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arXiv:2211.16533

Variations on the Choi-Jamiolkowski isomorphism

Markus Frembs, Eric G. Cavalcanti

Published Nov 29, 2022• 2 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We address various aspects of a widely used tool in quantum information theory: the Choi-Jamiolkowski isomorphism [A. Jamiolkowski, Rep. Math. Phys., 3, 275 (1972)]. We review different versions of the isomorphism, their properties and propose a unified description that combines them all. To this end, we identify the physical reason for the appearance of the (basis-dependent) operation of transposition in the isomorphism as used in Choi's theorem [M.-D. Choi, Lin. Alg. Appl., 10, 285 (1975)]. This requires a careful distinction between Jordan algebras and the different C*-algebras they arise from, which are distinguished by their order of composition. Physically, the latter encodes a choice of time orientation in the respective algebras, which relates to a number of recent results, including a characterisation of quantum from more general non-signalling bipartite correlations [M. Frembs and A. Döring, arXiv:2204.11471] and a classification of bipartite entanglement [M. Frembs, arXiv:2207.00024].

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2211.16533

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Variations on the Choi–Jamiołkowski isomorphism

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Abstract The Choi–Jamiołkowski isomorphism is an essential component in every quantum information theorist’s toolkit: it allows to identify linear maps between two quantum systems with linear operators on the composite system. Here, we analyse this widely used gadget from a new perspective. Namely, we explicitly distinguish between its kinematical and dynamical properties, that is, we study the isomorphism on two different levels: Jordan algebras and the different C ∗ -algebras they arise from, which are distinguished by their order of composition. A number of important and novel insights stem from our analysis. We find that Choi’s theorem, which asserts that Choi’s version of the isomorphism (Choi 1975 Lin. Alg. Appl. 10 285) further maps the positive cone of completely positive linear maps (such as quantum channels) to the cone of positive linear operators (such as quantum states) on the composite system, crucially depends on the dynamical structure in C ∗ -algebras. We explain in detail how this dependence gives rise to the mismatch between the basis-dependence of Choi’s version of the isomorphism, and the basis-independent version by Jamiołkowski (1972 Rep. Math. Phys. 3 275). We then overcome this subtle but pervasive issue in a number of ways: first, we prove a version of Choi’s theorem for Jamiołkowski’s isomorphism, second, we define a basis-independent variant of Choi’s isomorphism and, third, by making explicit the dynamical distinction between Jordan and C ∗ -algebras, we combine the different variants of the isomorphism into a unified description, that subsumes their individual features. We also embed and interpret our results in the graphical calculus of categorical quantum mechanics.

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In chapter 7 we will study quantum channels. We will see how the so-called Choi–Jamiołkowski isomorphism—which links quantum channels with quantum states—allows for semidefinite programming techniques to be applied to quantum channels. We will then see how we can estimate an uncharacterised channel, calculate the diamond norm (which characterises the operational distinguishability between channels) and finally how to use duality to uncover a link between a channel optimisation problem and quantum entropies.

