We introduce a simple, experimentally realizable, entanglement manipulation protocol for exploring mixed-state entanglement. We show that for both nonmaximally entangled pure, and mixed polarization-entangled two-qubit states, an increase in the degree of entanglement and purity, is achievable.

• Received 22 March 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.63.030302