1

Solutions of Exercises
from A Short Introduction to Quantum
Information and Quantum Computation
Michel Le Bellac

Chapter 2

Exercises from Chapter 2

2.6.1 Determination of the polarization of a light wave
1. We can choose x = 0, y = . The equation of the ellipse
x = cos cos t

y = sin cos(t )

reads in Cartesian coordinates

cos
y2
x2

2xy
+
= sin2
cos2
sin cos sin2
The direction of the axes is obtained by looking for the eigenvectors of the matrix

cos
1

cos2
sin cos
A=

cos
1

2
sin cos
sin

which make angles and + /2 with the x-axis, where is given by

tan = cos tan 2

The vector product of the position ~r with the velocity ~v , ~r ~v , is easily seen to be
~r ~v =

1
z sin 2 sin
2

so that the sense of rotation is given by the sign of the product sin 2 sin .
2. The intensity at the entrance of the polarizer is


I0 = k E02 cos2 + E02 sin2 = kE02

where k is a proportionality factor. At the exit of the polarizer it is

I = kE02 cos2 = I0 cos2
The reduction of the intensity allows us to determine | cos |.

3. The projection of the electric field on the polarizer axis is


E0 
cos cos t + sin cos(t )
2

and the intensity is given by the time average

D
E
I = kE02 cos2 cos2 t + sin2 cos2 (t ) + 2 sin cos cos t cos(t )
=

1
1
kE02 (1 + sin 2 cos ) = I0 (1 + sin 2 cos )
2
2

CHAPTER 2. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 2

From the measurement of I we deduce cos , which allows us to deduce up to a sign. The remaining
ambiguities are lifted if one remarks that the ellipse is invariant under the transformations
+

and

2.6.2 The (, ) polarizer

1. The components Ex and Ey are given by
Ex

Ey

Ex cos2 + Ey sin cos ei = ||2 Ex + Ey ,

Ex sin cos ei + Ey sin2 = Ex + ||2 Ey .

2. This operation amounts to projection on |i. In fact, if we choose to write the vectors |xi and |yi as
column vectors
 
 
1
0
|xi =
,
|yi =
0
1
then the projector P

is represented by the matrix

P = |ih| = |xi + |yi hx| + hy|
P =

||2
||2

3. Since P = |ih|, we clearly have P |i = |i and P | i = 0, because

h| i = + = 0

2.6.3 Circular polarization and the rotation operator

1. In complex notation the fields Ex and Ey are written as
1
Ex = E0 ,
2

i
1
Ey = E0 ei/2 = E0 ,
2
2

where the (+) sign corresponds to right-handed circular polarization and the () to left-handed. The
proportionality factor E0 common to Ex and Ey defines the intensity of the light wave and plays no role
in describing the polarization, which is characterized by the normalized vectors
1
|Ri = (|xi + i|yi),
2

1
|Li = (|xi i|yi)
2

2. Let us compute |R i. We have

|R i =
=

1
cos |xi + sin |yi i sin |xi + i cos |yi
2


1
ei |xi + iei |yi = ei |Ri
2

and similarly |L i = exp(i)|Li. The vectors |R i and L i differ from |Ri and Li by a phase factor only,
and they do not represent different physical states.
3. The projectors on the vectors |Ri and |Li are given by




1
1
1 i
1 i
PG =
PD =
i 1
i 1
2
2

5
and is
= PD PG =

0 i
i 0

This operator has the states |Ri and |Li as its eigenvectors, and their respective eigenvalues are +1 and
1:
|Ri = |Ri,
|Li = |Li
Thus exp(i)|Ri = exp(i)|Ri and exp(i)|Li = exp(i)|Li
4. From the form of in the {|xi, |yi} basis we get at once 2 = I, and thus
ei = I i +

(i)3
(i)2
I+
+
2!
3!

The series is easily summed with the result

exp(iz ) =

cos
sin

sin
cos

If we apply the operator exp(i) to the vectors of the {|xi, |yi} basis, we get the rotated vectors |i
and | i, so that this operator represents a rotation by an angle about the z axis.

2.6.4 An optimal strategy for Eve?

1. If Alice uses the |xi basis, the probability that Eve guesses correctly is px = cos2 . If she uses the
the | /4i basis, this probability is
p/4 = |h| /4i|2 =

1
(cos + sin )2
2

The probability that Eve guesses correctly is

p()

=
=


1
1
2 cos2 + (cos + sin )2
(p + p/4 ) =
2 x
4
1
[2 + cos 2 + sin 2]
4

The maximum of p() is given by = 0 = /8, which is evident from symmetry considerations: the
maximum must be given by the bisector of the Ox and /4 axes. The maximum value is


1
1
0.854
pmax =
1+
2
2
2. If Alice sends a |i (| i) photon, Eve obtains the correct result with probability cos2 (sin2 ), and
the probability that Bob receives the correct polarization is cos4 (sin4 ). The probability of success for
Eve is


1
ps =
1 + cos4 + sin4
2
and the probability of error
1
pe = 1 ps = sin2 cos2 = sin2 2
4
Evess error are maximal for = /4.

