Fermionic-mode entanglement in quantum information

Abstract

We analyze fermionic modes as fundamental entities for quantum information processing. To this end we construct a density operator formalism on the underlying Fock space and demonstrate how it can be naturally and unambiguously equipped with a notion of subsystems in the absence of a global tensor product structure. We argue that any apparent similarities between fermionic modes and qubits are superficial and can only be applied in limited situations. In particular, we discuss the ambiguities that arise from different treatments of this subject. Our results are independent of the specific context of the fermionic fields as long as the canonical anticommutation relations are satisfied, e.g., in relativistic quantum fields or fermionic trapped ions.