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AIP conference proceedings

Entanglement and Symmetry in Multiple-Qubit States: a geometrical approach

Gregg S. Jaeger

Published Jan 1, 2005• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The behavior of quantum states under local unitary transformations (LUTs) and stochastic local quantum operations and classical communication (SLOCC) has proven central to the understanding of entanglement in multipartite quantum systems. In particular, invariants under these operations have provided insight into quantum entanglement in multiple‐qubit states. Relationships between entanglement, mixedness and spin symmetry in multiple‐qubit quantum states can be found by exploiting these properties. For example, concurrence and n‐tangle are naturally expressed in terms of spin‐flip transformations. In the case of specialized entanglement measures and/or special families of states, complementarity relations involving these lengths and state transformations are derivable. Here, the role of geometry in such investigations is explored. Minkowskian geometry is seen to provide elegant representations of entanglement in multiple‐qubit systems, particularly the language of twistors.

DOI
10.1063/1.1874571

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The behavior of quantum states under local unitary transformations (LUTs) and stochastic local quantum operations and classical communication (SLOCC) has proven central to the understanding of entanglement in multipartite quantum systems. In particular, invariants under these operations have provided insight into quantum entanglement in multiple‐qubit states. Relationships between entanglement, mixedness and spin symmetry in multiple‐qubit quantum states can be found by exploiting these properties. For example, concurrence and n‐tangle are naturally expressed in terms of spin‐flip transformations. In the case of specialized entanglement measures and/or special families of states, complementarity relations involving these lengths and state transformations are derivable. Here, the role of geometry in such investigations is explored. Minkowskian geometry is seen to provide elegant representations of entanglement in multiple‐qubit systems, particularly the language of twistors.
Quantum states that are symmetric with respect to permutations of their subsystems appear in a wide range of physical settings, and they have a variety of promising applications in quantum information science. In this thesis, the entanglement of symmetric multipartite states is categorized, with a particular focus on the pure multi-qubit case and the geometric measure of entanglement. An essential tool for this analysis is the Majorana representation, a generalization of the single-qubit Bloch sphere representation, which allows for a unique representation of symmetric n-qubit states by n points on the surface of a sphere. Here this representation is employed to search for the maximally entangled symmetric states of up to 12 qubits in terms of the geometric measure, and an intuitive visual understanding of the upper bound on the maximal symmetric entanglement is given. Furthermore, it will be seen that the Majorana representation facilitates the characterization of entanglement equivalence classes such as stochastic local operations and classical communication (SLOCC) and the degeneracy configuration (DC). It is found that SLOCC operations between symmetric states can be described by the Möbius transformations of complex analysis, which allows for a clear visualization of the SLOCC freedoms and facilitates the understanding of SLOCC invariants and equivalence classes. In particular, explicit forms of representative states for all symmetric SLOCC classes of up to five qubits are derived. Well-known entanglement classification schemes such as the four qubit entanglement families or polynomial invariants are reviewed in the light of the results gathered here, which leads to sometimes surprising connections. Some interesting links and applications of the Majorana representation to related fields of mathematics and physics are also discussed.
We discuss the entanglement properties of symmetric states of n qubits. The Majorana representation maps a generic such state into a system of n points on a sphere. Entanglement invariants, either under local unitaries (LU) or stochastic local operations and classical communication (SLOCC), can then be addressed in terms of the relative positions of the Majorana points. In the LU case, an overcomplete set of invariants can be built from the inner product of the radial vectors pointing to these points; this is detailed for the well-documented three-qubits case. In the SLOCC case, a cross ratio of related Möbius transformations are shown to play a central role, exemplified here for four qubits. Finally, as a side result, we also analyze the manifold of maximally entangled 3 qubit state, both in the symmetric and generic case.
A geometrical description of three-qubit entanglement is given. A part of the transformations corresponding to stochastic local operations and classical communication on the qubits is regarded as a gauge degree of freedom. Entangled states can be represented by the points of the Klein quadric Q\mathcal{Q}Q, a space known from twistor theory. It is shown that three-qubit invariants are vanishing on special subspaces of Q\mathcal{Q}Q with interesting geometric properties. An invariant characterizing the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger class is proposed. A geometric interpretation of the canonical decomposition and the inequality for distributed entanglement is also given.
We investigate the relationship between multipartite entanglement and symmetry, focusing on permutation symmetric states. We give a highly intuitive geometric interpretation to entanglement via the Majorana representation, where these states correspond to points on a unit sphere. We use this to show how various entanglement properties are determined by the symmetry properties of the states. The geometric measure of entanglement is thus phrased entirely as a geometric optimization and a condition for the equivalence of entanglement measures written in terms of point symmetries. Finally, we see that different symmetries of the states correspond to different types of entanglement with respect to interconvertibility under stochastic local operations and classical communication.
Chapter 14 transitions the focus to multipartite entanglement, a realm that broadens the discussion from bipartite systems to those involving multiple parties. This complex form of entanglement plays a crucial role in quantum computing, cryptography, and communication networks. The chapter introduces the foundational concepts of multipartite entanglement, including its characterization and the challenges associated with its classification. Significant attention is given to the classification of multipartite entangled states through SL-invariant polynomials, which provide tools for understanding the structure and properties of these states. Stochastic Local Operations and Classical Communication (SLOCC) are introduced as a means to classify entanglement. Furthermore, the chapter explores the entanglement of assistance and the monogamy of entanglement, two concepts that illustrate the limitations and potential for distributing entanglement among multiple parties. Through detailed explanations and examples in three and four qubits, this chapter offers insights into the intricate world of multipartite entanglement, revealing both its potential and challenges.