Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:0712.0916 · Journal of Mathematical Physics

Finite de Finetti theorem for conditional probability distributions describing physical theories

Matthias Christandl, Ben Toner

Published Apr 1, 2009• 24 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We work in a general framework where the state of a physical system is defined by its behavior under measurement and the global state is constrained by no-signaling conditions. We show that the marginals of symmetric states in such theories can be approximated by convex combinations of independent and identical conditional probability distributions, generalizing the classical finite de Finetti theorem of Diaconis and Freedman. Our results apply to correlations obtained from quantum states even when there is no bound on the local dimension, so that known quantum de Finetti theorems cannot be used.

DOI
10.1063/1.3114986

Related papers

de Finetti reductions beyond quantum theory

Rotem Arnon-Friedman, Renato Renner

de Finetti-type theorems enable a substantially simplified analysis of information-processing tasks in various areas, such as quantum cryptography and quantum tomography. The idea is that instead of carrying out the analysis for any possible state it is sufficient to consider one particular de Finetti state, that is, a convex combination of i.i.d. states. It is thus interesting to see whether such de Finetti-type theorems are unique for quantum theory or whether they hold for more general theories. Here we prove a de Finetti-type theorem in the framework of conditional probability distributions. In this framework, a system is described by a conditional probability distribution P_A|X where X denotes the measurement and A the outcome. We show that any permutation invariant system P_A|X can be reduced to a de Finetti system. We then demonstrate how the theorem can be applied to security proofs of device independent cryptographic protocols.

•Aug 1, 2013•0 citations

Quantum de Finetti theorems for states and channels in any distance measure

Liuhang Ye, Bjarne Bergh, Nilanjana Datta

Standard finite quantum de Finetti theorems approximate the $k$-system marginals of permutation-invariant states of $n$-systems by mixtures of independent and identically distributed (iid) states, usually in trace distance. We prove both standard and Renner's exponential de Finetti theorems in the stronger form of operator inequalities, implying bounds in every Schatten norm and for every quantum Rényi divergence satisfying data processing. In the standard case, for fixed local dimension, our $k/n$ error bound in max-relative entropy improves on the previously best known $k^2/n$ scaling, even in the classical setting. The operator-inequality approach is particularly suited to study channel de Finetti representations because operator order between Choi states is equivalent to completely positive (CP) order between the underlying channels. For permutation-covariant channels $N^{(n)}:A^{\otimes n}\to B^{\otimes n}$, where $d_A=\dim A$, we prove that the $k$-system reduced channel is CP-dominated by a mixture of tensor-power channels with error $O(k/\sqrt{n})$ and polynomial dependence on the local dimensions, addressing a question raised by Berta et al. [Math. Program. 194, 781-829 (2022)]. Under the no-signalling condition, we also prove an exponential channel de Finetti theorem where the approximating mixture consists of Choi-almost-iid channels, whose normalized Choi states are almost-iid in the sense of Mazzola-Sutter-Renner. In the case of $r$ defects, the representation error is at most $\mathrm{poly}(n)\bigl(2d_A^4k^3/(nr^2)\bigr)^{(r+1)/2}$ and decays exponentially in $n$ for a suitable choice of parameters $r$ and $k$.

quant-pharXiv:2609.40343•Oct 1, 2026•0 citations

Connecting classical finite exchangeability to quantum theory

Alessio Benavoli, Alessandro Facchini, Marco Zaffalon A

Exchangeability is a fundamental concept in probability theory and statistics. It allows to model situations where the order of observations does not matter. The classical de Finetti's theorem provides a representation of infinitely exchangeable sequences of random variables as mixtures of independent and identically distributed variables. The quantum de Finetti theorem extends this result to symmetric quantum states on tensor product Hilbert spaces. It is well known that both theorems do not hold for finitely exchangeable sequences. The aim of this work is to investigate two lesser-known representation theorems, which were developed in classical probability theory to extend de Finetti's theorem to finitely exchangeable sequences by using quasi-probabilities and quasi-expectations. With the aid of these theorems, we illustrate how a de Finetti-like representation theorem for finitely exchangeable sequences can be formulated through a mathematical representation which is formally equivalent to quantum theory (with boson-symmetric density matrices). We then show a promising application of this connection to the challenge of defining entanglement for indistinguishable bosons.