Heisenberg inequalities
1. The commutator of A and B is of the form iC, where C is a Hermitian operator because
[A, B] = [B , A ] = [B, A] = [A, B].

CHAPTER 2. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 2

We can then write

[A, B] = iC,

C = C.

(2.1)

2. Let us define the Hermitian operators of zero expectation value (a priori specific to the state |i):
A0 = A hAi I,

B0 = B hBi I.

Their commutator is also iC, [A0 , B0 ] = iC, because hAi and hBi are numbers. The squared norm of
the vector
(A0 + iB0 )|i,
where is chosen to be real, must be positive:
||(A0 + iB0 )|i||2

=
=

||A0 |i||2 + ih|A0 B0 |i ih|B0 A0 |i + 2 ||B0 |i||2

hA20 i hCi + 2 hB02 i 0.

The second-degree polynomial in must be positive for any , which implies

hCi2 4hA20 i hB02 i 0.
This demonstrates the Heisenberg inequality
( A) ( B)


1 
hCi  .
2

(2.2)

3. In a finite dimensional space, the trace of a commutator vanishes because Tr (AB) = Tr (BA), so that
the equality
[X, P ] = i~I
cannot be realized in a finite dimensional space.

Chapter 3

Exercises from Chapter 3

3.5.1 Rotation operator for spin 1/2
1. We use x |0i = |1i, x |1i = |0i, y |0i = i|1i, y |1i = i|1i, z |0i = |0i, z |1i = |1i to obtain

|0i + ei/2 cos |1i

2
2

= iei/2 sin |0i + iei/2 cos |1i

2
2

= ei/2 cos |0i ei/2 sin |1i

2
2
= ei/2 sin

x |i
y |i
z |i
so that
h|x |i

h|y |i

h|z |i

i

e + ei = sin cos
cos
2
2

iei + iei = sin sin

sin cos
2
2

2
sin2 = cos
cos
2
2

sin

2. From (3.8) we derive the identity

(~ ~a)(~ ~b) = ~a ~b I + i~ (~a ~b)
so that
(~ p)2 = I

(~ p)3 = (~ p)

and the series expansion of the exponential reads




2

3



1 i
1 i
i
exp i ~ p
(~ p) +
I+
(~ p) +
= I+
2
2
2!
2
3!
2

= I cos i(~ p) sin

2
2
The action of the operator exp (i ~ p/2) on the vector |0i is



exp i ~ p |0i = cos |0i + ei sin |1i

2
2
2
which is the same as (3.4) up to a physically irrelevant phase factor exp(i/2). Thus exp (i ~ p/2) is
the operator which rotates the vector |0i, the eigenvector of z with eigenvalue 1, on |i, the eigenvectors

CHAPTER 3. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 3

of ~ n
with the same eigenvalue. The same result holds for the eigenvalue 1, corresponding to |1i and
the rotated vector U [Rp()]|1i.
3. Let us specialize the above results to the case = /2, which corresponds to rotations about the
x-axis
 



cos(/2)
i sin(/2)
U [Rx ()] = exp i x =
i sin(/2)
cos(/2)
2
A rotation about the x-axis transforms |0i into the vector
|i = cos

|0i i sin |1i

2
2

Taking = 1 t, this corresponds exactly to (3.31) with the initial conditions a = 1, b = 0.

3.5.2 Rabi oscillations away from resonance

1. Substituting in the differential equation the exponential form of (t),

we get the second order equation
for
1
22 2 12 = 0
2
whose solutions are


q
1
1
=
2 + 12 = [ ]
2
2
is a linear combination of exp(i+ t) and exp(i t)
2. The solution of the differential equation for
= a exp(i+ t) + b exp(i t).
(t)

Let us choose the initial conditions (0)

= 1,
(0) = 0. Since
(0) d/dt(0),
these initial conditions
are equivalent to
a + b = 1 and a+ b = 0,
and so
a=

b=

The final result can be written as

(t)

(t)



t
t
e it/2
cos
,
i sin

2
2
i1 it/2
t
e
sin ,

which reduces to (3.31) when = 0. The factor exp(it/2) arises because is the Larmor frequency in
the rotating reference frame. The second equation shows that if we start from the state |0i at t = 0, the
probability of finding the spin in the state |1i at time t is
 
12
t
2
p01 (t) = 2 sin

2
We see that the maximum probability of making a transition from the state |0i to the state |1i for
t/2 = /2 is given by a resonance curve of width :
pmax
=

12
12
12
=
=
2
12 + 2
12 + ( 0 )2

Chapter 4

Exercises from Chapter 4

Basis independence of the tensor product
The tensor product |iA jB i is given by
|iA jB i =

m,n

Rim Sjn |mA nB i

Let us define |A B i by using the {|iA i, |jB i} bases

X
ci dj |iA jB i
|A B i =
i,j

i,j,m,n

ci dj Rim Sin |mA nB i

We can now use the transformation law of the components in a change of basis
X
X
1
1
ci =
dj =
Rki
ck
Slj
dl
k

to show that
|A B i =

m,n

cm dn |mA nB i = |A B i

Thus the tensor product is independent of the choice of basis.

