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:1609.09835

Extremal Density Matrices for Qudit States

Armando Figueroa, Julio A. López-Saldívar, Octavio Castaños, Ramón López–Peña

Published Sep 30, 2016• 3 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

An algebraic procedure to find extremal density matrices for any Hamiltonian of a qudit system is established. The extremal density matrices for pure states provide a complete description of the system, that is, the energy spectra of the Hamiltonian and their corresponding projectors. For extremal density matrices representing mixed states, one gets mean values of the energy in between the maximum and minimum energies associated to the pure case. These extremal densities give also the corresponding mixture of eigenstates that yields the corresponding mean value of the energy. We enhance that the method can be extended to any hermitian operator.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.1609.09835

Related papers

Extremal Density Matrices for the Expectation Value of a Qudit Hamiltonian

Octavio Castaños, Armando Figueroa, Julio A. López-Saldívar +1 more

An algebraic procedure to find extremal density matrices for the expectation value of a finite Hamiltonian matrix is established. The extremal density matrices for pure states provide a complete description of the system, that is, its corresponding energy spectrum and projectors. For density matrices representing mixed states, one gets the most probable eigenstates that yield extremal mean values of the energy. The procedure uses mainly the stationary solutions of the von Neumann equation of motion, the orbits of the Hamiltonian, and the positivity conditions of the density matrix. The method is illustrated for matrix Hamiltonians of dimensions d = 2 and d = 3.

Journal of Physics Conference Series•May 26, 2017•4 citations

Entropy–energy inequalities for qudit states

Armando Figueroa, Julio A. López-Saldívar, Octavio Castaños +3 more

We establish a procedure to find the extremal density matrices for any finite Hamiltonian of a qudit system. These extremal density matrices provide an approximate description of the energy spectra of the Hamiltonian. In the case of restricting the extremal density matrices by pure states, we show that the energy spectra of the Hamiltonian is recovered for $d=2$ and $3$. We conjecture that by means of this approach the energy spectra can be recovered for the Hamiltonian of an arbitrary finite qudit system. For a given qudit system Hamiltonian, we find new inequalities connecting the mean value of the Hamiltonian and the entropy of an arbitrary state. We demonstrate that these inequalities take place for both the considered extremal density matrices and generic ones.

arXiv:1408.7099•Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical•Jan 19, 2015•11 citations

The Density Matrix Formalism

Bernard d’Espagnat

Along with an elementary description of the well-known density matrix formalism and of its application to the description of quantum-statistical ensembles, this chapter includes the proofs of a few propositions that are especially useful for understanding most of the developments. In the new formulation, ensembles are directly described by density matrices, observables are still described by Hermitean operators, and the rules giving the statistical distribution and the mean values of the predicted measurement results are, respectively, expressions. When stated in this manner, the rules of quantum mechanics apply directly not only to pure states but also to mixtures. This is a distinct advantage. In the case of mixtures defined by their density matrices, the new formulation also has another merit. If two proper mixtures are described by the same density matrix, any state vector representing a subensemble of one of these mixtures can be expressed as a linear combination of the state vectors representing the subensembles of the other mixture.

CRC Press eBooks•Mar 5, 2018•1 citation

ON THE PSEUDO-PURE STATES OF TWO QUBITS

Horia Scutaru

Pseudo-pure states are defined as the maximally degenerate mixed states. The density matrices of such states have only two distinct degenerate eigenvalues. We shall show that, in the particular case of the two qubits systems, these states are completely determined by the one of the two Bloch vectors of the corresponding qubits.

•Jan 1, 2004•0 citations

From density matrix to geometrical phases

Giampiero V. M. Esposito, Giuseppe Marmo, George Sudarshan

The density matrix ρ is defined and its basic properties are derived in detail: ρ is a Hermitian non-negative operator with unit trace, its eigenvalues are non-negative and lie in the closed interval [0, 1]; if ρ is a projector, it projects onto a one-dimensional sub-space, the trace of ρ 2 is ≤ 1, the equality holding only if ρ is a projector. A necessary and sufficient condition for ρ to be a projector is that all vectors in its definition are identical up to a phase. Pure cases are sets that can be described by a state vector, unlike mixtures . The density matrix of a mixture is not a projection operator, and this may be viewed as its distinguishing feature with respect to pure cases. The mean value of an observable can be reexpressed with the help of the density matrix, and a Schrödinger equation for density matrices holds. Last, but not least, pure cases cannot unitarily evolve into mixtures . The applications of the formalism presented in this chapter deal with orientation of spin-½ particles, polarization of pairs of photons, thermal-equilibrium states. In the second part, quantum entanglement is presented, with emphasis on the existence of state vectors for entangled pairs of particles that belong to the tensor product of Hilbert spaces H 1 ⊗ H 2 , but are not of the simple product form ψ 1 ⊗ ψ 2 . The only correct interpretation of such states has a statistical nature, associated to series of repeated measurements performed by two observers on the constituents of the entangled pair. Hidden-variable theories, with the associated Bell inequalities, are introduced, and a way of using entangled quantum states is described which makes it possible to transfer the polarization state of a photon to another photon. This property provides the foundation of the modern investigations of quantum teleportation.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Mar 11, 2004•0 citations

Density of states of quantum systems from free probability theory: a brief overview

