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Main Author: Mannucci, Mirco A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.09716
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author Mannucci, Mirco A.
author_facet Mannucci, Mirco A.
contents We investigate the sequential composition of weak values in the framework of time-symmetric quantum mechanics. Specifically, we consider a forward'' weak measurement from a preselected state $\ketψ$ to a post-selected state $\ketϕ$, followed by a reverse'' weak measurement. We show that the product of these two weak values corresponds to the normalized expectation value of a strong, state-conditioned observable $B = A P_ψA$, where $P_ψ= \ketψ\braψ$ is the projector onto the preselected state. Analyzing the structure of $B$, we demonstrate how it encodes interference information, particularly when $\ketψ$ is a superposition rather than an eigenstate of $A$. This formulation extends naturally to mixed states by replacing $P_ψ$ with a generic density matrix $ρ$, linking the construction to the formalism of generalized quantum measurements. We illustrate practical applications in quantum information, including state-specific error witnessing in quantum computing, and show how the phase of a weak value can be inferred via strong measurements in the pure-state case.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_09716
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle When the Weak Becomes Strong: Effective Observables via Time-Symmetric Quantum Selection
Mannucci, Mirco A.
Quantum Physics
Computational Engineering, Finance, and Science
We investigate the sequential composition of weak values in the framework of time-symmetric quantum mechanics. Specifically, we consider a forward'' weak measurement from a preselected state $\ketψ$ to a post-selected state $\ketϕ$, followed by a reverse'' weak measurement. We show that the product of these two weak values corresponds to the normalized expectation value of a strong, state-conditioned observable $B = A P_ψA$, where $P_ψ= \ketψ\braψ$ is the projector onto the preselected state. Analyzing the structure of $B$, we demonstrate how it encodes interference information, particularly when $\ketψ$ is a superposition rather than an eigenstate of $A$. This formulation extends naturally to mixed states by replacing $P_ψ$ with a generic density matrix $ρ$, linking the construction to the formalism of generalized quantum measurements. We illustrate practical applications in quantum information, including state-specific error witnessing in quantum computing, and show how the phase of a weak value can be inferred via strong measurements in the pure-state case.
title When the Weak Becomes Strong: Effective Observables via Time-Symmetric Quantum Selection
topic Quantum Physics
Computational Engineering, Finance, and Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.09716