4.6.2 Properties of the state operator

1. Since the pi are real, is clearly Hermitian. Furthermore Tr =
X
pi |h|ii|2 0
h||i =

pi = 1, and finally is positive as

Let us first compute Tr (M |iihi|)

Tr (M |iihi|) =
whence
Tr

X
i

X
j

hj|M |iihi|ji = hi|M |ii

!

pi M |iihi|

X
i

pi hi|M |ii

The expectation value of M in the state |ii appears in the sum over i with the weight pi , as expected.

10

CHAPTER 4. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 4

2. In the |ii basis, has a diagonal form with matrix elements ii = pi , so that 2 = can only hold
if one ofP
the probabilities
one, as the equation p2i = pi has solutions pi = 1 and pi = 0. Furthermore,
P 2 is P
2
2
Tr = i pi and i pi i pi , where the equality holds if and only if one of the pi is equal to one.
Let us assume, for example, that p1 = 1, pi = 0, i 6= 1. Then = |1ih1|, which corresponds to the pure
state |1i. One can also remark that 2 = implies that is a projector P, and the rank of this projector
is one, because Tr P is the dimension of the subspace on which P projects.

4.6.3 The state operator for a qubit and the Bloch vector
The condition for a Hermitian 2 2 matrix is 01 = 10 , so that


a
c
=
c 1 a
is indeed the most general 2 2 Hermitian matrix with trace one. The eigenvalues + and of satisfy
+ = det = a(1 a) |c|2 ,

+ + = 1,

and we must have + 0 and 0. The condition det 0 implies that + and have the same
sign, and the condition + + = 1 implies that + reaches its maximum for + = 1/4, so that
finally
1
0 a(1 a) |c|2
4
The necessary and sufficient condition for to describe a pure state is
det = a(1 a) |c|2 = 0.
The coefficients a and c for the state matrix describing the normalized state vector |i = |+i + |i
with ||2 + ||2 = 1 are
a = ||2
c =
so that a(1 a) = |c|2 in this case.
2. Since any 2 2 Hermitian matrix can be written as a linear combination of the unit matrix I and the
i with reals coefficients, we can write the state matrix as

 1 1+b
1
I X
bx iby
z
~
bi i =
I + b ~ =
= +
bx + iby 1 bz
2
2
2
i
where we have used Tri = 0. The vector ~b, called the Bloch vector, must satisfy |~b|2 1 owing to the
results of question 1, and a pure state corrresponds to |~b|2 = 1. Let us calculate the expectation value of
~ using Tr i j = 2ij . We find
hi i = Tr ( i ) = bi
so that ~b is the expectation value h~ i.
~ parallel to Oz, the Hamiltonian reads
3. With B
1
H = z
2
The evolution equation
d|(t)i
= H|i
dt
translates into the following for the state matrix
i~

i~

d(t)
= [H, ]
dt

11
so that

d
1
1
= [H, ] = B(bx y by x )
dt
i~
2

which is equivalent to
dbx
= Bby
dt
This can be put in vector form

dby
= Bbx
dt

dbx
=0
dt

d~b
~ ~b
= B
dt
This equation shows that the Bloch vector rotates about the Oz axis with an angular frequency = B.

4.6.4 The SWAP operator

1. Let us write explicitly the action of x et y on the vectors |1 2 i
1x 2x | + +i =

| i

1x 2x | + i =
1x 2x | +i =

1y 2y | + +i = | i

| +i
| + i

1x 2x | i =

1y 2y | + i = | +i
1y 2y | +i = | + i

| + +i

1y 2y | i = | + +i

Furthermore, 1z 2z |1 2 i = 1 2 |1 2 i, whence the action of ~1 ~2 on the basis vectors

~1 ~2 | + +i =

| + +i

~1 ~2 | i =

| i

~1 ~2 | + i =
~1 ~2 | +i =

2| +i | + i
2| + i | +i

Then one obtains immediately

1
(I + ~A ~B )|iA jB i = |jA iB i
2

4.6.5 The Schmidt purification theorem

Let us choose as a basis of HA a set {|mA i} which diagonalizes the reduced state operator A :
A = TrB |AB ihAB | =

NS
X

m=1

pm |mA ihmA |

If the number NS of nonzero coefficients pm is smaller than the dimension NA of HA , we complete the
set {|mA i} by a set of (NA NS ) orthonormal vectors, chosen to be orthogonal to the space spanned by
the vectors |mA i. We use (4.12) to compute A from |AB i
A =

X
h
nB |m
B i|mA ihnA |
m,n

On comparing the two expressions of A we see that

h
nB |m
B i = pm mn ,
and with our choice of basis {|mA i} it turns out that the vectors {|m
B i} are, after all, orthogonal. To
obtain an orthonormal basis, we only need to rescale the vectors |
nB i
|nB i = p1/2
|
nB i,
n