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We address various aspects of a widely used tool in quantum information theory: the Choi-Jamiolkowski isomorphism [A. Jamiolkowski, Rep. Math. Phys., 3, 275 (1972)]. We review different versions of the isomorphism, their properties and propose a unified description that combines them all. To this end, we identify the physical reason for the appearance of the (basis-dependent) operation of transposition in the isomorphism as used in Choi's theorem [M.-D. Choi, Lin. Alg. Appl., 10, 285 (1975)]. This requires a careful distinction between Jordan algebras and the different C*-algebras they arise from, which are distinguished by their order of composition. Physically, the latter encodes a choice of time orientation in the respective algebras, which relates to a number of recent results, including a characterisation of quantum from more general non-signalling bipartite correlations [M. Frembs and A. Döring, arXiv:2204.11471] and a classification of bipartite entanglement [M. Frembs, arXiv:2207.00024].
Abstract The Choi–Jamiołkowski isomorphism is an essential component in every quantum information theorist’s toolkit: it allows to identify linear maps between two quantum systems with linear operators on the composite system. Here, we analyse this widely used gadget from a new perspective. Namely, we explicitly distinguish between its kinematical and dynamical properties, that is, we study the isomorphism on two different levels: Jordan algebras and the different C ∗ -algebras they arise from, which are distinguished by their order of composition. A number of important and novel insights stem from our analysis. We find that Choi’s theorem, which asserts that Choi’s version of the isomorphism (Choi 1975 Lin. Alg. Appl. 10 285) further maps the positive cone of completely positive linear maps (such as quantum channels) to the cone of positive linear operators (such as quantum states) on the composite system, crucially depends on the dynamical structure in C ∗ -algebras. We explain in detail how this dependence gives rise to the mismatch between the basis-dependence of Choi’s version of the isomorphism, and the basis-independent version by Jamiołkowski (1972 Rep. Math. Phys. 3 275). We then overcome this subtle but pervasive issue in a number of ways: first, we prove a version of Choi’s theorem for Jamiołkowski’s isomorphism, second, we define a basis-independent variant of Choi’s isomorphism and, third, by making explicit the dynamical distinction between Jordan and C ∗ -algebras, we combine the different variants of the isomorphism into a unified description, that subsumes their individual features. We also embed and interpret our results in the graphical calculus of categorical quantum mechanics.
Provided a maximally entangled state vector in H⊗H{\mathcal{H}}\otimes{\mathcal{H}}H⊗H, the Choi-Jamiolkowski isomorphism of quantum information theory (or channel/state duality) produces a mapping of CP(H,K){\mathsf CP}({\mathcal{H}},{\mathcal{K}})CP(H,K) (completely positive maps of density operators on H{\mathcal{H}}H tothose on K{\mathcal{K}}K) onto the density operators on K⊗H{\mathcal{K}}\otimes{\mathcal{H}}K⊗H, which extends to a unitary map. Here, H{\mathcal{H}}H and K{\mathcal{K}}K are {finite-dimensional} Hilbert spaces.The nature of this construction, the form of the associated formulas, and the possibility of versions which do not require an entangled vector seed, are illuminated from the perspective of {naturality}, in the sense of Eilenberg and MacLane.There is a unique such correspondence (``Choi map'') natural in both H{\mathcal{H}}H and K{\mathcal{K}}K which produces density operators on either L(H,K){\mathsf L}({\mathcal{H}},{\mathcal{K}})L(H,K) (Hilbert-Schmidt inner product) or K⊗H∗{\mathcal{K}}\otimes{\mathcal{H}}^*K⊗H∗ instead of K⊗H{\mathcal{K}}\otimes{\mathcal{H}}K⊗H. In particular, no entangled state input is required. There are no such binatural maps carried on K⊗H{\mathcal{K}}\otimes{\mathcal{H}}K⊗H, but those natural in only K{\mathcal{K}}K are canonically associated with unitary maps H→H∗{\mathcal{H}}\rightarrow{\mathcal{H}}^*H→H∗ and derive from the binatural maps. The construction recovers the standard Choi-Jamiolkowski formulae and shows how they express naturality.
In this article, I use an operational formulation of the Choi-Jamiołkowski isomorphism to explore an approach to quantum mechanics in which the state is not the fundamental object. I first situate this project in the context of generalized probabilistic theories and argue that this framework may be understood as a means of drawing conclusions about the intratheoretic causal structure of quantum mechanics which are independent of any specific ontological picture. I then give an operational formulation of the Choi-Jamiołkowski isomorphism and show that, in an operational theory which exhibits this isomorphism, several features of the theory which are usually regarded as properties of the quantum state can be derived from constraints on non-local correlations. This demonstrates that there is no need to postulate states to be the bearers of these properties, since they can be understood as consequences of a fundamental equivalence between multipartite and temporal correlations.
Channel--state duality identifies completely positive maps with bipartite states. Its generalisation to von Neumann algebras is known to produce states not on M⊗ˉN\mathcal{M}\bar{\otimes}\mathcal{N}M⊗ˉ​N but on the tensor product of M\mathcal{M}M with the \emph{opposite} algebra of N\mathcal{N}N, or equivalently with a commutant; returning to N\mathcal{N}N itself requires a transposition, and it has been observed that this step typically fails. We determine exactly when it does not fail. Our main result is that a Choi--Jamiołkowski type isomorphism which is natural in the first algebra exists if and only if the second algebra is ∗*∗-anti-isomorphic to itself. Naturality cannot be dropped: whenever M\mathcal{M}M is anti-isomorphic to itself such an isomorphism exists for trivial reasons, since the order structure of a predual is a Jordan invariant and cannot distinguish an algebra from its opposite. Consequently no such correspondence exists for the type III factors constructed by Connes. We show in addition that the domain admits no description in terms of properties of individual maps: the space of all normal maps with the operator norm is too large, and neither complete boundedness nor complete positivity cuts it down to the right size.
Abstract In quantum information, most information processing processes involve quantum channels. One manifestation of a quantum channel is quantum operation acting on quantum states. The coherence of quantum operations can be considered as a quantum resource, which can be exploited to perform certain quantum tasks. From the viewpoint of Choi–Jamiołkowski isomorphism, we study the coherence of quantum operations in the framework of resource theory. We study the phase-out superoperation and give the operation which transforms the Choi–Jamiołkowski state of a quantum operation to the Choi–Jamiołkowski state of the another quantum operation obtained by using the phase-out superoperation to act on the quantum operation. The set of maximally incoherent superoperations, the set of nonactivating coherent superoperations and the set of de-phase incoherent superoperations are investigated and we prove that these sets are closed to compound operation and convex combination of quantum superoperations. Further, we introduce the fidelity coherence measure of quantum operations and obtain the exact form of the fidelity coherence measure of the unitary operations on the single qubit.
In chapter 7 we will study quantum channels. We will see how the so-called Choi–Jamiołkowski isomorphism—which links quantum channels with quantum states—allows for semidefinite programming techniques to be applied to quantum channels. We will then see how we can estimate an uncharacterised channel, calculate the diamond norm (which characterises the operational distinguishability between channels) and finally how to use duality to uncover a link between a channel optimisation problem and quantum entropies.