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Preparation information and optimal decompositions for mixed quantum states

Andrei N. Soklakov, Ruediger Schack

quant-pharXiv:quant-ph/0002027

Abstract

Consider a joint quantum state of a system and its environment. A measurement on the environment induces a decomposition of the system state. Using algorithmic information theory, we define the preparation information of a pure or mixed state in a given decomposition. We then define an optimal decomposition as a decomposition for which the average preparation information is minimal. The average preparation information for an optimal decomposition characterizes the system-environment correlations. We discuss properties and applications of the concepts introduced above and give several examples.

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