A compendious review of majorization-based resource theories: quantum information and quantum thermodynamics

Abstract

The field of quantum resource theory (QRT) has emerged as an invaluable framework for the examination of small and strongly correlated quantum systems, surpassing the boundaries imposed by traditional statistical treatments. The fundamental objective of general QRTs is to characterize these systems by precisely quantifying the level of control attainable to an experimenter. In this review article, we refrain from providing an exhaustive summary of the extensive literature on QRT. Rather, our focus centers on a specific subliterature founded upon the theory of majorization. The primary aim is to augment our comprehension of genuine quantum phenomena manifested across diverse technological applications and incite investigations into novel resource theories encompassing multiple types of resources. Consequently, we emphasize the underlying similarities shared by various resources, including bipartite quantum entanglement, quantum coherence, and superposition, alongside informational, thermal, and generalized nonequilibrium resources.