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arXiv:2508.12949 · TURKISH JOURNAL OF PHYSICS

Symmetric orthogonalization and probabilistic weights in resource quantification

Gökhan Torun

Published Feb 18, 2026• 0 citations

Abstract

Transforming nonorthogonal bases into orthogonal ones often compromises essential properties or physical meaning in quantum systems. Here, we demonstrate that Löwdin symmetric orthogonalization (LSO) outperforms the widely used Gram–Schmidt orthogonalization (GSO) in characterizing and quantifying quantum resources, with particular emphasis on coherence and superposition. We employ LSO both to construct an orthogonal basis from a nonorthogonal one and to obtain a nonorthogonal basis from an orthogonal set, thereby mitigating ambiguity related to the basis choice in defining quantum coherence. Unlike GSO, which depends on the ordering of input states, LSO applies a symmetric transformation that treats all vectors equally and minimizes deviation from the original basis. This procedure yields basis sets with enhanced stability, preserving the closest possible correspondence to the original physical states while satisfying orthogonality. Building on LSO, we also introduce Löwdin weights — probabilistic weights for nonorthogonal representations that provide a consistent measure of resource content. We explicitly contrast these with Chirgwin-Coulson weights, demonstrating that Löwdin weights ensure nonnegativity, a prerequisite for information-theoretic measures. These weights further enable the quantification of coherence and the characterization of superposition, providing a degree of superposition as a distinct measure, as well as facilitating the assessment of state delocalization through entropy and participation ratios. Our theoretical and numerical analyses confirm LSO’s superior preservation of quantum state symmetry and resource characteristics, underscoring the critical role of orthogonalization methods and Löwdin weights in resource theory frameworks involving nonorthogonal bases.

DOI: 10.55730/1300-0101.2798

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Transforming nonorthogonal bases into orthogonal ones often compromises essential properties or physical meaning in quantum systems. Here, we demonstrate that Löwdin symmetric orthogonalization (LSO) outperforms the widely used Gram–Schmidt orthogonalization (GSO) in characterizing and quantifying quantum resources, with particular emphasis on coherence and superposition. We employ LSO both to construct an orthogonal basis from a nonorthogonal one and to obtain a nonorthogonal basis from an orthogonal set, thereby mitigating ambiguity related to the basis choice in defining quantum coherence. Unlike GSO, which depends on the ordering of input states, LSO applies a symmetric transformation that treats all vectors equally and minimizes deviation from the original basis. This procedure yields basis sets with enhanced stability, preserving the closest possible correspondence to the original physical states while satisfying orthogonality. Building on LSO, we also introduce Löwdin weights — probabilistic weights for nonorthogonal representations that provide a consistent measure of resource content. We explicitly contrast these with Chirgwin-Coulson weights, demonstrating that Löwdin weights ensure nonnegativity, a prerequisite for information-theoretic measures. These weights further enable the quantification of coherence and the characterization of superposition, providing a degree of superposition as a distinct measure, as well as facilitating the assessment of state delocalization through entropy and participation ratios. Our theoretical and numerical analyses confirm LSO’s superior preservation of quantum state symmetry and resource characteristics, underscoring the critical role of orthogonalization methods and Löwdin weights in resource theory frameworks involving nonorthogonal bases.

Abstract The notions of coherence and superposition are conceptually the same; however, an important distinction exists between their resource-theoretic formulations. Namely, while basis states are orthogonal in the resource theory of coherence, they are not necessarily orthogonal in the resource theory of superposition. Owing to the nonorthogonality, the manipulation and characterization of superposition states require significant efforts. Here, we demonstrate that the Löwdin symmetric orthogonalization (LSO) method offers a useful means for characterizing pure superposition states. The principal property of LSO is that the structure and symmetry of the original nonorthogonal basis states are preserved to the greatest extent possible, which prompts us to study the role of LSO in identifying the hierarchical relations of resource states. Notably, we reveal that the maximally coherent states turn into the states with maximal superposition with the help of LSO: in other words, they are equivalent under the action of symmetric orthogonalization. Our results facilitate further connections between coherence and superposition, where LSO is the main tool.

