Quantifiers and witnesses for the nonclassicality of measurements and of states

Quantum 10, 2180 (2026).

https://doi.org/10.22331/q-2026-07-30-2180

In recent work [Phys. Rev. X 16, 021050], we proposed a unified notion of nonclassicality that applies to arbitrary processes in quantum theory, including individual quantum states, measurements, and sets thereof. This notion is derived from the principle of generalized noncontextuality, but in a novel manner that applies to individual processes rather than full experiments or theories. In the present work, we develop semidefinite-programming-based certificates and witnesses for the nonclassicality of states, sources, measurements, and sets thereof. These theory-dependent methods complement theory-independent approaches based on noncontextuality inequalities. We demonstrate the framework through a variety of explicit examples.