Entanglement-assisted local manipulation of pure quantum states

Abstract

We demonstrate that local transformations on a composite quantum system can be enhanced in the presence of certain entangled states. These extra states act much like catalysts in a chemical reaction: they allow otherwise impossible local transformations to be realised, without being consumed in any way. In particular, we show that this effect can considerably improve the efficiency of entanglement concentration procedures for finite states.

Published version, including important changes