12

CHAPTER 4. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 4

where we may assume that pn > 0 because, as explained above, it is always possible to complete the
basis of HB by a set of (NB NS ) orthonormal vectors. We finally obtain Schmidts decomposition of
|AB i on an orthonormal basis of HA HB :
X
|AB i =
p1/2
n |nA nB i.
n

Any pure state |AB i may be written in the preceding form, but the bases {|nA i} and {|nB i} will of
course depend on the state under consideration. If some of the pn are equal, then the decomposition
is not unique, as is the case for the spectral decomposition of a Hermitian operator with degenerate
eigenvalues. The reduced state operator B is readily computed from (4.12) using the orthogonality
condition hmA |nA i = mn :
X
B = TrA |AB ihAB | =
pn |nB ihnB |
n

4.6.6 A model for phase damping

The state matrix at time t is
(t) =

h|(t)|2 i
h (t)(t)i

h(t) (t)i
h|(t)|2 i

where hi stands for an average over all the realizations of the random function. Clearly h|(t)|2 i and
h|(t)|2 i are time-independent, so that the populations are time-independent. However, the coherences
depend on time. Let us compute the average of (t) (t)
E
 Z t
D

h(t) (t)i = 0 0 exp i

(t )dt
0


Z
1 t

C(t t )dt dt
= 0 0 exp (i h0 it) exp
2 0
where we have used a standard property of Gaussian random functions. We thus obtain


Z
1 t

01 (t) = 01 (t = 0) exp (i h0 it) exp
C(t t )dt dt
2 0
If we assume that t , then
Z

dt dt e|t t

|/

2t

dtet/ = 2t

and
01 (t) = 01 (t = 0)eih0 it eC t

4.6.7 Amplitude damping channel

1 The evolution of |i during t is

|i U |i = |0A 0E i + 1 p |1A 0E i + p |1A 1E i

In order to obtain the state matrix of system A, we take the trace over the environment
p
TrE (U |ih|U )
=
(||2 + p||2 )|0A ih0A | + 1 p |0A ih1A |
p
+ 1 p |1A ih0A | + (1 p)||2 |1A ih1A |
or, in matrix from

(1) = (t) =

2
1
(1 p)||

1 p

1 p
(1 p)||2

13
After n iterations we get
(n) = (nt) =

1 (1 p)n ||2
(1 p)n/2

(1 p)n/2
(1 p)n ||2

Using in the limit t 0 the relation

lim (1 t)t/t = et

t0

we get the expression given in the statement of the problem. We clearly have T1 = 1/ and T2 = 2/, so
that T2 = 2T1 .
2. If we detect no photons, we know that we have prepared the atom in the (unnormalized) state
p
|0A i + 1 p |1A i

The failure to detect a photon has changed the state of the atom!

4.6.8 Invariance of the Bell states under rotation

We have
|xA xB i =
|yA xB i =

(cos |A i sin |A i)(cos |B i sin |B i)

(sin |B i + cos |B i)(sin |B i + cos |B i)

and an explicit calculation immediately gives

1
1
|i = (|xA xB i + |yA yB i) = (|A B i + |A B i)
2
2

14

CHAPTER 4. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 4

Chapter 5

Exercises from chapter 5

5.10.1 Justification of the figures of Fig. 5.4
1. The upper circuit of Fig. 5.4 reads in matrix form



C 0
B
I 0
M =
0 C
0
0 x


CBA
0
=
0
Cx Bx A

0
B



I
0

0
x



A 0
0 A

where the matrices have been written in block diagonal form with 2 2 matrices. Then we must find
three matrices, A, B and C such that
CBA = I

Cx Bx A = U

Action of the cNOT gate


1
1
cNOT (|00i + |10i) = (|00i + |11i)
2
2


This is an entangled state (in fact it is one of the four Bell states).
2. Let us define the unitary matrix U by
U=

with
||2 + ||2 = ||2 + ||2 = 1

+ = + = 0

and start from the most general two-qubit state

|i = a|00i + b|01i + c|10i + d|11i
Assume we measure the control bit and find it in the |0i state. Then the state vector of the target bit is
|0 i = a|0i + b|1i
If we find the control bit in state |1i, then we apply U to the state |i = c|0i + d|1i
U |i = |1 i = (c + d)|0i + (c + d)|1i
On the other hand, if we apply the cU gate to |i, the result is
cU|i =
=

a|00i + b|01i + (c + d)|10i + (c + d)|11i

|0 0 i + |1 1 i

15

16

CHAPTER 5. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 5

3. It is clear that the vectors |000i and |001i are not modified by the lower circuit on the left of Fig. 5.4,
so that we may start from the vector
|i = a|010i + b|011i + c|100i + d|101i + e|110if |111i
We apply on |i the first gate on the left, the c2 U3 gate (with obvious notations)
c2 U3 |i =
+

