QUANTUM-STATE DISTURBANCE VERSUS INFORMATION GAIN - UNCERTAINTY RELATIONS FOR QUANTUM INFORMATION

When an observer wants to identify a quantum state, which is known to be one of a given set of nonorthogonal states, the act of observation causes a disturbance to that state. We investigate the trade-off betwe en the information gain and that disturbance. This issue has important applications in quantum cryptography. The optimal detection method, f or a given tolerated disturbance, is explicitly found in the case of t wo equiprobable nonorthogonal pure states.