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arXiv:0808.1614 · Physical Review A

Maximal sets of mutually unbiased quantum states in dimension 6

STEPHEN D. BRIERLEY, Stefan Weigert

Published Oct 13, 2008• 92 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We study sets of pure states in a Hilbert space of dimension $d$ which are mutually unbiased (MU), that is, the moduli of their scalar products are equal to zero, one, or $1∕\sqrt{d}$. Each of these sets will be called a MU constellation, and if four MU bases were to exist for $d=6$, they would give rise to 35 different MU constellations. Using a numerical minimization procedure, we are able to identify only 18 of them in spite of extensive searches. The missing MU constellations provide the strongest numerical evidence so far that no seven MU bases exist in dimension 6.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.78.042312

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We study sets of pure states in a Hilbert space of dimension ddd which are mutually unbiased (MU), that is, the moduli of their scalar products are equal to zero, one, or 1∕d1∕\sqrt{d}1∕d​. Each of these sets will be called a MU constellation, and if four MU bases were to exist for d=6d=6d=6, they would give rise to 35 different MU constellations. Using a numerical minimization procedure, we are able to identify only 18 of them in spite of extensive searches. The missing MU constellations provide the strongest numerical evidence so far that no seven MU bases exist in dimension 6.
A pair of orthonormal bases are mutually unbiased (MU) if the inner products across all their elements have equal magnitude. In quantum mechanics, these bases represent observables that are complementary, i.e. a measurement of one observable implies maximal uncertainty about the possible outcome of a subsequent measurement of a second observable. MU bases have attracted interest in recent years because their properties seem to depend dramatically on the dimension d of the quantum system in hand. If the dimension is given by a prime or prime-power, the state space is known to accommodate a complete set of d+1 MU bases. However, for composite dimensions, such as d = 6, 10, 12, ..., complete sets seem to be absent and it is not understood why. In this thesis we carry out a comprehensive study of MU product bases in dimension six. In particular, we construct all MU bases in dimension six consisting of product states only. The exhaustive classification leads to several non-existence results. We also present a new construction of complex Hadamard matrices of composite order, which is a consequence of our work on MU product bases. Based on this construction we obtain several new isolated Hadamard matrices of Butson-type. \n
Mutually unbiased bases for quantum degrees of freedom are central to all theoretical investigations and practical exploitations of complementary properties. Much is known about mutually unbiased bases, but there are also a fair number of important questions that have not been answered in full as yet. In particular, one can find maximal sets of N + 1 mutually unbiased bases in Hilbert spaces of prime-power dimension N = p M , with p prime and M a positive integer, and there is a continuum of mutually unbiased bases for a continuous degree of freedom, such as motion along a line. But not a single example of a maximal set is known if the dimension is another composite number (N = 6, 10, 12,…). In this review, we present a unified approach in which the basis states are labeled by numbers 0, 1, 2, …, N - 1 that are both elements of a Galois field and ordinary integers. This dual nature permits a compact systematic construction of maximal sets of mutually unbiased bases when they are known to exist but throws no light on the open existence problem in other cases. We show how to use the thus constructed mutually unbiased bases in quantum-informatics applications, including dense coding, teleportation, entanglement swapping, covariant cloning, and state tomography, all of which rely on an explicit set of maximally entangled states (generalizations of the familiar two–q-bit Bell states) that are related to the mutually unbiased bases. There is a link to the mathematics of finite affine planes. We also exploit the one-to-one correspondence between unbiased bases and the complex Hadamard matrices that turn the bases into each other. The ultimate hope, not yet fulfilled, is that open questions about mutually unbiased bases can be related to open questions about Hadamard matrices or affine planes, in particular the notorious existence problem for dimensions that are not a power of a prime. The Hadamard-matrix approach is instrumental in the very recent advance, surveyed here, of our understanding of the N = 6 situation. All evidence indicates that a maximal set of seven mutually unbiased bases does not exist — one can find no more than three pairwise unbiased bases — although there is currently no clear-cut demonstration of the case.
An analytic proof is given which shows that it is impossible to extend any triple of mutually unbiased (MU) product bases in dimension six by a single MU vector. Furthermore, the 16 states obtained by removing two orthogonal states from any MU product triple cannot figure in a (hypothetical) complete set of seven MU bases. These results follow from exploiting the structure of MU product bases in a novel fashion, and they are among the strongest ones obtained for MU bases in dimension six without recourse to computer algebra.
Maximal sets of mutually unbiased bases are useful throughout quantum physics, both in a foundational context and for applications. To date, it remains unknown if complete sets of mutually unbiased bases exist in Hilbert spaces of dimensions different from a prime power, i.e. in composite dimensions such as six or ten. Fourteen mathematically equivalent formulations of the existence problem are presented. We comprehensively summarise analytic, computer-aided and numerical results relevant to the case of composite dimensions. Known modifications of the existence problem are reviewed and potential solution strategies are outlined.