|1 i = (a + b)|010i + (a + b)|011i + c|100i

d|101i + (e + f )|110i + (e + f )|111i

where the matrix U is defined in the preceding question. The transformation law is thus
a a + b
dd

b a + b

e e + f

cc

f e + f

Let us give as an intermediate result of the calculation

|4 i = (c1 NOT2 )(c2 U3 )(c1 NOT2 )(c2 U3 )|i
We find
|4 i

= a|010i + b|011i + ( c + d)|100i

+ ( c + d)|101i + (e + f )|110i + (e + f )|111i

Finally
|5 i =

c1 U3 |4 i = a|010i + b|011i + c|100i + d|101i

2
2
2
2
(U11
e + U12
f )|110i + (U21
e + U22
f )|111i

where Uij2 is a matrix element of of the matrix U 2 , for example

2
U11
= 2 +

This gives preciseley the action of the Toffoli gate TU 2 . A non trivial action is obtained only if both
control bits 1 and 2 are in the |1i state
2
2
2
2
TU 2 (|110i + |111i) = (U11
e + U12
f )|110i + (U21
e + U22
f )|111i

5.10.2 The Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm

1. Before entering the box Uf , the two upper qubits are in the state
H 2 |00i =

1
1
(|0i + |1i) (|0i + |1i)
2
2
3

1
1X
(|00i + |01i + |10i + |11i) =
|xi
2
2 x=0

2. From the results of Sec. 5.5

Uf |i =

!
3
1
1X
f (x)
(1)
|xi (|0i |1i)
2 x=0
2

so that, calling | i the state of the two upper qubits

(i) f (x) = cst

1
| i = (|00i + |01i + |10i + |11i)
2

17
(i) f (x) = x mod 2
| i =

1
(|00i |01i + |10i |11i)
2

3. Since H 2 = I, in case (i) we get

H 2 | i = |00i
while in case (ii) we may write
1
(|0i (|0i |1i) + (|0i |1i) |1i)
2

| i =
and

1
H 2 | i = H 2 [(|0i + |1i) (|0i |1i)] = |01i
2
The first qubit is in the state |0i and the second in the state |1i. Note that the result of the final
measurement of the upper qubits is unambiguous only if | i is a non entangled state, so that we must
have
(1)f (0)+f (3) = (1)f (1)+f (2)

5.10.3 Grover algorithm and constructive interference

Let us first apply the oracle O on |i
N 1
1 X
1 X
(1)f (x) |xi =
ax |xi
O|i =
N x=0
N x

Then we apply G = 2|ih| I using h|xi = 1/ N

!
1 X
2 X
ay |i
ax |xi
GO|i =
N y
N x
#
"
1 X 2 X
1 X (1)
=
ay ax |xi =
ax |xi
N x N y
N x
(0)

This gives us the relation, with ax = 1

a(1)
x

2
=
N

(1)f (y) a0y

(1)f (x) a(0)

x

which leads to the recursion relation

a(n+1)
x

2
=
N

X
y

(1)f (y) any

(1)f (x) a(n)

x

If, for example, N = 16, then

(1)

3
4

(1)

11
4

(i) For xi 6= x0 , ai

(ii) For xi = x0 , ai

The probability (ii) for finding x0 is greater than the probability (i) for finding xi by a factor 121/9 13.4.
A good check of the calculation is that the final sate vector is normalized to one: 15(3/4)2 + (11/4)2 = 1!

5.10.4 Example of finding yj

18

CHAPTER 5. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 5

The probability for finding yj is given by (5.45) with, in our specific case, K = 5, n = 4 and r = 3
p(yj ) =

1
2n K

sin2 (j Kr/2n )
1 sin2 (15j /16)
=
2
80 sin2 (3j /16)
sin (j r/2n )

The possible values of j are j = 0, j = 1, j = 2 and j = 3. To the first value corresponds yj = 0 and
j = 0. To the second one corresponds yj = 5 with |j | = .33 and to the third one yj = 11 with |j | = .33,
while there is no yj with |j | < 1/2 for the last one. We obtain for the probabilities
p(0) =

5
16

p(1) = p(2) = .225

so that
p(0) + p(1) + p(2) = 0.76 > 0.4
Assume, for example, that the measurement of the final qubits gives yj = 11. Then we deduce that j = 2
and r = 3.

