Quantum-state disturbance versus information gain: Uncertainty relations for quantum information

Abstract

When an observer wants to identify a quantum state, which is known to be one of a given set of nonorthogonal states, the act of observation causes a disturbance to that state. We investigate the trade-off between the information gain and that disturbance. This issue has important applications in quantum cryptography. The optimal detection method, for a given tolerated disturbance, is explicitly found in the case of two equiprobable nonorthogonal pure states. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.