arXiv:2306.03869•Jun 6, 2023•0 citations

Asymmetric de Finetti Theorem for Infinite-dimensional Quantum Systems

Murphy Yuezhen Niu

The de Finetti representation theorem for continuous variable quantum system is first developed to approximate an N-partite continuous variable quantum state with a convex combination of independent and identical subsystems, which requires the original state to obey permutation symmetry conditioned on successful experimental verification on k of N subsystems. We generalize the de Finetti theorem to include asymmetric bounds on the variance of canonical observables and biased basis selection during the verification step. Our result thereby enables application of infinite-dimensional de Finetti theorem to situations where two conjugate measurements obey different statistics, such as the security analysis of quantum key distribution protocols based on squeezed state against coherent attack.

arXiv:1609.08584•Sep 27, 2016•0 citations

De Finetti theorems and entanglement in large- N theories and gravity

Javier M. Magán

The de Finetti theorem and its extensions concern the structure of multipartite probability distributions with certain symmetry properties, the paradigmatic original example being permutation symmetry. These theorems assert that such symmetric distributions are well approximated by convex combinations of uncorrelated ones. In this article, we apply de Finetti theorems to quantum gravity theories, such as the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model or large-$N$ vector and gauge theories. For SYK we put recent studies of information/entanglement dynamics in a general and rigorous basis. For vector and gauge theories, we describe the classicality of the modular Hamiltonian, its modular flows, and the entanglement entropy. These results can be unified through a generic statement about the nature of Schmidt decompositions and decoherence in large-$N$ theories. In the reverse direction, we extend de Finetti theorems in various ways and provide an independent approach to the theorems only based on the large-$N$ properties of the gauge invariant coherence group.

arXiv:1705.03048•Physical review. D/Physical review. D.•Oct 5, 2017•14 citations

De Finetti Theorems for Quantum Conditional Probability Distributions with Symmetry

Sven Jandura, Ernest Y.-Z. Tan

Abstract The aim of device-independent quantum key distribution (DIQKD) is to study protocols that allow the generation of a secret shared key between two parties under minimal assumptions on the devices that produce the key. These devices are merely modeled as black boxes and mathematically described as conditional probability distributions. A major obstacle in the analysis of DIQKD protocols is the huge space of possible black box behaviors. De Finetti theorems can help to overcome this problem by reducing the analysis to black boxes that have an iid structure. Here we show two new de Finetti theorems that relate conditional probability distributions in the quantum set to de Finetti distributions (convex combinations of iid distributions) that are themselves in the quantum set. We also show how one of these de Finetti theorems can be used to enforce some restrictions onto the attacker of a DIQKD protocol. Finally we observe that some desirable strengthenings of this restriction, for instance to collective attacks only, are not straightforwardly possible.

