Papers

Bitcoin already faces a quantum threat through Shor attacks on elliptic-curve signatures. This paper isolates the other component that public discussion often conflates with it: mining. Grover's algorithm halves the exponent of brute-force search, promising a quadratic edge to any quantum miner of Bitcoin. Exactly how large that edge grows depends on fault-tolerant hardware. No prior study has costed that hardware end to end. We build an open-source estimator that sweeps the full attack surface: reversible oracles for double-SHA-256 mining and RIPEMD-based address preimages, surface-code factory sizing, fleet logistics under Nakamoto-consensus timing, and Kardashev-scale energy accounting. A parametric sweep over difficulty bits b, runtime caps, and target success probabilities reveals a sharp transition. At the most favourable partial-preimage setting (b = 32, 2^224 marked states), a superconducting surface-code fleet still requires about 10^8 physical qubits and about 10^4 MW. That load is comparable to a large national grid. Tightening to Bitcoin's January 2025 mainnet difficulty (b about 79) explodes the bill to about 10^23 qubits and about 10^25 W, approaching the Kardashev Type II threshold. These numbers settle a narrower question than "Is Bitcoin quantum-secure?" Once Grover mining is lifted from asymptotic query counts to fault-tolerant physical cost, practical quantum mining collapses under oracle, distillation, and fleet overhead. To push mining into non-trivial consensus effects, one must invoke astronomical quantum fleets operating at energy scales that lie far above present-day civilization.

Perturbative van Kampen cumulant expansions of time-local generators of open quantum systems generically diverge at long times, but the reduced dynamics is regular. We show that the divergent cumulants nevertheless contain information sufficient to reconstruct the nonperturbative dynamical map. The map reveals that the divergence does not signal a breakdown of the reduced dynamics, but the approach to isolated times at which it becomes noninvertible. Singular time-local generators thus arise naturally from microscopic open-system Hamiltonians, without requiring special Lindblad-type constructions. For the weak-coupling spin–boson model, the reconstructed non-Markovian dynamics takes the explicit disentangled form \begin{equation*} \Phi=\Phi_{\mathrm{GAD}}+\Phi_{\mathrm{NS}}+\Phi_{\mathrm{Khal}}, \end{equation*} separating generalized amplitude damping, exponentially damped nonsecular coherence mixing, and a projective, phase-selective Khalfin map. The onset of recurrent noninvertibility is the reduced-dynamical-map manifestation of the Khalfin transition from exponential to algebraic relaxation. Although the coherences acquire algebraic Khalfin tails, the distinguishability of quantum superposition states remains governed by an exponential decay law after the Khalfin transition. Comparison with numerically exact TEMPO dynamics validates the disentanglement and shows that apparently complex non-Markovian dynamics can resolve into a small number of physically transparent and distinct dynamical processes.

We explore different implementations of the quantum Bell causality (QBC) condition in the quantum sequential growth (QSG) dynamics of causal set quantum gravity, for non-commuting transition operators. Assuming a non-singular dynamics we show that for the two most natural choices of operator orderings for the QBC, the transition operator algebra reduces to a commutative one. As a third choice, we take the operator ordering to depend on the size of the precursor set. We find several new commutation relations which further constrain the algebra but do not imply commutativity. On the other hand, if any of the generators of the “antichain subalgebra” belongs to its center, then this implies commutativity of the full algebra. The complexity of the algebra prevents us from obtaining a general form for the transition operators, which hinders computability. In an attempt to construct the simplest non-trivial d=2 representation, we find that a Pauli matrix representation of the generators of the antichain subalgebra leads to inconsistencies, implying that if a non-trivial representation exists, it must be higher dimensional. Our work can be viewed as a first step towards finding a non-commutative realisation of QSG.

