Hello I’m Xin-An Chen (陈信安). I joined the group as a PhD student in 2020. My research interest lies in using the mathematical framework of information theory by Claude Shannon to shed light on the nature of quantum mechanics. Specifically for my PhD thesis, I focus on understanding the nature of quantum resources, such as quantum entanglement and quantum coherence, in the operational setting of distributed communication: how they can be leveraged to perform distributed communication tasks, and conversely, how their intrinsic properties limit that performance. A few of my research highlights include:
- Single-particle coherence: It is well known that a quantum particle can be placed in a superposition of different spatial locations. Can we use this property to enhance information transmission? How much information can be mediated by a single quantum particle? (See
Quantum 6, 653 (2022) and Phys. Rev. A 109, 062420 (2024)) - Entanglement distillation and distribution: Many information processing tasks require high-fidelity quantum entanglement. However, various sources of noise deteriorate the quality of entanglement. How should we manipulate entangled states in the presence of noise? What are the fundamental limitations? (See Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 190803 (2025) and arXiv:2411.04977)
- Catalytic transformation of quantum resources: Catalysis are often used to facilitate chemical reactions. It can also be a powerful tool in quantum information theory as well. How can we use catalysis to facilitate transformations of quantum resources?
See google scholar for a complete list of my papers. Outside of research, I play too much football (dare I say the s-word?). I also like to read history, philosophy, and social sciences while enjoying 70s progressive rock. Here is a picture of me and my long-term collaborator.
