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arXiv:0811.1621 · Open Systems & Information Dynamics

Entropy of a Quantum Error Correction Code

David W. Kribs, Aron Pasieka, Karol Życzkowski

Published Dec 1, 2008• 9 citations
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Abstract

We define and investigate the notion of entropy for quantum error correcting codes. The entropy of a code for a given quantum channel has a number of equivalent realisations, such as through the coefficients associated with the Knill-Laflamme conditions and the entropy exchange computed with respect to any initial state supported on the code. In general the entropy of a code can be viewed as a measure of how close it is to the minimal entropy case, which is given by unitarily correctable codes (including decoherence-free subspaces), or the maximal entropy case, which from dynamical Choi matrix considerations corresponds to non-degenerate codes. We consider several examples, including a detailed analysis of the case of binary unitary channels, and we discuss an extension of the entropy to operator quantum error correcting subsystem codes.

DOI
10.1142/s1230161208000225

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We define and investigate the notion of entropy for quantum error correcting codes. The entropy of a code for a given quantum channel has a number of equivalent realisations, such as through the coefficients associated with the Knill-Laflamme conditions and the entropy exchange computed with respect to any initial state supported on the code. In general the entropy of a code can be viewed as a measure of how close it is to the minimal entropy case, which is given by unitarily correctable codes (including decoherence-free subspaces), or the maximal entropy case, which from dynamical Choi matrix considerations corresponds to non-degenerate codes. We consider several examples, including a detailed analysis of the case of binary unitary channels, and we discuss an extension of the entropy to operator quantum error correcting subsystem codes.
Quantum channels, also called quantum operations, are linear, trace preserving and completely positive transformations in the space of quantum states. Such operations describe discrete time evolution of an open quantum system interacting with an environment. The thesis contains an analysis of properties of quantum channels and different entropies used to quantify the decoherence introduced into the system by a given operation. Part I of the thesis provides a general introduction to the subject. In Part II, the action of a quantum channel is treated as a process of preparation of a quantum ensemble. The Holevo information associated with this ensemble is shown to be bounded by the entropy exchanged during the preparation process between the initial state and the environment. A relation between the Holevo information and the entropy of an auxiliary matrix consisting of square root fidelities between the elements of the ensemble is proved in some special cases. Weaker bounds on the Holevo information are also established. The entropy of a channel, also called the map entropy, is defined as the entropy of the state corresponding to the channel by the Jamiolkowski isomorphism. In Part III of the thesis, the additivity of the entropy of a channel is proved. The minimal output entropy, which is difficult to compute, is estimated by an entropy of a channel which is much easier to obtain. A class of quantum channels is specified, for which additivity of channel capacity is conjectured. The last part of the thesis contains characterization of Davies channels, which correspond to an interaction of a state with a thermal reservoir in the week coupling limit, under the condition of quantum detailed balance and independence of rotational and dissipative evolutions. The Davies channels are characterized for one-qubit and one-qutrit systems.
A quantum error-correcting code is defined to be a unitary mapping (encoding) of k qubits (two-state quantum systems) into a subspace of the quantum state space of n qubits such that if any t of the qubits undergo arbitrary decoherence, not necessarily independently, the resulting n qubits can be used to faithfully reconstruct the original quantum state of the k encoded qubits. Quantum error-correcting codes are shown to exist with asymptotic rate k/n=1-2H2{\mathit{H}}_{2}H2​(2t/n) where H2{\mathit{H}}_{2}H2​(p) is the binary entropy function -plog2{\mathrm{log}}_{2}log2​p-(1-p)log2{\mathrm{log}}_{2}log2​(1-p). Upper bounds on this asymptotic rate are given. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
We introduce the notion of entanglement of subspaces as a measure that quantifies the entanglement of bipartite states in a randomly selected subspace. We discuss its properties and in particular we show that for maximally entangled subspaces it is additive. Furthermore, we show that maximally entangled subspaces can play an important role in the study of quantum error-correction codes. We discuss both degenerate and nondegenerate codes and show that the subspace spanned by the logical code words of a nondegenerate code is a kkk-totally- (maximally) entangled subspace. As for non-degenerate codes, we provide a mathematical definition in terms of subspaces and, as an example, we analyze Shor's 9-qubit code in terms of 22 mutually orthogonal subspaces.
This paper addresses and expands on the contents of the recent Letter [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 030502 (2013)] discussing private quantum subsystems. Here we prove several previously presented results, including a condition for a given random unitary channel to not have a private subspace (although this does not mean that private communication cannot occur, as was previously demonstrated via private subsystems) and algebraic conditions that characterize when a general quantum subsystem or subspace code is private for a quantum channel. These conditions can be regarded as the private analog of the Knill-Laflamme conditions for quantum error correction, and we explore how the conditions simplify in some special cases. The bridge between quantum cryptography and quantum error correction provided by complementary quantum channels motivates the study of a new, more general definition of quantum error-correcting code, and we initiate this study here. We also consider the concept of complementarity for the general notion of a private quantum subsystem.
This paper presents a unified theoretical framework for quantum error correction coding and information entropy. The central argument posits that quantum error correction and information entropy represent fundamentally the same physical phenomenon. This relationship is described by a single mathematical structure. The theory leverages quantum phenomena like superposition and entanglement to develop an error correction scheme, where entanglement enhances resilience while the error correction process itself is viewed as a reduction in information entropy. The core of this work explores the deep connection between these previously distinct fields, offering new perspectives for quantum computation and information transmission. The primary mathematical tools employed are probability theory, information theory, and linear algebra. We define key parameters such as the entropy of a state, the fidelity of a quantum state, and the distance between states. The goal is to provide a cohesive understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving both error correction and the quantification of uncertainty in quantum systems. The theoretical framework presented here provides a novel approach to understanding and potentially optimizing quantum information processing.
The von Neumann entropy of a quantum state is a central concept in physics and information theory, having a number of compelling physical interpretations. There is a certain perspective that the most fundamental notion in quantum mechanics is that of a quantum channel, as quantum states, unitary evolutions, measurements, and discarding of quantum systems can each be regarded as certain kinds of quantum channels. Thus, an important goal is to define a consistent and meaningful notion of the entropy of a quantum channel. Motivated by the fact that the entropy of a state ρ can be formulated as the difference of the number of physical qubits and the "relative entropy distance"between ρ and the maximally mixed state, here we define the entropy of a channel N as the difference of the number of physical qubits of the channel output with the "relative entropy distance"between N and the completely depolarizing channel. We prove that this definition satisfies all of the axioms, recently put forward by Gour [IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 65, 5880 (2019)IETTAW0018-944810.1109/TIT.2019.2907989], required for a channel entropy function. The task of quantum channel merging, in which the goal is for the receiver to merge his share of the channel with the environment's share, gives a compelling operational interpretation of the entropy of a channel. The entropy of a channel can be negative for certain channels, but this negativity has an operational interpretation in terms of the channel merging protocol. We define Rényi and min-entropies of a channel and prove that they satisfy the axioms required for a channel entropy function. Among other results, we also prove that a smoothed version of the min-entropy of a channel satisfies the asymptotic equipartition property.