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) protocols require Information-Theoretically Secure (ITS) authentication of the classical channel to preserve the unconditional security of the distilled key. Standard ITS schemes are based on one-time keys: once a key is used to authenticate a message, it must be discarded. Since QKD requires mutual authentication, two independent one-time keys are typically consumed per round, imposing a non-trivial overhead on the net secure key rate. In this work, we present the authentication-with-response scheme, a novel ITS authentication scheme based on $\varepsilon$-Almost Strongly Universal$_2$ ($\varepsilon$-ASU$_2$) functions, whose IT security can be established in the Universal Composability (UC) framework. The scheme achieves mutual authentication consuming a single one-time key per QKD round, halving key consumption compared to the state-of-the-art.

The tensor-network renormalization group (TNRG) is an accurate numerical real-space renormalization group method for studying phase transitions in both quantum and classical systems. Continuous phase transitions, as an important class of phase transitions, are usually accompanied by spontaneous breaking of various symmetries. However, the understanding of symmetries in the TNRG is well-established mainly for global on-site symmetries like U(1) and SU(2). In this paper, we demonstrate how to incorporate lattice symmetries (including reflection and rotation) and the PT symmetry in the TNRG in two dimensions (2D) through a case study of the hard-square lattice gas with nearest-neighbor exclusion. This model is chosen because it is well-understood and has two continuous phase transitions whose spontaneously-broken symmetries are lattice and PT symmetries. Specifically, we write down proper definitions of these symmetries in a coarse-grained tensor network and propose a TNRG scheme that incorporates these symmetries. We demonstrate the validity of the proposed method by estimating the critical parameters and the scaling dimensions of the two phase transitions of the model. The technical development in this paper has made the 2D TNRG a more well-rounded numerical method.

We show that networks of quantum frames of reference, in which one frame may be used to produce multiple other frames that in their turn prepare systems which may interact with one another, have counterintuitive properties that make following the exchange of conserved quantities very subtle, and raise questions about the very nature of conserved quantities. In addition, we present an alternative approach to analysing quantum reference frames that we believe will be useful in discussions related to quantum frames of reference.

Quantum communication networks require transmission of high-fidelity, uncoded qubits for applications such as entanglement distribution and quantum key distribution. However, current implementations are constrained by limited buffer capacity and qubit decoherence, which degrades qubit quality while waiting in the buffer. A key challenge arises from the stochastic nature of qubit generation, there exists a random delay (D) between the initiation of a generation request and the availability of the qubit. This induces a fundamental trade off early initiation increases buffer waiting time and hence decoherence, whereas delayed initiation leads to server idling and reduced throughput. We model this system as an admission control problem in a finite buffer queue, where the reward associated with each job is a decreasing function of its sojourn time. We derive analytical conditions under which a simple "no lag" policy where a new qubit is generated immediately upon the availability of buffer space is optimal. To address scenarios with unknown system parameters, we further develop a Bayesian learning framework that adaptively optimizes the admission policy. In addition to quantum communication systems, the proposed model is applicable to delay sensitive IoT sensing and service systems.

In this work, we derive the bipartite density matrix for the $e^{+}e^{-} \rightarrow J/\psi \rightarrow \Lambda(p\pi^{-}) \bar{\Lambda}(\bar{p}\pi^{+})$ process at BESIII. We evaluate the impact of mass corrections and memory effects (within Markovian and non-Markovian regimes) on quantum correlations even beyond entanglement. The dependence of these quantum properties on the scattering angle $\varphi$ is analyzed, with a particular focus on the impact of mass corrections. By comparing massless and mass-corrected scenarios, we demonstrate that the inclusion of mass effects enhances the maximum violation of the Bell inequality. While the qualitative temporal behavior remains unchanged, mass corrections quantitatively modify the angular distribution and introduce additional extrema at $\varphi=0$ and $\varphi=\pi$, thereby strengthening non-local correlations without altering their fundamental dynamical origin. An examination of the hierarchy of quantum correlations in baryon-antibaryon systems yields partial confirmation: $\text{Bell Nonlocality} \subset \text{Steering} \subset \text{Entanglement} \subset \text{Discord}$. Additionally, our results show that classical correlations serve to mitigate the decoherence and the decay of quantum correlations. This interplay between classical and quantum correlations suggests practical applications in quantum information and provides a robust framework for investigating baryon-antibaryon interactions.