In the resource theory of superposition relative to linearly independent, nonorthogonal reference states, golden states are known for two reference states and for special overlap matrices, and all of them are maximally coherent in the Löwdin basis. We clarify what decides their existence and their Löwdin structure. The robustness and the geometric measure of superposition are maximized by the same states, which overlap equally with every reference state; their maximal values are set by the ground-state energy of a classical

XY

model on the overlaps of the dual basis. For every overlap matrix, these states, and only these, are golden under the maximal superposition-free operations, but they need not be maximally coherent in the Löwdin basis. For the Kraus-type free operations, we prove a necessary and sufficient criterion, Gram majorization, for converting pure states into targets with nonzero coefficients; it reduces to majorization for orthonormal reference states. It shows that golden states of these operations must be maximally coherent in the Löwdin basis, but that this does not ensure their existence: three reference states that are not orthonormal admit a golden state if and only if their overlaps have a common modulus

s

and their Bargmann phase

Φ

obeys

s\geq2\cos[(π+|Φ|)/3]

. Equal-overlap states also yield a complete family of superposition witnesses in the Löwdin basis, which show that white noise on the span of the reference states is a resource unless these states are orthonormal.

One central study that constitutes a major branch of quantum resource theory is the hierarchy of states. This provides a broad understanding of resourcefulness in certain tasks in terms of efficiency. Here we investigate the maximal superposition states, i.e., golden states, of the resource theory of superposition. Golden states in the resource theory of coherence are very well established; however, it is a very challenging task for superposition due to the nonorthogonality of the basis states. We show that there are sets of inner product settings that admit a golden state in high-dimensional systems. We bridge the gap between the resource theory of superposition and coherence in the context of golden states by establishing a continuous relation by means of a Gram matrix. In addition, immediate corollaries of our framework provide a representation of maximal states which reduces to the maximal state of the coherence in the orthonormal limit of pure basis states.

One central study that constitutes a major branch of quantum resource theory is the hierarchy of states. This provides a broad understanding of resourcefulness in certain tasks in terms of efficiency. Here we investigate the maximal superposition states, i.e., golden states, of the resource theory of superposition. Golden states in the resource theory of coherence are very well established; however, it is a very challenging task for superposition due to the nonorthogonality of the basis states. We show that there are sets of inner product settings that admit a golden state in high-dimensional systems. We bridge the gap between the resource theory of superposition and coherence in the context of golden states by establishing a continuous relation by means of a Gram matrix. In addition, immediate corollaries of our framework provide a representation of maximal states which reduces to the maximal state of the coherence in the orthonormal limit of pure basis states.

The resource theory of quantum superposition is an extension of the quantum coherent theory, in which linear independence relaxes the requirement of orthogonality. It can be used to quantify the nonclassical in superposition of finite number of optical coherent states. Based on convex roof extended, state transformation and weight, we give three methods of constructing superposition measures of quantum states, respectively. We also generalize the superposition resource theory from two perspectives.

Chapter 10 delves into the quantification of quantum resources, an essential aspect of quantum resource theories that determines the value of quantum states for specific applications. It begins by defining resource measures and investigating their fundamental properties such as monotonicity under free operations and convexity. The chapter discusses distance-based resource measures, which quantify how far a given quantum state is from the set of free states. Such measures often utilize divergences and metrics explored in earlier chapters. Techniques to compute the relative entropy of a resource are also covered. To refine resource measures, the chapter introduces the concept of smoothing, which considers small deviations from the ideal state to make the measures more robust against perturbations. This approach is crucial in single-shot scenarios where finite resources are available. Furthermore, the chapter examines resource monotones and support functions, offering a comprehensive framework for the theoretical and practical assessment of quantum resources.