Quantum entanglement swapping

Quantum entanglement swapping is a quantum mechanical concept to extend entanglement from one pair of particles to another, even if those new particles have never interacted before. This process may have application in quantum communication networks and quantum computing.

Concept

Basic principles

Quantum entanglement swapping has three pairs of entangled particles: (A, B), (C, D), & (E, F). Particles A & B are initially entangled, as are particles C & D. One particle from each pair is projected (call them B and C) onto one of the for possible Bell states, a process called a Bell state measurement. The unmeasured particles (A and D) can become entangled. This happens without any direct interaction between them.

Entanglement states from independent sources can become entangled through Bell state analysis.

Entanglement swapping is a form of the three component Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger state; experimental apparatus to demonstrate entanglement swapping are equivalent to the three-particle form of Mermin's device, a thought experiment model designed to explain entanglement.

Entanglement swapping is a form of quantum teleportation. In quantum teleportation, the unknown state of a particle can be sent from one location to another using the combination of a quantum and classical channel. The unknown state is projected by Alice onto a Bell state and the result is communicated to Bob through the classical channel. In entanglement swapping, the state from one of the two sources is the quantum channel of teleportation and the state from the other source is the unknown being sent to Bob.

Mathematical representation

The mathematical expression for the swapping process is:

$$\left|\psi \right\rangle _{AB}\otimes \left|\psi \right\rangle _{CD}\xrightarrow {{\text{BSM}}_{BC}} \left|\psi \right\rangle _{AD}$$

In this expression, $\left|\psi \right\rangle _{XY}$ refers to an entangled state of X & Y particles while BSM indicates Bell state measurement. A Bell state is one of four specific states of representing two particles with maximal entanglement; a Bell state measurement projects a quantum state onto this basis set.

Potential applications

Quantum cryptography

In the field of quantum cryptography, it helps secure communication channels better. By utilizing swapped entanglements between particles' pairs, it is possible to generate secure encryption keys that should be protected against eavesdropping.

Quantum networks

Quantum entanglement swapping also serves as a core technology for designing quantum networks, where many nodes-like quantum computers or communication points-link through these special connections made by entangled links. These networks may support safely transferring quantum information over long routes.

Quantum repeaters and long-distance communication

Quantum entanglement swapping may allow the construction of quantum repeaters to stretch out quantum communication networks by allowing entanglement to be shared over long distances. Performing entanglement swapping at certain points acts like relaying information without loss.

History

Anton Zeilinger, contributor to the concept and realization of entanglement swapping

Artur K. Ekert, contributor to the concept and realization of entanglement swapping

• 1992: Yurke and Stoler show theoretically that entanglement does not require interaction of the final measured particles.
• 1993: The term "entanglement swapping" came from physicists Marek Żukowski, Anton Zeilinger, Michael A. Horne, and Artur K. Ekert in their 1993 paper. They refined the concept to show one can extend entanglement from one particle pair to another using a method called Bell state measurement.
• 1998: Jian-Wei Pan working in Anton Zeilinger's group conducted the first experiment on entanglement swapping. They used entangled photons to show successful transfer of entanglement between pairs that never interacted.
• 2000s: Later experiments took this further, making it work over longer distances and with more complex quantum states.

Further reading

• Nielsen, M.A.; Chuang, I L. (2000). Quantum Computation and Quantum Information. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-00217-3. OCLC 844974180.
• Bouwmeester, D.; Ekert, A.; Zeilinger, A. (2000). The Physics of Quantum Information: Quantum Cryptography, Quantum Teleportation, Quantum Computation. Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-662-04209-0. ISBN 978-3-540-66778-0.

External links

• "Quantum Entanglement and Information". Quantum Entanglement. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. 2023.
• "Quantum Communication and Entanglement Swapping". Physics World.