Quantum signal splitting that avoids initialization of the targets

Abstract

The classical signal splitting and copying are not possible in quantum mechanics. Specifically, one cannot copy the basis up and down states of the input (I) two-state system (qubit, spin) into the copy (C) and duplicate-copy (D) two-state systems if the latter systems are initially in an arbitrary state. We consider instead a quantum evolution in which the basis states of I at time t are duplicated in at least two of the systems I, C, D, at time t + Delta t. In essence, the restriction on the initial target states is exchanged for uncertainty as to which two of the three qubits retain copies of the initial source state.