Chapter 6

Exercises from chapter 6

6.5.1 Off-resonance Rabi oscillations
From exercise 3.5.1, we kow that exp(i(~ p)/2) is the rotation operator by of a spin 1/2 about an
axis p. The vector n
being normalized (
n2 = 1), we have

exp(iHt/~)
= I cos
with
~ n
=

t
t
i(~ n
) sin
2
2

1
x + z

so that the matrix form of exp(iHt/~)

is

cos 2 + sin 2
iHt/~
e
=
t
1
sin
i

1
t
i
sin

2
t

t
cos
sin
2

6.5.2 Commutation relations between the a and a

1. The commutator of a and a is, from the definition (6.26)


ipz
M z
ipz

z+
[a, a ] =
,z
2~
M z
M z
M z 2i
=
[z, pz ] = I
2~ M z
2. To compute the commutator [a , a], we use the identity
[AB, C] = A[B, C] + [A, C]B
and we find
[a a, a] = a [a, a] + [a , a]a = a

6.5.2 Quantum computing with trapped ions

1. We write the interaction Hamiltonian in terms of + and
i
h
1
Hint = ~1 [+ + ] ei(tkz) + ei(tkz)
2

19

20

CHAPTER 6. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 6

and go to the interaction picture using (6.5)

eiH0 t/~ eiH0 t/~ = ei0 t
In the rotating wave approximation, we can neglect terms which behave as exp[i(0 + )t] and we are
left with
i
h
int ~ 1 + e i(t) eikz + ei(t) e ikz
H
2
p
2. z = ~/(2M z ) is the spread of the wave function in the harmonic well. Thus, = kz is the
ratio of this spread to the wavelength of the laser light. We may write
r
~
(a + a ) = (a + a )
k
z=k
2M z
int between the states |1, m + m i and |0, mi is
The matrix element of H
int |mi = 1 ~1 ei(t) hm + m |ei(a+a ) |mi
h1, m + m |H
2
The Rabi frequency for oscillations between the two levels is

1mm+m = 1 |hm + m |ei(a+a ) |mi|

|1, 2i
|1, 1i
|1, 0i

+
0

|0, 2i
|0, 1i
|0, 0i

Figure 6.1: The level scheme. The transitions which are used are (0, 0) (0, 1) and (0, 1) (1.2):
bluesideband, + = 0 + z and (0, 1) (1, 1): red sideband, = 0 z .
3. Writing

ei(a+a

I i(a + a )

and keeping terms to first order in we get

h
int = i ~1 + a ei(z )t ei a ei(z )t ei
H
2
i
+

+ a ei(+z )t ei a ei(+z )t ei

21
int corresponds to a resonance at = 0 = z , that is, = 0 + z , a blue side
The first line of H
band, and the second line to a resonance at = 0 z , that is, a red sideband. The + a term of the
blue sideband induces transitions from |0, m + 1i to |1, mi, and the a term from |1, mi to |0, m + 1i.
Now

hm|a|m + 1i = hm + 1|a |mi = m + 1

+ as written in the statement of the problem with
so that we get H
int

a
ab =
m+1

ab =

a
m+1

The Rabi frequency is then 1 m + 1. The same reasoning may be applied to the red sideband.
4. The rotation operators R(, ) are given by
R(, = 0) =


=
R , =
2

so that

R(, 0) = ix
We have, for example,
 
 
R(, 0)R ,
R ,
2
2

ix sin
2
2

I cos iy sin
2
2

I cos

 
R ,
= iy
2




(iy )
= (iy ) I cos ix sin
2
2



= I cos ix sin
= R(, 0)
2
2

Let us call A the transition

|0, 0i |1, 1i and B the transition |0, 1i |1, 2i. The Rabi frequencies

are linked by B = 2 A . Thus, if the rotation

angle is A for transition A, it will be B = 2 A for
transition B. For transition A, we choose = / 2 and =
 
 
R(, 0)R ,
R(, 0) = I
R ,
2 2
2 2

For transition B we shall have = and = 2

 
 

R ,
R( 2, 0)R ,
R( 2, 0) = I
2
2

The state |1, 0i is not affected because the transition |0, 0i |1, 0i does not resonate on the blue sideband
frequency. Thus we have
|00i |0, 0i

|0, 1i |0, 1i



5. R , /2 = iy so that



|0, 1i = |1, 0i
R ,
2

|1, 0i +|1, 0i

|1, 1i |1, 1i



R ,
|1, 0i = |0, 1i
2

Let us start from the general two ion state, where both ions are in the vibrational ground state
|i =
=

(a|00i + b|01i + c|10i + d|11i) |0i

a|00, 0i + b|01, 0i + c|10, 0i + d|11, 0i

The action of R(2) (, /2) on ion 2 gives

| i = R(2) (, /2)|i = a|00, 0i + b|00, 1i + c|10, 0i + d|10, 1i

22

CHAPTER 6. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 6

+(1)

Then we apply R

on ion 1
+(1)

| i = R | i = a|00, 0i b|00, 1i + c|10, 0i d|10, 1i

and finally R(2) (, /2) on ion 2
| i = R(2) (, /2)| i =
=

a|00, 0i b|01, 0i + c|10, 0i d|11, 0i

(a|00i b|01i + c|10i d|11i) |0i

This is the result of applying a cZ gate, within trivial phase factors.

