Pure state Definition and 26 Threads

A doubt related to the use of density matrix associated to a density operator ##\rho##. A quantum pure state ##\ket {\psi}## can be written as density operator as ##\ket{\psi} \bra{\psi}##. In this link the density matrix ##\rho## for the pure state ##\ket {\psi} =(\ket{\psi_1} +...

According to this Wikipedia entry a quantum pure qbit state is a ray in the Hilbert space ##\mathbb H_2## of dimension 2. In other words a qbit pure quantum state is a point in the Hilbert projective line. Now my question: is an arbitrary vector in ##\mathbb H_2## actually a "mixed" state for...

I have a source that says when two particles are entangled, we must describe them using the density operator because it is a mixed state. But I have another source that says that the singlet state of two spins is an entangled state, but that has a wavefunction. So could someone explain what I am...

I'm an undergrad in physics, and have been asking myself the following question recently. Suppose you have a pure quantum state p (von neumann entropy=0), made of 2 sub-states p1 and p2 that are entangled. Because they are entangled, p \neq p1 x p2. Hence the entanglement entropy of p (=0) is...

Hi. 1. Does a pure state belong to mixed states \hat{\rho}=\sum_k p_k|\psi_k><\psi_k| where ##p_k=1## for k=i and otherwise 0 ? 2. Does quantum jump by observation work for both mixed and pure states ? Your teachings will be appreciated.

Hey guys, I am having issues with understanding the physical nature of pure and mixed states. Maybe you can help me out? 1) A pure state - superposition is a state that consists of different states at the same time. It's like having several waves, each one belonging to an Eigenstate of the...

According to atty.. entangled system are pure (can be in superposition) while according to Bill.. entangled system are not pure (not in superposition) Here's the prove of what they stated: atty said...

I learned about pure state, mixed state, reduce density matrix, etc. from this now famous paper http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/5439/1/Decoherence_Essay_arXiv_version.pdf (thanks to Bill) I'd like to know something. Atty said somewhere: "A pure state means that we have prepared many copies of...

Consider a simple two level atom system,|1>,|2> (not degenerate) interacted with monochromatic laser, of which the frequency is exactly resonant with the |1> to |2> transition. The evolution start from {1>. As far as I understand, the dressed degenerate state |1>|n> and |2>|n-1> will get...

Does a 'weak measurement' on the spin of an electron in a pure state put the electron in a mixed state of the previous state and the state of the measurement axis of the measurement?

I get that a if we have complete information of the state of the system (i.e. all the possible knowledge we could have about it: the values its observables can take and their corresponding probabilities), then it is a pure state and can be represented by a vector (ket), ##\lvert\psi\rangle## in...

I got (very) confused about the concept of states, pure states and mixed states. Is it correct that a linear combination of pure states is another pure state? Can pure (and mixed) states only be expressed in density matrices? Is a pure state expressed in a single density matrix, whereas mixed...

\Homework Statement Show that the Fidelity between one pure state |\Psi\rangle and one arbitrary state \rho is given by F(|\Psi\rangle , \rho)=\sqrt{\langle\Psi|\rho|\Psi\rangle} . Homework Equations The quantum mechanical fidelity is defined as \begin{equation*}...

In Ballentine's Quantum Mechanics book, as part of a discussion of pure states vs non-pure (mixed) states, he says Polarized monochromatic light produced by a laser can approximate a pure state of the electromagnetic field. Unpolarized monochromatic radiation and black body radiation are...

Is it possible, in principle, for an experiment to distinguish between an ensemble of pure states and an ensemble of mixed states? If so, how? In particular, I am thinking of an ensemble of particles whose spin has been measured, one at a time, on the "Vertical" axis. The ensemble consists of...

Hello guys, Homework Statement the problem goes as follows: "Which measurement should you do on a statistical ensemble of qubits in order to distinguish between the pure state |Ψ>= cos(θ)|0> + sin(θ)|1> and the mixed state ρ=cos^2(θ)|0><0| + sin^2(θ)|1><1| " Homework Equations I am not...

Let's say you prepare a pure state in a single electron at a time double slit experiment meaning the electron interferes with itself, then you hit the electron with a one photon at the sides (serving as environment) causing decoherence, so the double slit setup decohere and becomes mixed state...

Hi everyone. Homework Statement We are given N spins 1/2. A rotation is defined as \rho_\theta=e^{-i\theta J_n}\rho_\theta e^{i\theta J_n} on an Hilbert Space H, with J_n=n_xJ_x+n_yJ_y+n_zJ_z\:,\quad n_x^2+n_y^2+n_z^2=1, and \theta isn't related to any observable. Given a quantum state...

In quantum mechanics, regarding light (photon), how to tell that a wavefunction is in a pure state or mixed state? I am learning these stuffs for my first time. I have attempted to answer that question but I am not sure: a wavefunction can be wrtitten as a linear combination of linear...

Hi, I'm confused by subtle differences between the concept. Let's take the example of a Schrodinger Cat. Supposed you could make a box that can isolate anything inside from say gravity, microwave radiation, is in 0 kelvin, etc. or let's just accept (for sake of discussion) that a box can totally...

Please give an example of pure state without superposition present, is this possible at all?

I am a little bit versed in the formalism of Hilbert space, the state vector and the matricies and their eigenvector basis of observables in QM. I understand that a pure state in one observable basis may be (is) a superposition in another basis (spin xUP) is superposition of spinyUP, spin yDOWN...

Hello. I need some help to prove the first property of the density matrix for a pure state. According to this property, the density matrix is definite positive (or semi-definite positive). I've been trying to prove it mathematically, but I can't. I need to prove that |a|^2 x |c|^2 +...

After reading some introudction of quantum states (pure and mixed), I know that states produced statistically are called mixed state. My question is: since there always exists stochastic process, so in practical system, how can we produce "pure" state?

I don't have any problems dealing with mechanical calculations(I think), but yet I have some conceptual problems with mixed state(= statistical mixture?) and pure state in QM. - pure state : |Φ> = 1/sqrt2 ( |↑> + |↓> ) - mixed state : ρ = 1/2 ( |↑><↑| + |↑><↑| ) What is the difference...

What is a pure state and a mixed state?