Quantum-limited measurement and information in mesoscopic detectors

We formulate general conditions necessary for a linear-response detector to reach the quantum limit of measurement efficiency, where the measurement-induced dephasing rate takes its minimum possible value. These conditions are applicable to both noninteracting and interacting systems. We assess the status of these requirements in an arbitrary noninteracting scattering-based detector, identifying the symmetries of the scattering matrix needed to reach the quantum limit. We show that these conditions are necessary to prevent the existence of information in the detector that is not extracted in the measurement process.