Draft:Bloch sphere representation in mode-counting quantum models

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  • Comment: Please fix the "Check |isbn= value: checksum" error in reference #9. GoingBatty (talk) 23:05, 16 August 2025 (UTC)

Bloch sphere representation in mode-counting quantum models describes how certain continuous-variable (CV) quantum information frameworks can be related to the standard qubit Bloch sphere picture. The Bloch sphere is a widely used geometric representation of the pure state space of a single qubit, where each point corresponds to a possible quantum state with a given superposition and relative phase.[1][2]

Some mode-counting approaches in CV quantum systems can be mapped onto this framework, allowing direct comparison with qubit-based methods.[3]

Mode-counting formula

 
Overview schematic of a mode-counting CV model and its comparison point with the Bloch sphere.

A general expression for the number of effective quantum modes is:

 [2]

where:

  •   — polarization factor[2]
  •   — spatial radius
  •   — time window
  •   — maximum frequency cut-off[1]
  •   — speed of light[4]

Capacity parameter

 
Illustration of the capacity parameter   defined from mode dimension  .

The capacity per mode is given by:

 [2]

Examples:

  • Qubit encoding:  , so  [1]
  • Continuous-variable encoding:  , where   is the maximum photon number.[2]

Illustrative scenarios

 
Illustrative scenarios comparing orders of magnitude for effective mode counts across platforms.

Mode counting, i.e. evaluating the density of states, is a standard method in statistical and quantum physics, used for example in derivations of black-body radiation, in optical local density of states, and in superconducting microwave resonators; these contexts are often introduced using order-of-magnitude estimates.[5][6][7][8]

Implications and limitations

 
Conceptual depiction of an energy cut-off in continuous-variable encodings.
  • Hardware constraints: Large   does not guarantee usable capacity due to limitations in control and addressing.[9]
  • Coherence time: The effective time window   may be reduced by decoherence and dephasing.[9]
  • Energy cut-offs: CV systems require finite energy cut-offs to keep mode dimension bounded.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Nielsen, Michael A.; Chuang, Isaac L. (2010). Quantum Computation and Quantum Information. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107002173.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Braunstein, Samuel L.; van Loock, Peter (2005). "Quantum information with continuous variables". Reviews of Modern Physics. 77: 513–577. doi:10.1103/RevModPhys.77.513.
  3. ^ Asfaw, Abraham (2022). "Building a quantum engineering undergraduate program". IEEE Transactions on Education. 65 (3): 220–242. doi:10.1109/TE.2022.3144943.
  4. ^ Kohnle, Antje (2013). "A new introductory quantum mechanics curriculum". European Journal of Physics. 35 (1). doi:10.48550/arXiv.1307.1484.
  5. ^ Rybicki, George B.; Lightman, Alan P. (1979). Radiative Processes in Astrophysics. Wiley-VCH. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-471-82759-7.
  6. ^ Barnes, William L.; Björnshauge, B.; et al. (2020). "Classical antennas, quantum emitters, and densities of optical states". Journal of Optics. 22 (7): 073501. doi:10.1088/2040-8986/ab9d63.
  7. ^ Zmuidzinas, Jonas (2012). "Superconducting microresonators: physics and applications". Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics. 3: 169–214. doi:10.1146/annurev-conmatphys-020911-125022.
  8. ^ Mahajan, Sanjeev Arora (2010). Order-of-Magnitude Physics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-18858-8. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  9. ^ a b Cywiński, Łukasz (2008). "How to enhance dephasing time in superconducting qubits". Physical Review B. 77: 174509. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.77.174509.