The notion of complexity of quantum states is quite different from uncertainty or information contents, and involves the tradeoff between its classical and quantum features. In this work, we introduce a quantifier of complexity of continuous-variable states, e.g. quantum optical states, based on the Husimi quasiprobability distribution. This quantity is built upon two functions of the state: the Wehrl entropy, capturing the spread of the distribution, and the Fisher information with respect to location parameters, which captures the opposite behavior, i.e. localization in phase space. We analyze the basic properties of the quantifier and illustrate its features by evaluating complexity of Gaussian states and some relevant non-Gaussian states. We further generalize the quantifier in terms of s-ordered phase-space distributions and illustrate its implications.

Quantifying complexity of continuous-variable quantum states via Wehrl entropy and Fisher information / S. Tang, F. Albarelli, Y. Zhang, S. Luo, M. Paris. - In: QUANTUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. - ISSN 2058-9565. - 10:4(2025 Dec), pp. 045047.1-045047.17. [10.1088/2058-9565/ae08df]

Quantifying complexity of continuous-variable quantum states via Wehrl entropy and Fisher information

F. Albarelli;M. Paris
Ultimo
2025

Abstract

The notion of complexity of quantum states is quite different from uncertainty or information contents, and involves the tradeoff between its classical and quantum features. In this work, we introduce a quantifier of complexity of continuous-variable states, e.g. quantum optical states, based on the Husimi quasiprobability distribution. This quantity is built upon two functions of the state: the Wehrl entropy, capturing the spread of the distribution, and the Fisher information with respect to location parameters, which captures the opposite behavior, i.e. localization in phase space. We analyze the basic properties of the quantifier and illustrate its features by evaluating complexity of Gaussian states and some relevant non-Gaussian states. We further generalize the quantifier in terms of s-ordered phase-space distributions and illustrate its implications.
Settore PHYS-04/A - Fisica teorica della materia, modelli, metodi matematici e applicazioni
   AI-based strategies to tame decoherence in complex environments (QBETTER)
   QBETTER
   UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI PAVIA
dic-2025
29-set-2025
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Tang_2025_Quantum_Sci._Technol._10_045047.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 702.84 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
702.84 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1246057
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
  • OpenAlex ND
social impact