Informationally complete distributed metrology without a shared reference frame

In quantum information processing, implementing arbitrary preparations and measurements on qubits necessitates precise information to identify a specific reference frame (RF). In space quantum communication and sensing, where a shared RF is absent, the interplay between locality and symmetry imposes fundamental restrictions on physical systems. A restriction on realizable unitary operations results in a no-go theorem prohibiting the extraction of locally encoded information in RF-independent distributed metrology. Here, we propose a reversed-encoding method applied to two copies of local-unitary-invariant network states. This approach circumvents the no-go theorem while simultaneously mitigating decoherence-like noise caused by RF misalignment, thereby enabling the complete recovery of the quantum Fisher information (QFI). Furthermore, we confirm local Bell-state measurements as an optimal strategy to saturate the QFI. Our findings pave the way for the field application of distributed quantum sensing, which is inherently subject to unknown RF misalignment and was previously precluded by the no-go theorem.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-12-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67771-9
Primary Topic
Quantum Information and Cryptography
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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Informationally complete distributed metrology without a shared reference frame

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Informationally complete distributed metrology without a shared reference frame

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article en

Abstract

In quantum information processing, implementing arbitrary preparations and measurements on qubits necessitates precise information to identify a specific reference frame (RF). In space quantum communication and sensing, where a shared RF is absent, the interplay between locality and symmetry imposes fundamental restrictions on physical systems. A restriction on realizable unitary operations results in a no-go theorem prohibiting the extraction of locally encoded information in RF-independent distributed metrology. Here, we propose a reversed-encoding method applied to two copies of local-unitary-invariant network states. This approach circumvents the no-go theorem while simultaneously mitigating decoherence-like noise caused by RF misalignment, thereby enabling the complete recovery of the quantum Fisher information (QFI). Furthermore, we confirm local Bell-state measurements as an optimal strategy to saturate the QFI. Our findings pave the way for the field application of distributed quantum sensing, which is inherently subject to unknown RF misalignment and was previously precluded by the no-go theorem.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 17(1)
University of Science and Technology of China (CN), Anhui University (CN), Hefei University (CN), Quantum Design (Germany) (DE), QuantumCTek (China) (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, University of Science and Technology of China, National Science and Technology Major Project
Peace, Justice and strong institutions
Openalex Percentile: Top 18%
Quantum Information and Cryptography
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