Quantum process tomography: the role of initial correlations

Abstract

We address the problem of quantum process tomography with the preparators producing states correlated with the environmental degrees of freedom that play role in the system-environment interactions. We discuss the physical situations, in which the dynamics is described by nonlinear, or noncompletely positive transformations. In particular, we show that arbitrary mapping $\varrho_{\rm in}\to\varrho_{\rm out}$ can be realized by using appropriate set of preparators and applying the unitary operation SWAP. The experimental ``realization'' of perfect NOT operation is presented. We address the problem of the verification of the compatibility of the preparator devices with the estimating process. The evolution map describing the dynamics in arbitrary time interval is known not to be completely positive, but still linear. The tomography and general properties of these maps are discussed.