Simultaneous measurement of two quantum observables: Compatibility, broadcasting, and in-between
: Heinosaari T
Publisher: AMER PHYSICAL SOC
: 2016
: Physical Review A
: 042118
: 93
: 4
: 7
: 2469-9926
: 2469-9934
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.93.042118
One of the central features of quantum theory is that there are pairs of quantum observables that cannot be measured simultaneously. This incompatibility of quantum observables is a necessary ingredient in several quantum phenomena, such as measurement uncertainty relations, violation of Bell inequalities, and steering. Two quantum observables that admit a simultaneous measurement are, in this respect, classical. A finer classification of classicality can be made by formulating four symmetric relations on the set of observables that are stronger than compatibility; they are broadcastability, one-side broadcastability, mutual nondisturbance, and nondisturbance. It is proven that the five relations form a hierarchy and their differences in terms of the required devices needed in a simultaneous measurement are explained. All four relations that are stronger than compatibility are completely characterized in the case of qubit observables.