Entangled Quantum Networks ICFO|ICREA|Max-Planck Institute In Nature Physics advance publication 10.1038/nphys549, Acin et al. draw upon the classical percolation methods of statistical mechanics to optimize entanglement distribution through quantum networks. " We argue that there exists an entanglement phase transition in quantum networks which may be exploited to obtain very efficient protocols. This work opens a new set of problems in quantum information theory, which are related to statistical physics, but pose completely new challenges in these fields [...] The work leads to a novel type of critical phenomenon, an entanglement phase transition that we call entanglement percolation. "





Maximizing entanglement in quantum networks. Each node is connected by a state consisting of two copies of the same two-qubit state. The nodes marked in (a) make the optimal measurement for the one-repeater configuration on pairs of qubits belonging to different connections. (b) A triangular lattice is obtained where the maximally entangled state for each connection is the same as for the two-qubit state. Acin et al., Nature Physics, 25 February 2007.

Entanglement engineering for quantum metrology Innsbruck Entanglement-assisted metrology has previously been demonstrated to enhance measurement sensitivity and improve fidelity in noisy conditions. In a quant-ph update to Nature 443 (316), Roos et al. obtain precision atomic clock measurements in the presence of magnetic field noise by engineering a decoherence-free subspace to enhance coherence times. " We find that entangled states are not only useful for enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio in frequency measurements – a suitably designed pair of atoms also allows clock measurements in the presence of strong technical noise. The applied technique makes explicit use of nonlocality as an entanglement property, and constitutes a new paradigm for designed quantum metrology."

        

Signatures for generalized macroscopic superpositions Queensland In quant-ph 0701204 and Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, Cavalcanti and Reid develop signature detection criteria for macroscopic quantum coherence in situations which are not limited to only two macrosopically distinct measurement outcomes. " The criteria provide a means to distinguish a single macroscopic quantum state from one based on a mixture of several microscopic superpositions of pointer-measurement eigenstates." Calculations are provided for the case of Gaussian-squeezed and spin-entangled states.

∂-wave throws down the gauntlet Vancouver Pending third-party referee, peer review or independent verification, D-Wave's press release has been received with expected enthusiasm in the mainstream press and restrained skepticism in the scientific community. "I'll be a bit of a skeptic until I see what they have done. I'm happy these guys are doing it. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating." – Seth Lloyd