The Kirkwood-Dirac (KD) distribution is a quantum state representation that relies on two chosen fixed orthonormal bases, or alternatively, on the transition matrix of these two bases. In recent years, it has been discovered that the KD distribution has numerous applications in quantum information science. The presence of negative or nonreal KD distributions may indicate certain quantum features or advantages. If the KD distribution of a quantum state consists solely of positive or zero elements, the state is called a KD-positive state. Consequently, a crucial inquiry arises regarding the determination of whether a quantum state is KD-positive when subjected to various physically relevant transition matrices. When the transition matrix is discrete Fourier transform (DFT) matrix of dimension p [Langrenez et al., J. Math. Phys. 65, 072201 (2024)] or p2 [Yang et al., J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 57, 435303 (2024)] with p being prime, it is proved that any KD-positive state can be expressed as a convex combination of pure KD-positive states. In this work, we prove that when the transition matrix is the DFT matrix of any finite dimension, any KD-positive state can be expressed as a real linear combination of pure KD-positive states.
The Kirkwood-Dirac (KD) distribution is a quantum state representation that relies on two chosen fixed orthonormal bases, or alternatively, on the transition matrix of these two bases. In recent years, it has been discovered that the KD distribution has numerous applications in quantum information science. The presence of negative or nonreal KD distributions may indicate certain quantum features or advantages. If the KD distribution of a quantum state consists solely of positive or zero elements, the state is called a KD-positive state. Consequently, a crucial inquiry arises regarding the determination of whether a quantum state is KD-positive when subjected to various physically relevant transition matrices. When the transition matrix is discrete Fourier transform (DFT) matrix of dimension p [Langrenez et al., J. Math. Phys. 65, 072201 (2024)] or p2 [Yang et al., J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 57, 435303 (2024)] with p being prime, it is proved that any KD-positive state can be expressed as a convex combination of pure KD-positive states. In this work, we prove that when the transition matrix is the DFT matrix of any finite dimension, any KD-positive state can be expressed as a real linear combination of pure KD-positive states.
The Kirkwood–Dirac (KD) quasiprobability distribution can describe any quantum state with respect to the eigenbases of two observables A and B. KD distributions behave similarly to classical joint probability distributions but can assume negative and nonreal values. In recent years, KD distributions have proven instrumental in mapping out nonclassical phenomena and quantum advantages. These quantum features have been connected to nonpositive entries of KD distributions. Consequently, it is important to understand the geometry of the KD-positive and -nonpositive states. Until now, there has been no thorough analysis of the KD positivity of mixed states. Here, we investigate the dependence of the full convex set of states with positive KD distributions on the eigenbases of A and B and on the dimension d of the Hilbert space. In particular, we identify three regimes where convex combinations of the eigenprojectors of A and B constitute the only KD-positive states: (i) any system in dimension 2; (ii) an open and dense probability one set of bases in dimension d = 3; and (iii) the discrete-Fourier-transform bases in prime dimension. Finally, we show that, if for example d = 2m, there exist, for suitable choices of A and B, mixed KD-positive states that cannot be written as convex combinations of pure KD-positive states. We further explicitly construct such states for a spin-1 system.
Abstract The characterization of Kirkwood–Dirac (KD) classicality or non-classicality is very important in quantum information processing. In general, the set of KD classical states with respect to two bases is not a convex polytope (Langrene et al 2024 J. Math. Phys. 65 072201), which makes us interested in finding out in which circumstances they do form a polytope. In this paper, we focus on the characterization of KD classicality of mixed states for the case where the transition matrix between two bases is a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) matrix in Hilbert space with dimensions p 2 and pq , respectively, where p , q are prime. For the two particular cases we investigate, the sets of extremal points are finite, implying that the set of KD classical states we characterize forms a convex polytope. We show that for p 2 dimensional system, the set KD A , B + is a convex hull of the set pure ( KD A , B + ) based on DFT, where KD A , B + is the set of KD classical states with respect to two bases and pure ( KD A , B + ) is the set of all the rank-one projectors of KD classical pure states with respect to two bases. In pq dimensional system, we believe that this result also holds. Unfortunately, we do not completely prove it, but some meaningful conclusions are obtained about the characterization of KD classicality.