Topological transitions in non-Hermitian systems are generally boundary sensitive: a point-gap winding transition under periodic boundary condition (PBC) and a non-Bloch bulk real-line-gap transition under open boundary condition (OBC) at $\mathrm{Re}(E)=0$ are governed by different spectra and therefore need not coincide. Here we show, for a class of chiral non-Hermitian Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH)-type lattices, that these two criticalities can be locked by an exceptional-point-constrained (EP-constrained) parameter evolution. The key requirement is not the occurrence of isolated exceptional points, but the persistence of a zero-energy Bloch degeneracy along the entire sweep, which is generically exceptional in the non-Hermitian regime. In an analytically tractable limit of an extended non-Hermitian SSH chain, the EP-constrained manifolds and both transition boundaries are obtained in closed form, making the locking explicit. Away from this limit, numerical generalized-Brillouin-zone (GBZ) calculations confirm the correspondence for representative constrained sweeps, whereas unconstrained paths show that isolated exceptional points or Hermitian degeneracies do not enforce locking. We further verify the mechanism in a spinful four-band extension with branch-resolved GBZs, including strongly branch-imbalanced regimes. These results establish a path-dependent diagnostic principle: along EP-constrained sweeps in this SSH-type class, changes in PBC point-gap winding can indicate OBC non-Bloch bulk real-line-gap transitions and the corresponding changes in zero-energy boundary modes.

In semiconductor nanostructures, optical excitation typically creates bound electron-hole states, such as excitons, trions, and larger complexes. Their relative motion is described by the Wannier equation, which is valid only for spatially extended motion in the Coulomb-dominated, weak-confinement limit. Other small nanostructures, such as quantum dots, are in the confinement-dominated strong confinement regime, where the wavefunction factorizes into independent electron and hole parts. Nanoplatelets are in between the two regimes and require solving an unfactorized higher-dimensional Schrödinger equation, which is computationally expensive. This work demonstrates how tensor networks can partially overcome this problem, using CdSe nanoplatelets as an example. The method is also applicable to related two-dimensional systems. As a demonstration, we calculate the excitonic and trionic ground states, as well as several excited states, for nanoplatelets of varying sizes, including their energies and oscillator strengths. More importantly, overall strategies for using tensor networks in real space for systems under intermediate confinement have been developed.

We study quantum and stochastic deformations of the rule-54 reversible cellular automaton (RCA54) on a 1+1-dimensional spatiotemporal lattice, focusing on their integrability structures in two distinct settings. First, for the quantum deformation, which turns the model into an interaction-round-a-face brickwork quantum circuit (either on an infinite lattice or with periodic boundary conditions), we show that the shortest-range nontrivial conserved charge commuting with the discrete-time evolution operator has a density supported on six consecutive sites. By constructing the corresponding range-6 Lax operator, we prove that this charge belongs to an infinite tower of mutually commuting conserved charges generated by higher-order logarithmic derivatives of the transfer matrix. With the aid of an intertwining operator, we further prove that the transfer matrix commutes with the discrete-time evolution operator. Second, for the stochastic deformation, which renders the model into a Markov-chain circuit, we investigate open boundary conditions that couple the system at its edges to stochastic reservoirs. In this setting, we explicitly construct the non-equilibrium steady state (NESS) by means of a staggered patch matrix ansatz, a hybrid construction combining the previously used commutative patch-state ansatz for the undeformed RCA54 with the matrix-product ansatz. Finally, we propose a simple empirical criterion for detecting integrability or exact solvability in a given model setup, introducing the notion of digit complexity.

The spin alignment conjecture was originally formulated in connection with the additivity of coherent information for a class of quantum channels known as platypus channels. Recently, a stronger majorization-based version was proposed by M. A. Alhejji and E. Knill [Commun. Math. Phys. 405, 119, 2024], asserting that the spectrum of the alignment operator is always majorized by that of the perfectly aligned configuration. In this letter, we show that this strong spin alignment conjecture is false in general by constructing an explicit counterexample in the smallest unresolved case, namely three qubits. The example uses two-body states that are not jointly compatible with any single three-qubit global state, which naturally leads to a compatibility-constrained variant of the conjecture.

