great importance, both from the fundamental and from the practical points of view, it is imperative that the various facets of the concepts of information and entanglement are explored systematically in connection with diverse physical systems and processes. These concepts are at the core of the emerging field of the Physics of Information. In this Thesis I investigate some aspects of the dynamics of information in both classical and quantum mechanical systems and then move on to explore entanglement in fermion systems by searching for novel ways to classify and quantify entanglement in fermionic systems. In Chapter 1 a brief review of the different information and entropic measures as well as of the main evolution equations of classical dynamical and quantum mechanical systems is given. The conservation of information as a fundamental principle both at the classical and quantum levels, and the implications of Landauer's theorem are discussed in brief. An alternative and more intuitive proof of the no-broadcasting theorem is also provided. Chapter 2 is a background chapter on quantum entanglement, where the differences between the concept of entanglement in systems consisting of distinguishable subsystems and the corresponding concept in systems of identical fermions are emphasized. Different measures of entanglement and relevant techniques such as majorization, are introduced. To illustrate some of the concepts reviewed here I discuss the entanglement properties of an exactly soluble many-body model which was studied in paper (E) of the publication list corresponding to the present Thesis. An alternative approach to the characterization of quantum correlations, based on perturbations under local measurements, is also briefly reviewed. The use of uncertainty relations as entanglement indicators in composite systems having distinguishable subsystems is then examined in some detail. Chapter 3 is based on papers (A) and (B) of the list of publications. Extended Landauer-like principles are developed, based amongst others on the conservation of information of divergenceless dynamical systems. Conservation of information within the framework of general probabilistic theories, which include the classical and quantum mechanical probabilities as particular instances, is explored. Furthermore, Zurek's information transfer theorem and the no-deleting theorem are generalized. Chapter 4 is based on articles (C) and (D) mentioned in the publication list, and investigates several separability criteria for fermions. Criteria for the detection of entanglement are developed based either on the violation of appropriate uncertainty relations or on inequalities involving entropic measures. Chapter 5 introduces an approach for the characterization of quantum correlations (going beyond entanglement) in fermion systems based upon the state disturbances generated by the measurement of local observables. Chapter 6 summarizes the conclusions drawn in the previous chapters. The work leading up to this Thesis has resulted in five publications in peer reviewed science research journals. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Physics / unrestricted