Generation and discrimination of a type of four-partite entangled state

Recently, a genuine four-qubit entangled state vertical bar X-00 >(3214) has been proposed [Y. Yeo and W. K. Chua, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 060502 (2006)]. This state has many interesting entanglement properties and possible applications in quantum information processing and fundamental tests of quantum physics. Here we present a simple scheme for generating such a state in an ion-trap system. We also demonstrate how to discriminate between the 16 basis states {vertical bar X-ij >(3214) = sigma(i)(3)sigma(i)(1)vertical bar X-00 >(3214), i, j=0,1,2,3}.