Quantum theory brings into question the compatibility of the twin desiderata of exact knowability of the present state of the physical world and perfect predictability of its future states. Bohr's coordination-causality complementarity principle transforms this tension into one between properties (as ordinarily understood in classical physics) and deterministic causality. Here, we develop an explicit model of quantum properties which accommodates this essential tension. Our approach integrates operational, reconstructive, and metaphysical standpoints. In particular, we make use of an operational framework employed in a recent operational reconstruction of Feynman's formulation of quantum theory; base our property model on an analysis of property types; and use the notions of actuality and potentiality to frame the model. We show that this quantum property model provides a natural resolution of Zeno's paradox of motion, and provides reliable intuitions about phenomena such as electron diffraction and the non-local behaviour of entangled states of non-identical particles.

The computation of thermal properties of quantum many-body systems is a central challenge in our understanding of quantum mechanics. We introduce the Quantum Finite Temperature Lanczos Method (QFTLM), which extends the finite-temperature Lanczos method to quantum computers by combining real-time quantum Krylov methods with efficient preparation of typical states for trace estimation. This approach enables the computation of thermal expectation values while avoiding the exponential scaling inherent to classical exact simulation techniques. Numerical experiments on the transverse-field Ising model show that QFTLM can reproduce thermal observables over a wide temperature range. We further analyze the influence of Krylov dimension, number of trace-estimator states, and Trotter error, and show that suitable regularization is essential for robustness in noisy settings. These results establish QFTLM as a promising framework for finite-temperature quantum simulation.

Local Operator Entanglement (LOE) has emerged an indicator of quantum chaos in many-body systems. Numerical studies have shown that, in chaotic systems, LOE grows linearly in time and displays a volume-law behavior at late times, scaling proportionally with the number of local degrees of freedom. Despite extensive numerical evidence, complemented by analytical studies in integrable systems, a fully analytical understanding of the emergence of the volume law remains incomplete. In this paper, we contribute toward this goal by deriving a late-time expression for LOE in chaotic systems that exhibits volume-law scaling. Our derivation proceeds by expressing the late-time LOE in the Liouville eigenstate basis and relies on three main assumptions: a higher-order non-resonance condition for the Hamiltonian eigenenergies, the Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis (ETH) ansatz for the matrix elements of the initial local operator, and the replacement of Hamiltonian eigenstates with random states in the final expression for LOE. Under these assumptions, we obtain an explicit formula displaying volume-law scaling. Finally, we complement our analytical derivation with numerical simulations of the 1D mixed-field Ising model, testing the resulting formula and exploring the regime of validity of our assumptions.

We present a unified analytical and numerical study of the one-dimensional Feshbach–Villars (FV) equation for spin-0 particles in the presence of several representative external potentials. Starting from the FV formulation of the Klein–Gordon equation, we derive the corresponding one-dimensional master equation and analyse its solutions for Coulomb, power-exponential, Cornell, Pöschl–Teller, and Woods–Saxon interactions. For the singular Coulomb and Cornell cases, a Loudon-type cutoff regularisation is implemented on the full line, allowing a mathematically controlled treatment of the origin and an explicit classification of the states by parity. The Coulomb problem exhibits the expected near-degenerate even–odd structure in the cutoff limit, while the Cornell potential combines short-distance Coulomb behaviour with long-distance confinement and produces a finite set of bound states for fixed parameters. The power-exponential potential with $p=1$ is reduced to a Whittaker-type equation and yields an intrinsically relativistic spectrum with no standard Schrödinger bound-state limit in the parameter regime considered. For the smooth short-range Pöschl–Teller and Woods-Saxon potentials, the FV formalism reveals, respectively, the effects of definite parity and spatial asymmetry on the spectrum, wave functions, and particle–antiparticle mixing. In all cases, we reconstruct the full FV spinor, analyse the associated charge density, and compare the relativistic behaviour with the corresponding non-relativistic expectations whenever such a limit exists. The results provide a coherent set of analytical and numerical benchmarks for relativistic scalar bound states in one dimension.

