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Viscoelasticity describes materials that exhibit both viscous and elastic characteristics when undergoing deformation. This dual behavior allows such materials to dissipate energy like a liquid while also returning to their original shape like a solid, making them essential in applications requiring energy absorption and recovery.
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Von Neumann entropy is a measure of the quantum mechanical uncertainty or mixedness of a quantum state, analogous to the classical Shannon entropy for probability distributions. It is defined as the trace of the product of the density matrix and the logarithm of the density matrix, providing insights into quantum information and entanglement properties of the system.
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Quantum Information Theory is a field at the intersection of quantum mechanics and Information Theory that studies how quantum systems can be used to process and transmit information. It explores phenomena such as superposition and entanglement to develop new paradigms for computation and communication that outperform classical systems.
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Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon where particles become interconnected in such a way that the state of one particle instantaneously influences the state of another, regardless of the distance between them. This non-local interaction challenges classical intuitions about separability and locality, and is a cornerstone of quantum mechanics with implications for quantum computing and cryptography.
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A density matrix is a mathematical representation used in quantum mechanics to describe the statistical state of a quantum system, encompassing both pure states and mixed states. It provides a complete description of the system's statistical properties, allowing for the calculation of expectation values and probabilities for various measurements.
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Quantum superposition is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics where a quantum system can exist in multiple states simultaneously until it is measured. This principle is the basis for phenomena like interference and entanglement, and it challenges classical intuitions about the nature of reality.
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Shannon Entropy, introduced by Claude Shannon, is a measure of the uncertainty or unpredictability of information content in a set of possible outcomes. It quantifies the average amount of information produced by a stochastic source of data, serving as a foundational concept in information theory and data compression.
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Quantum channel capacity quantifies the maximum rate at which quantum information can be reliably transmitted over a Quantum channel. It is a fundamental concept in quantum information theory, essential for understanding the limits of quantum communication and error correction.
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Quantum decoherence is the process by which a quantum system loses its quantum behavior and transitions to classical behavior due to interactions with its environment. This phenomenon explains why macroscopic systems do not exhibit quantum superpositions, effectively resolving the measurement problem in quantum mechanics by describing how coherent superpositions become statistical mixtures.
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Entropy inequalities are mathematical expressions that provide bounds and relationships between different entropy measures, crucial for understanding information distribution and uncertainty in systems. They play a significant role in fields like information theory, thermodynamics, and quantum mechanics, helping to formalize the limits of information processing and transfer.
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Quantum Thermodynamics is an interdisciplinary field that extends classical thermodynamics to quantum mechanical systems, exploring how quantum effects impact the flow and transformation of energy at microscopic scales. It provides insights into the fundamental limits of energy conversion processes and the role of quantum coherence and entanglement in thermodynamic phenomena.
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Quantum effects refer to the phenomena that occur at the smallest scales of energy levels of atoms and subatomic particles, where the classical laws of physics do not apply. These effects lead to unique behaviors such as superposition, entanglement, and quantization, which are crucial for understanding the nature of reality and have practical applications in technologies like quantum computing and quantum cryptography.
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Strong subadditivity is a fundamental property of quantum entropy that states the joint entropy of a tripartite system is less than or equal to the sum of the entropies of its two bipartite subsystems. This inequality is crucial in quantum information theory, ensuring the consistency of entropy measures and the feasibility of quantum state descriptions.
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Quantum Information Science is an interdisciplinary field that combines quantum mechanics and information theory to develop new ways of processing and transmitting information. It underpins technologies like quantum computing, quantum cryptography, and quantum communication, which promise to revolutionize computing and secure data transmission.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics in quantum systems extends the classical notion of entropy increase to the quantum realm, emphasizing that in any process, the total entropy of a system and its environment never decreases. This principle is crucial for understanding the thermodynamic behavior of quantum systems, including quantum information processing and the quantum-to-classical transition.
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Non-classical light refers to light that exhibits properties which cannot be explained by classical electromagnetism, often showing quantum effects like entanglement, squeezing, and anti-bunching. This type of light is crucial for advancements in quantum optics and technologies such as quantum communication and quantum computing.
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Photon quantum states describe the various properties and configurations that photons can exhibit in a quantum system, such as polarization, frequency, and spatial modes. These states allow for the application of quantum mechanics to manipulate photons in advanced technologies like quantum cryptography and quantum computing.
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