Basis entropy: A useful physical quantity about projective measurement

TL;DR

This paper introduces basis entropy, a new physical quantity related to projective measurement, which helps determine state purity, detect quantum discord, and describe decoherence.

Contribution

The paper defines basis entropy and demonstrates its usefulness in quantum state analysis and understanding decoherence, offering a novel perspective.

Findings

Basis entropy can distinguish pure and mixed states.

It can detect the presence of quantum discord.

It provides a new way to describe decoherence.

Abstract

Projective measurement can increase the entropy of a state $\rho$, the increased entropy is not only up to the basis of projective measurement, but also has something to do with the properties of the state itself. In this paper we define this increased entropy as basis entropy. And then we discuss the usefulness of this new concept by showing its application in deciding whether a state is pure or not and detecting the existence of quantum discord. And as shown in the paper, this new concept can also be used to describe decoherence.