arXiv:2108.08251•Annales Henri Poincaré•Aug 30, 2023•0 citations
We work in a general framework where the state of a physical system is defined by its behavior under measurement and the global state is constrained by no-signaling conditions. We show that the marginals of symmetric states in such theories can be approximated by convex combinations of independent and identical conditional probability distributions, generalizing the classical finite de Finetti theorem of Diaconis and Freedman. Our results apply to correlations obtained from quantum states even when there is no bound on the local dimension, so that known quantum de Finetti theorems cannot be used.
de Finetti-type theorems enable a substantially simplified analysis of information-processing tasks in various areas, such as quantum cryptography and quantum tomography. The idea is that instead of carrying out the analysis for any possible state it is sufficient to consider one particular de Finetti state, that is, a convex combination of i.i.d. states. It is thus interesting to see whether such de Finetti-type theorems are unique for quantum theory or whether they hold for more general theories. Here we prove a de Finetti-type theorem in the framework of conditional probability distributions. In this framework, a system is described by a conditional probability distribution P_A|X where X denotes the measurement and A the outcome. We show that any permutation invariant system P_A|X can be reduced to a de Finetti system. We then demonstrate how the theorem can be applied to security proofs of device independent cryptographic protocols.
Standard finite quantum de Finetti theorems approximate the kkk-system marginals of permutation-invariant states of nnn-systems by mixtures of independent and identically distributed (iid) states, usually in trace distance. We prove both standard and Renner's exponential de Finetti theorems in the stronger form of operator inequalities, implying bounds in every Schatten norm and for every quantum Rényi divergence satisfying data processing. In the standard case, for fixed local dimension, our k/nk/nk/n error bound in max-relative entropy improves on the previously best known k2/nk^2/nk2/n scaling, even in the classical setting. The operator-inequality approach is particularly suited to study channel de Finetti representations because operator order between Choi states is equivalent to completely positive (CP) order between the underlying channels. For permutation-covariant channels N(n):A⊗n→B⊗nN^{(n)}:A^{\otimes n}\to B^{\otimes n}N(n):A⊗n→B⊗n, where dA=dim⁡Ad_A=\dim AdA​=dimA, we prove that the kkk-system reduced channel is CP-dominated by a mixture of tensor-power channels with error O(k/n)O(k/\sqrt{n})O(k/n​) and polynomial dependence on the local dimensions, addressing a question raised by Berta et al. [Math. Program. 194, 781-829 (2022)]. Under the no-signalling condition, we also prove an exponential channel de Finetti theorem where the approximating mixture consists of Choi-almost-iid channels, whose normalized Choi states are almost-iid in the sense of Mazzola-Sutter-Renner. In the case of rrr defects, the representation error is at most poly(n)(2dA4k3/(nr2))(r+1)/2\mathrm{poly}(n)\bigl(2d_A^4k^3/(nr^2)\bigr)^{(r+1)/2}poly(n)(2dA4​k3/(nr2))(r+1)/2 and decays exponentially in nnn for a suitable choice of parameters rrr and kkk.
Exchangeability is a fundamental concept in probability theory and statistics. It allows to model situations where the order of observations does not matter. The classical de Finetti's theorem provides a representation of infinitely exchangeable sequences of random variables as mixtures of independent and identically distributed variables. The quantum de Finetti theorem extends this result to symmetric quantum states on tensor product Hilbert spaces. It is well known that both theorems do not hold for finitely exchangeable sequences. The aim of this work is to investigate two lesser-known representation theorems, which were developed in classical probability theory to extend de Finetti's theorem to finitely exchangeable sequences by using quasi-probabilities and quasi-expectations. With the aid of these theorems, we illustrate how a de Finetti-like representation theorem for finitely exchangeable sequences can be formulated through a mathematical representation which is formally equivalent to quantum theory (with boson-symmetric density matrices). We then show a promising application of this connection to the challenge of defining entanglement for indistinguishable bosons.
The de Finetti representation theorem for continuous variable quantum system is first developed to approximate an N-partite continuous variable quantum state with a convex combination of independent and identical subsystems, which requires the original state to obey permutation symmetry conditioned on successful experimental verification on k of N subsystems. We generalize the de Finetti theorem to include asymmetric bounds on the variance of canonical observables and biased basis selection during the verification step. Our result thereby enables application of infinite-dimensional de Finetti theorem to situations where two conjugate measurements obey different statistics, such as the security analysis of quantum key distribution protocols based on squeezed state against coherent attack.
The de Finetti theorem and its extensions concern the structure of multipartite probability distributions with certain symmetry properties, the paradigmatic original example being permutation symmetry. These theorems assert that such symmetric distributions are well approximated by convex combinations of uncorrelated ones. In this article, we apply de Finetti theorems to quantum gravity theories, such as the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model or large-NNN vector and gauge theories. For SYK we put recent studies of information/entanglement dynamics in a general and rigorous basis. For vector and gauge theories, we describe the classicality of the modular Hamiltonian, its modular flows, and the entanglement entropy. These results can be unified through a generic statement about the nature of Schmidt decompositions and decoherence in large-NNN theories. In the reverse direction, we extend de Finetti theorems in various ways and provide an independent approach to the theorems only based on the large-NNN properties of the gauge invariant coherence group.
Abstract The aim of device-independent quantum key distribution (DIQKD) is to study protocols that allow the generation of a secret shared key between two parties under minimal assumptions on the devices that produce the key. These devices are merely modeled as black boxes and mathematically described as conditional probability distributions. A major obstacle in the analysis of DIQKD protocols is the huge space of possible black box behaviors. De Finetti theorems can help to overcome this problem by reducing the analysis to black boxes that have an iid structure. Here we show two new de Finetti theorems that relate conditional probability distributions in the quantum set to de Finetti distributions (convex combinations of iid distributions) that are themselves in the quantum set. We also show how one of these de Finetti theorems can be used to enforce some restrictions onto the attacker of a DIQKD protocol. Finally we observe that some desirable strengthenings of this restriction, for instance to collective attacks only, are not straightforwardly possible.