Large-scale quantum networks depend on the efficient distribution of entangled pairs between distant nodes. However, state-of-the-art solutions rely on restrictive operational assumptions, incur prohibitive computational complexity, and optimize metrics misaligned with application needs. This paper addresses the entanglement distribution problem introducing four pivotal advances. First, since the primary application of quantum communication is private information transmission, we derive the Ensemble Capacity, a novel metric that quantifies the private classical information enabled by entanglement distribution. Second, we propose a generalized formulation of the Entanglement Distribution Problem that allows arbitrary sequencing of entanglement swapping and purification, removing the structural restrictions of prior models. Third, to navigate the resulting combinatorial space, we introduce a dynamic programming-based hypergraph generation algorithm that preserves exact, continuous fidelities, avoiding quantization, while pruning sub-optimal sequences in advance. Finally, we integrate these solutions into CODE, a two-tier orchestration framework enabling near-real-time network operation. Extensive evaluations show that our approach achieves higher private information capacity and significantly lower computational complexity than existing solutions, while meeting the sub-second latency requirements of dynamic quantum network operation.

Importance sampling based on quasi-probability decomposition is the backbone of many widely used techniques, such as error mitigation, circuit knitting, and, more generally, virtual quantum resource distillation, as it allows one to simulate operations that are not accessible in a given setting. However, this class of protocols faces a fundamental problem – it only allows to estimate expectation values. Here, we provide a general framework that lifts any quasi-probability-based protocol from expectation value estimation to a weak simulator, realizing sampling from the desired distribution only using a restricted class of quantum resources. Our method runs with the sampling cost proportional to the negativity of the quasi-probability, in stark contrast to the naive estimation-based approach that requires a large number of samples even in the case of small negativity. We show that our method requires significantly fewer samples in a number of relevant scenarios, such as error mitigation, entanglement distillation and magic state distillation. Our framework realizes the weak simulation of quantum resources without actually distilling the state, introducing a new notion of quantum resource distillation.

Measurement incompatibility and bipartite quantum steering are known to display a strong connection: a set of measurements is incompatible if and only if it can lead to bipartite steering. Despite such a close link between these concepts in bipartite scenarios, little is known in the multipartite setting, where notions of genuine multipartite correlations play major roles. In this work we prove that, as in the bipartite case, incompatibility is also necessary and sufficient for genuine multipartite steering in any multipartite scenario with a single uncharacterised party. Interestingly, genuine multipartite steering can be extracted from any set of incompatible measurements using states which are not SLOCC equivalent, such as GHZ and W states. In contrast, we prove that this result does not hold in scenarios with more than one uncharacterised party, by presenting a set of incompatible measurements that can never lead to genuine multipartite steering in these cases. In order to obtain our main results, we introduce methods tailored for multipartite correlations, paving the way to understanding the role of measurement incompatibility beyond bipartite scenarios.

Resonance fluorescence from a coherently driven two-level emitter is a minimal quantum optical field that combines phase coherence with single-photon-level nonlinearity. Here we show that it can be engineered, using only passive linear interferometry, into energy-time entanglement. By injecting resonance fluorescence from a single quantum dot into an asymmetric Mach–Zehnder interferometer operated near destructive interference of the single-photon component, we generate an output field whose coincidence statistics are dominated by the simultaneous two-photon contribution |2> and the temporally separated photon-pair contribution |11>. In a Franson geometry, these two sectors are resolved on the coincidence-delay axis, and both exhibit high-visibility nonlocal interference fringes and violate the Clauser–Horne–Shimony–Holt Bell inequality. Our results reveal a general route for engineering entanglement from resonance fluorescence using passive optics.

This note starts with a recapitulation of what people call the “Measurement Problem” of Quantum Mechanics (QM). The dissipative nature of the quantum-mechanical time-evolution of averages of states over large ensembles of identical isolated systems consisting of matter interacting with the radiation field is discussed and shown to correspond to a stochastic time-evolution of states of individual systems. The importance of dissipation for the successful completion of measurements is highlighted. To conclude, a solution of the “Measurement Problem” is sketched in an idealized model of a double-slit experiment.