6.5.4 Vibrational modes of two ions in a trap

Setting z1 = z0 + u, z2 = z0 + v and expanding to second order in powers of u and v we get



e2
1
u v (u v)2
V M z2 2z02 + 2z0 (u v) + u2 + v 2 +
1
+
2
z0
2z0
4z02

with e2 = q 2 /(40 ). The equilibrium condition is given by the condition that the terms linear in u and
v vanish
e2
M z2 z0 2 = 0
2z0
so that

 1/3
1
z0 =
l
2

l=

e2
M z2

1/3

The normal modes are obtained by examining the terms quadratic in u and v, which lead to a potential
energy


e2
1
U (u, v) = M z2 u2 + v 2 + 3 (u v)2
2
4z0
The equations of motion are

Mu
=
M v =

e2
(u v) = M z2 (2u v)
2z03
e2
M z2 v 3 (v u) = M z2 (2v u)
2z0

M z2 u

The center of mass mode (u + v)/2 oscillates at frequency z

(
u + v) = z2 (u + v)

while the breathing mode (u v) oscillates with frequency 3 z

(
u v) = 3z2 (u v)

6.5.5 Meissner effect and flux quantization

1. We start from the expression (6.43) of the electromagnetic current
~em =

~q  ~
q ~ 
(~r) A(~
r ) (~r)
m
~

Let us take the curl of the preceding equation, assuming (~r) to be constant
2

~
~ ~em = q B

23
~ B
~ = 0~em we also have
From the Maxwell equation
~ ~em
~ = 0
2 B
and comparing the two equations we obtain
~ ==
2 B

1 ~
q2 ~
B= 2 B
m
L

2L =

m
me
=
0 q 2
20 qe2

Taking a one-dimensional geometry, where the region z > 0 is superconducting, we see that the magnetic
field must decrease as
B(z) = B(z = 0)ez/
~ B
~ = 0~em , we see that the electromagnetic current must also vanish in the bulk of a superFrom
conductor.
2. Let us take a ring geometry and draw a contour C well inside the ring. Then we have
I
I
I
~q
q2
~
~
~
~ d~l
~em dl =
0=
dl
A
m C
m C
C
Since exp(i) is single valued, we must have + 2n after a full turn, and
Z Z
~q
q2
~ dS
~
B
n = , 1, 0, 1, 2,
(2n) =
m
m

6.5.6 Josephson current

Let us start from (6.45) and write
i = i eii

i = 1, 2

The first of the equations (6.45) becomes

d1
1

i~ d1
~1
= qV 1 + K 1 2 ei
2 dt
dt
2
with = 2 1 . Taking the real and imaginary parts of this equation and the corresponding equation
for i = 2, we obtain
d1
dt
d2
dt
d1
dt
d2
dt

2K
(1 2 )1/2 sin ,
~
2K
=
(1 2 )1/2 sin ,
~
 1/2
K 2
qc V
=
,
cos
~ 1
2~
 1/2
K 1
qc V
=
cos +
~
2
2~
=

and subtracting the last but one equation from the last one
qc V
d
=
dt
~

6.5.7 Charge qubits

From the relation
Z

d
hn|ih|mi =
2

d i(nm)
e
= nm
2

24

CHAPTER 6. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 6

we derive
Z

d
|ih| = I
2

Furthermore
N |i =
so that

X
n

nein |ni = i

N =i

X
n

ein |ni

We can also use the commutation relation

[N, ] = iI
to obtain
ei N ei = N i[, N ] = N I
and to derive




N ei |ni = ei (N I)|ni = (n 1) ei |ni

We may then choose the phases of the states |ni such that
ei |ni = |n 1i
and thus
cos |ni =

ei |ni = |n + 1i

1
(|n 1i + |n + 1i)
2

2. In the vicinity of ng = 1/2, the Hamiltonian becomes







= 1 Ec I + Ec ng 1 |0ih0| Ec ng 1 |1ih1| 1 EJ |0ih1| + |1ih0|
H
4
2
2
2

In the {|0i, |1i} basis, this can be written, omitting the (irrelevant) constant term


Ec ng 1 z 1 EJ x
H
2
2

are approximately the vectors |0i and 1i, due to the

If ng is far enough from 1/2, the eigenvectors of H
condition Ec EJ . When ng comes close to 1/2, tunneling becomes important, and at ng = 1/2, the
eigenvectors are those |i of x with eigenvalues EJ
1
|i = (|0i |1i)
2

x |i = |i

One observes the standard phenomenon of level repulsion around ng = 1/2. It is usual to exchange the
x and z bases, so that the control parameter appears as the coefficient of x


1 EJ z + Ec ng 1 x
H
2
2

Chapter 7

Exercises from Chapter 7

7.5.1 Superdense coding
1. From the identities
x |0i = |1i

x |1i = |0i

z |0i = |0i

z |1i = |1i

we immediately get
A00 |i = |i


1
A01 |i = |0A 0B i |1A 1B i
2


1
A10 |i = |1A 0B i + |0A 1B i
2


1
A11 |i = |1A 0B i |0A 1B i
2
Let us first examine the action of the cNOT-gate on the four states Aij |i


cNOT A00 |i =



cNOT A01 |i =



cNOT A10 |i =



cNOT A11 |i =

1
|0A i + |1A i |0B i
2


1
|0A i |1A i |0B i
2


1
|0A i + |1A i |1B i
2


1
|0A i |1A i |1B i
2

The measurement of qubit B has the result |0B i for i = 0 (A00 and A01 ) and |1B i for i = 1 (A10 and
A11 ), so that this measurement gives the value of i. Furthermore
1
H |0A i + |1A i)
2
1
H |0A i |1A i)
2

|0A i

|1A i

and the measurement of qubit A gives the value of j.

