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The Density Matrix

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Part of the book series: Graduate Texts in Physics ((GTP))

Abstract

We are going to require a more general description of a quantum state than that given by a state vector. The density matrix provides such a description. Its use is required when we are discussing an ensemble of pure states or when we are describing a subsystem of a larger system.

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References

  1. A. Peres, Quantum Theory: Concepts and Methods (Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 1995)

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  2. M. Nielsen, I. Chuang, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2010)

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© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Bergou, J.A., Hillery, M. (2013). The Density Matrix. In: Introduction to the Theory of Quantum Information Processing. Graduate Texts in Physics. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7092-2_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7092-2_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7091-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7092-2

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