Berlin 2001 – scientific programme

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Q: Quantenoptik

Q 9: Poster: Quantum Information

Q 9.14: Poster

Tuesday, April 3, 2001, 12:30–15:00, AT2

Quantum messages of variable length — •Kim Bostroem — Kim Bostroem, Universitaet Potsdam, Institut fuer Physik, Am Neuen Palais 10, 14469 Potsdam, Germany

In information theory, codewords of variable length provide an important approach to information measures and compression algorithms. Though while in classical information theory it is not a problem to consider messages of variable length, conceptual difficulties arise in the quantum case. The standard restriction to block messages of fixed length in finite-dimensional Hilbert spaces prevent a straightforward treatment. These difficulties can be overcome by an appropriate theoretical framework allowing for quantum messages with components of arbitrary length. This way, quantum coding obtains some useful features, e.g. lossless compression and instantaneous coding.