Sorkin's impossible operations demonstrate that causality of a quantum channel in QFT is an additional constraint on quantum operations above and beyond the locality of the channel. What has not been shown in the literature so far is how much of a constraint it is. Here we answer this question in perhaps the strongest possible terms: the set of causal channels is nowhere dense in the set of local channels. We connect this result to quantum information, showing that the set of causal unitaries has Haar measure $0$ in the set of all unitaries acting on a lattice. Finally, we close with discussion on the implications and connections to recent QFT measurement models.

Quantum state transfer between distant nodes is essential for distributed quantum information processing. Existing protocols are typically optimized for specific coupling regimes, such as adiabatic dark-state transfer in the single-mode limit and pitch-and-catch schemes in the multimode regime, leaving the crossover between them without a simple and unified control strategy. Here we identify a minimal two-parameter control framework that enables high-fidelity quantum state transfer across this single-mode-to-multimode crossover in a multimode quantum channel. Using a pulse-shaped pitch-and-catch protocol controlled only by the pulse ramp rate and the emission-absorption delay, we achieve transfer fidelities exceeding 99.9%, extending pitch-and-catch protocols toward the single-mode limit without requiring dark-state protection or complex pulse design. We further demonstrate robustness against dissipation, disorder, detuning, and imperfect initialization under experimentally realistic conditions. These results provide a simple and broadly applicable framework for state transfer in multimode quantum channels, with relevance to circuit-QED and hybrid quantum-acoustic systems.

We introduce a multilayer superconducting microwave resonator with sub-Ohm impedance optimized for high coupling strength to single electron spins. The design minimizes the magnetic far-field and therefore achieves a Purcell factor $F_P > 10^{15}$. We show several ways to fabricate this type of resonator and present resonators with an intrinsic $Q$-factor exceeding $2 \cdot 10^4$ at the single-photon level. We further characterize these resonators in magnetic fields up to $500 \, \text{mT}$. Finally, we evaluate the impact of the achievable Purcell factor on single-spin detection through photon counting and dispersive readout.

In highly purified host, the coherence of quantum emitters is ultimately limited by hyperfine interactions between the emitter and lattice nuclei possessing non-zero nuclear magnetic moments. This limitation can only be mitigated through isotopic purification. In this work, we investigate CeO2 as a host composed entirely of nuclei with zero nuclear moment. High-quality CeO2 thin films were grown by PLD and doped with Tm and Er ions. Structural characterization using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and ion channeling confirms single-crystalline, atomically smooth films with dopants substitutionally incorporated at Ce lattice sites. Photoluminescence lifetime measurements show significantly longer lifetimes for Er-doped CeO2 (2.9 - 5.3 ms) compared with Tm-doped films (14 - 68 {\mu}s). Moreover, the Er-doped PLD films exhibit longer lifetimes at ~1% dopant concentration than previously reported for MBE-grown films. Density functional theory calculations reveal a substantial overlap between unoccupied O 2p and Tm 4f states near the valence band maximum, whereas Er 4f states remain well isolated. This electronic interaction likely introduces non-radiative recombination pathways in Tm-doped CeO2, explaining the reduced lifetimes. These findings highlight the importance of selecting appropriate dopant-host combinations and optimized growth conditions to minimize non-radiative channels for quantum applications.

It was once conjectured that two graph states are local unitary (LU) equivalent if and only if they are local Clifford (LC) equivalent. This so-called LU-LC conjecture was disproved in 2007, as a pair of 27-qubit graph states that are LU-equivalent, but not LC-equivalent, was discovered. We prove that this counterexample to the LU-LC conjecture is minimal. In other words, for graph states on up to 26 qubits, the notions of LU-equivalence and LC-equivalence coincide. This result is obtained by studying the structure of 2-local complementation, a special case of the recently introduced r-local complementation, and a generalization of the well-known local complementation. We make use of a connection with triorthogonal codes and Reed-Muller codes.