Keun-Young Kim, Kuntal Pal

We provide a brief overview of approaches for calculating the density of states of quantum systems and random matrix Hamiltonians using the tools of free probability theory. For a given Hamiltonian of a quantum system or a generic random matrix Hamiltonian, which can be written as a sum of two non-commutating operators, one can obtain an expression for the density of states of the Hamiltonian from the known density of states of the two component operators by assuming that these operators are mutually free and by using the free additive convolution. In many examples of interacting quantum systems and random matrix models, this procedure is known to provide a reasonably accurate approximation to the exact numerical density of states. We review some of the examples that are known in the literature where this procedure works very well, and also discuss some of the limitations of this method in situations where the free probability approximation fails to provide a sufficiently accurate description of the exact density of states. Subsequently, we describe a perturbation scheme that can be developed from the subordination formulas for the Cauchy transform of the density of states and use it to obtain approximate analytical expressions for the density of states in various models, such as the Rosenzweig-Porter random matrix ensemble and the Anderson model with on-site disorder.

quant-pharXiv:2512.03850•Dec 4, 2025
An algebraic procedure to find extremal density matrices for any Hamiltonian of a qudit system is established. The extremal density matrices for pure states provide a complete description of the system, that is, the energy spectra of the Hamiltonian and their corresponding projectors. For extremal density matrices representing mixed states, one gets mean values of the energy in between the maximum and minimum energies associated to the pure case. These extremal densities give also the corresponding mixture of eigenstates that yields the corresponding mean value of the energy. We enhance that the method can be extended to any hermitian operator.
An algebraic procedure to find extremal density matrices for the expectation value of a finite Hamiltonian matrix is established. The extremal density matrices for pure states provide a complete description of the system, that is, its corresponding energy spectrum and projectors. For density matrices representing mixed states, one gets the most probable eigenstates that yield extremal mean values of the energy. The procedure uses mainly the stationary solutions of the von Neumann equation of motion, the orbits of the Hamiltonian, and the positivity conditions of the density matrix. The method is illustrated for matrix Hamiltonians of dimensions d = 2 and d = 3.
We establish a procedure to find the extremal density matrices for any finite Hamiltonian of a qudit system. These extremal density matrices provide an approximate description of the energy spectra of the Hamiltonian. In the case of restricting the extremal density matrices by pure states, we show that the energy spectra of the Hamiltonian is recovered for d=2d=2d=2 and 333. We conjecture that by means of this approach the energy spectra can be recovered for the Hamiltonian of an arbitrary finite qudit system. For a given qudit system Hamiltonian, we find new inequalities connecting the mean value of the Hamiltonian and the entropy of an arbitrary state. We demonstrate that these inequalities take place for both the considered extremal density matrices and generic ones.
Along with an elementary description of the well-known density matrix formalism and of its application to the description of quantum-statistical ensembles, this chapter includes the proofs of a few propositions that are especially useful for understanding most of the developments. In the new formulation, ensembles are directly described by density matrices, observables are still described by Hermitean operators, and the rules giving the statistical distribution and the mean values of the predicted measurement results are, respectively, expressions. When stated in this manner, the rules of quantum mechanics apply directly not only to pure states but also to mixtures. This is a distinct advantage. In the case of mixtures defined by their density matrices, the new formulation also has another merit. If two proper mixtures are described by the same density matrix, any state vector representing a subensemble of one of these mixtures can be expressed as a linear combination of the state vectors representing the subensembles of the other mixture.
The density matrix ρ is defined and its basic properties are derived in detail: ρ is a Hermitian non-negative operator with unit trace, its eigenvalues are non-negative and lie in the closed interval [0, 1]; if ρ is a projector, it projects onto a one-dimensional sub-space, the trace of ρ 2 is ≤ 1, the equality holding only if ρ is a projector. A necessary and sufficient condition for ρ to be a projector is that all vectors in its definition are identical up to a phase. Pure cases are sets that can be described by a state vector, unlike mixtures . The density matrix of a mixture is not a projection operator, and this may be viewed as its distinguishing feature with respect to pure cases. The mean value of an observable can be reexpressed with the help of the density matrix, and a Schrödinger equation for density matrices holds. Last, but not least, pure cases cannot unitarily evolve into mixtures . The applications of the formalism presented in this chapter deal with orientation of spin-½ particles, polarization of pairs of photons, thermal-equilibrium states. In the second part, quantum entanglement is presented, with emphasis on the existence of state vectors for entangled pairs of particles that belong to the tensor product of Hilbert spaces H 1 ⊗ H 2 , but are not of the simple product form ψ 1 ⊗ ψ 2 . The only correct interpretation of such states has a statistical nature, associated to series of repeated measurements performed by two observers on the constituents of the entangled pair. Hidden-variable theories, with the associated Bell inequalities, are introduced, and a way of using entangled quantum states is described which makes it possible to transfer the polarization state of a photon to another photon. This property provides the foundation of the modern investigations of quantum teleportation.
We provide a brief overview of approaches for calculating the density of states of quantum systems and random matrix Hamiltonians using the tools of free probability theory. For a given Hamiltonian of a quantum system or a generic random matrix Hamiltonian, which can be written as a sum of two non-commutating operators, one can obtain an expression for the density of states of the Hamiltonian from the known density of states of the two component operators by assuming that these operators are mutually free and by using the free additive convolution. In many examples of interacting quantum systems and random matrix models, this procedure is known to provide a reasonably accurate approximation to the exact numerical density of states. We review some of the examples that are known in the literature where this procedure works very well, and also discuss some of the limitations of this method in situations where the free probability approximation fails to provide a sufficiently accurate description of the exact density of states. Subsequently, we describe a perturbation scheme that can be developed from the subordination formulas for the Cauchy transform of the density of states and use it to obtain approximate analytical expressions for the density of states in various models, such as the Rosenzweig-Porter random matrix ensemble and the Anderson model with on-site disorder.