7.5.2 Shannnon entropy versus von Neumann entropy

25

26

CHAPTER 7. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 7

The state matrix is given by


=

p + (1 p) cos2 /2
(1 p) sin /2 cos /2
(1 p) sin /2 cos /2
(1 p) sin2 /2

and its eigenvalues are

=

1
2



q
1
1 1 4p(1 p) sin2 /2 = (1 x)
2

This allows us to write the von Neumann entropy as (it is convenient to use ln rather than log)
HvN =

1+x
1+x 1x
1x
ln
+
ln
2
2
2
2

Let us compute the x-derivative of HvN

d
1 1+x
HvN (x) = ln
= tanh1 (x)
dx
2 1x

Thus HvN (x) is a concave function of x which has a maximum at x = 0: HvN (x = 0) = ln 2. For this
value of x, we have HvN = HSh . Let us write p = (1 + p)/2, so that
1+p 1p
1p
1+p
ln
+
ln
2
2
2
2

HSh =
and

x=
Now we have the inequality
Thus |x| p and HSh HvN .

q
1 (1 p)2 sin2 /2

p2 x2 = (1 p2 ) cos2 /2 0

7.5.3 Information gain of Eve

1. Alice uses the bases {|0i, |1i} and {|+i, |i}, while Eve uses the basis {|0i, |1i}. The conditional
probabilities p(r|i) are
p(0|0) = 1 p(1|0) = 0 p(0|1) = 0 p(1|1) = 1
and
p(0|+) = 1/2

p(1|+) = 1/2

p(0|) = 1/2

We obtain p(r) from

p(r) =

p(r|i)p(i) =

p(1|) = 1/2

1
r
2

Let us now turn to the conditional probabilities p(i||r) (we use a double vertical bar to underline the
difference with p(r|i))
1
p(r|i)p(i)
= p(r|i)
p(i||r) =
p(r)
2
We find
1
1
1
p(1||0) = 0 p(+||0) =
p(||0) =
p(0||0) =
2
4
4
1
1
1
p(+||1) =
p(||1) =
p(1||0) = 0 p(1||1) =
2
4
4
Before Eves measurement, the (Shannon) entropy is H() = 2, after Eves measurement, the entropy
H(|) is, from (7.10)
X
X
p(i||r) log p(i||r)
H(|) =
p(r)
r

1
1
log 2
2
2

1
1
log
4
4

3
2

27
The information gain of Eve is
I( : ) = H() H(|) =

1
2

2. Eve uses a {| + /8i, | /8i} basis, so that p(r|i) is given by

p(0|1) =

p(0|+) = .854

p(1|0) = p(1|) = 0.146

p(1|1) =

p(1|+) = .146

p(1|1) = p(1|) = 0.854

p(0||0) = p(+||0) = 0.427

p(1||0) = p(||0) = .073

We then compute p(i||r)

and
H(|) =
so that the information gain is now

p(r)

p(i||r) log p(i||r) = 1.600

I( : ) = 0.400

7.5.4 Symmetry of the fidelity

Let us take = |ih|, a pure state, and write as
X
=
p |ih|

Observing that 1/2 = |ih|, we obtain

1/2 1/2 = |ih|h||i
from which it follows that
F(, ) = h||i
Let us now take = |ih| and use the diagonal form of
X
=
pi |iihi|
i

Since = |ih| is a rank one operator, the same is true for (1/2 1/2 ) whose eigenvalue equation is,
in a space of dimension N
N Tr(1/2 1/2 ) N 1 = 0
whence
= Tr (1/2 1/2 )
is the only non zero eigenvalue. Let us decompose |i on the {|ii} basis
X
ci |ii
|i =
i

and write the matrix 1/2 1/2 in this basis

(1/2 1/2 )ij =
From this we deduce
Tr (1/2 1/2 ) =

X
i

and


Tr

p
pi pj ci cj

pi |ci |2 = h||i =

2
p
1/2 1/2
= = h||i = F(, )

28

CHAPTER 7. EXERCISES FROM CHAPTER 7

7.5.5 Quantum error correcting code

From X|i = |i, we obtain, for example
XA XB |A i

XA XC |A i

= XA XB (| ++i + | + i) = |A i
= XA XC (| ++i + | + i) = |A i

Let us also check

cNOTB cNOTC (HA HB HC )|C i =

cNOTB cNOTC (|001i + |110i)

|001i + |101i) = (|0i + |1i) |01i