Exploiting quantum effects for energy storage, quantum batteries (QBs) offer compelling advantages over conventional ones in terms of superior energy density, ultrafast charging, and high conversion efficiency. However, their realization is hampered by decoherence, which causes incomplete charging, rapid self-discharging, and reduced extractable work. Here, we propose a QB architecture based on a chiral magnonic platform. It comprises two yttrium iron garnet (YIG) spheres, one serving as the charger and the other as the QB, coupled to a waveguide. The unique chiral coupling between magnons and the guided electromagnetic fields breaks inversion symmetry, inducing both nonreciprocal energy flow and coherent interference between the charger and QB. Their synergy endows our QB with a 34-fold increase in energy capacity and a 55-fold boost in extractable work compared to its achiral counterpart in an experimentally accessible regime. Our scheme harnesses the decoherence from the electromagnetic fields and turns its destruction into an asset, which enables the robustness and wireless-like remote charging features of the QB. Our analysis reveals that these extraordinary capabilities stem from quantum coherence. By establishing chirality as a useful quantum resource, our work paves a viable path toward the realization of QBs.

In this paper the random channels and their compositions in the space of quantum states are studied. For compositions of i.i.d. random unitary channels, the limit behaviour of probability distributions is described. The sufficient condition for convergence in probability is obtained. The generalized convergence in distribution w.r.t. weak operator topology is obtained. The analysis of transmission of pure and normal states to the set of singular states is done. The dynamics of quantum states is described in terms of the evolution of the values of quadratic forms of operators from the algebra that implements the representation of canonical commutation relations.

In reinforcement learning, an agent interacts sequentially with an environment to maximize a reward, receiving only partial, probabilistic feedback. This creates a fundamental exploration-exploitation trade-off: the agent must explore to learn the hidden dynamics while exploiting this knowledge to maximize its target objective. While extensively studied classically, applying this framework to quantum systems requires dealing with hidden quantum states that evolve via unknown dynamics. We formalize this problem via a framework where the environment maintains a hidden quantum memory evolving via unknown quantum channels, and the agent intervenes sequentially using quantum instruments. For this setting, we adapt an optimistic maximum-likelihood estimation algorithm. We extend the analysis to continuous action spaces, allowing us to model general positive operator-valued measures (POVMs). By controlling the propagation of estimation errors through quantum channels and instruments, we prove that the cumulative regret of our strategy scales as $\widetilde{\mathcal{O}}(\sqrt{K})$ over $K$ episodes. Furthermore, via a reduction to the multi-armed quantum bandit problem, we establish information-theoretic lower bounds demonstrating that this sublinear scaling is strictly optimal up to polylogarithmic factors. As a physical application, we consider state-agnostic work extraction. When extracting free energy from a sequence of non-i.i.d. quantum states correlated by a hidden memory, any lack of knowledge about the source leads to thermodynamic dissipation. In our setting, the mathematical regret exactly quantifies this cumulative dissipation. Using our adaptive algorithm, the agent uses past energy outcomes to improve its extraction protocol on the fly, achieving sublinear cumulative dissipation, and, consequently, an asymptotically zero dissipation rate.

We present a measurement-based quantum thermal machine that extracts work from the back-action of generalized quantum measurements whose working medium is a coupled two-level quantum system. Specifically, we derive universal optimization criteria for a three-stroke measurement-based engine cycle with coupled two-level system of Ising-like interaction as a working medium. Furthermore, we present two numerical algorithms to optimize the engine work extraction and enhance its performance. Our numerical results demonstrate: (i) efficiency peaks in the projective-measurement limit; (ii) symmetry breaking (detuning or weak coupling) enlarges the exploitable energy gap; and (iii) performance remains robust ($>50\%$ of optimum) under $\sim\!10^\circ$ feedback-pulse errors. The framework is platform-agnostic and directly implementable with current superconducting, trapped-ion, or NMR technologies, providing a concrete route to scalable, measurement-powered quantum thermal machines.