The Kirkwood-Dirac (KD) quasiprobability distribution is a fundamental representation for quantum states and has been widely applied in quantum metrology, quantum chaos, weak values in recent years. A quantum state is KD-classical if its KD-quasiprobability distribution forms a valid classical probability distribution with respect to two given bases, and KD-nonclassical otherwise, with the latter being closely associated with quantum advantages in various quantum processes. In this work, we investigate the structural characteristics of the KD-classical state set when the transition matrix between two orthonormal bases takes the form of a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) matrix. First, we adopt an alternative analytical approach to prove that the set of KD-classical states in a pr-dimensional Hilbert space is the convex hull of KD-classical pure states--a conclusion that was recently established by De Bi{è}vre et al [Annales Henri Poincar{é}, 1-20, 2025]. Furthermore, we define a directed graph and use it to characterize KD-classical pure states in a Hilbert space of arbitrary dimension d. That is, the convex hull of KD-classical pure states along any path from the start vertex to the end vertex in this directed graph is exactly the intersection of the KD-classical state set and the linear space spanned by these path-associated KD-classical pure states. This general result not only yields the pr-dimensional conclusion in a straightforward manner but also encompasses Theorem 2 in the existing work [J. Phys. A, 57, 435303, 2024], demonstrating its generality and inclusiveness.
Abstract Given two orthonormal bases ( | a i ⟩ ) i and ( | b j ⟩ ) j , one can associate to every quantum state a Kirkwood–Dirac (KD) quasiprobability distribution. KD distributions are like joint classical probabilities except that they can have negative or nonreal values, which are associated to nonclassical features of the state. In the last decade, KD distributions have proven to be versatile tools to investigate and construct quantum advantages and nonclassical phenomena. KD distributions are also used to determine quantum–classical boundaries, for example in the theory of (non)contextuality. Optimal use of the KD distributions relies on useful witnesses of KD nonpositivity. Previous works have established such a witness based on the observation that KD-nonpositive pure states have large support uncertainty with respect to the bases ( | a i ⟩ ) i and ( | b j ⟩ ) j . Here, we extend this witness to mixed states. We introduce two convex roof constructions: the convex roof of the support uncertainty and the convex roof of the KD nonpositivity. These constructions both witness the set of quantum states that cannot be written as a convex combination of KD-positive pure states. Moreover, the first one extends to mixed states the relation between two phenomena: large support uncertainty and the fact that the state belongs to the convex hull of the KD-positive pure states. The convex roof of the KD nonpositivity together with the KD nonpositivity itself give a necessary and sufficient condition for a state to be KD positive but not to belong to the convex hull of the KD-positive pure states.
Abstract Kirkwood discovered in 1933, and Dirac discovered in 1945, a representation of quantum states that has undergone a renaissance recently. The Kirkwood–Dirac (KD) distribution has been employed to study nonclassicality across quantum physics, from metrology to chaos to the foundations of quantum theory. The KD distribution is a quasiprobability distribution, a quantum generalization of a probability distribution, which can behave nonclassically by having negative or nonreal elements. Negative KD elements signify quantum information scrambling and potential metrological quantum advantages. Nonreal elements encode measurement disturbance and thermodynamic nonclassicality. KD distributions’ nonclassicality has been believed to follow necessarily from pairwise noncommutation of operators in the distribution’s definition. We show that noncommutation does not suffice. We prove sufficient conditions for the KD distribution to be nonclassical (equivalently, necessary conditions for it to be classical). We also quantify the KD nonclassicality achievable under various conditions. This work resolves long-standing questions about nonclassicality and may be used to engineer quantum advantages.
Abstract There are several mathematical formulations of quantum mechanics. The Schrödinger picture expresses quantum states in terms of wavefunctions over, e.g. position or momentum. Alternatively, phase-space formulations represent states with quasi-probability distributions over, e.g. position and momentum. A quasi-probability distribution resembles a probability distribution but may have negative and non-real entries. The most famous quasi-probability distribution, the Wigner function, has played a pivotal role in the development of a continuous-variable quantum theory that has clear analogues of position and momentum. However, the Wigner function is ill-suited for much modern quantum-information research, which is focused on finite-dimensional systems and general observables. Instead, recent years have seen the Kirkwood–Dirac (KD) distribution come to the forefront as a powerful quasi-probability distribution for analysing quantum mechanics. The KD distribution allows tools from statistics and probability theory to be applied to problems in quantum-information processing. A notable difference to the Wigner function is that the KD distribution can represent a quantum state in terms of arbitrary observables. This paper reviews the KD distribution, in three parts. First, we present definitions and basic properties of the KD distribution and its generalisations. Second, we summarise the KD distribution’s extensive usage in the study or development of measurement disturbance; quantum metrology; weak values; direct measurements of quantum states; quantum thermodynamics; quantum scrambling and out-of-time-ordered correlators; and the foundations of quantum mechanics, including Leggett–Garg inequalities, the consistent-histories interpretation and contextuality. We emphasise connections between operational quantum advantages and negative or non-real KD quasi-probabilities. Third, we delve into the KD distribution’s mathematical structure. We summarise the current knowledge regarding the geometry of KD-positive states (the states for which the KD distribution is a classical probability distribution), describe how to witness and quantify KD non-positivity, and outline relationships between KD non-positivity, coherence and observables’ incompatibility.