Radial and Azimuthal Profiles of Two-Qubit/Rebit Hilbert-Schmidt Separability Probabilities

Paul B. Slater, Charles F. Dunkl

Paul B. Slater, Charles F. Dunkl

Paul B. Slater

Paul B. Slater

Firstly, we reduce the long-standing problem of ascertaining the Hilbert-Schmidt probability that a generic pair of qubits is separable to that of determining the specific nature of a one-dimensional (separability) function of the radial coordinate (r) of the unit ball in 15-dimensional Euclidean space, and similarly for a generic pair of rebits, using the 9-dimensional unit ball. Separability probabilities, could, then, be directly obtained by integrating the products of these functions (which we numerically estimate and plot) with jacobian factors of r^m over r in [0,1], with m=17 for the two-rebit case, and m=29 in the two-qubit instance. Secondly, we repeat the analyses, but for the replacement of r as the free variable, by the azimuthal angle phi \in [0,2 pi]--with the associated jacobian factors now being, trivially, unity. So, the separability probabilities, then, become simply the areas under the curves generated. For our analyses, we employ an interesting Cholesky-decomposition parameterization of the 4 x 4 density matrices. Thirdly, in an exploratory investigation, we examine the Hilbert-Schmidt separability probability question using the three-dimensional visualization (cube/tetrahedron/octahedron) of two qubits associated with Avron, Bisker and Kenneth, and Leinaas, Myrheim and Ovrum, among others.

Paul B. Slater

We begin by advancing conjectures, closely fitting numerical estimates, for the Hilbert-Schmidt separability/PPT probabilities of the 35- and 63-dimensional convex sets of ($2 \times 3$) qubit-qutrit and ($2 \times 4$) qubit-qudit states, as well as certain related scenarios. We reason that the underlying volume formulas might closely parallel those now well-established--via a Lovas-Andai formula--in their lower (15)-dimensional two-qubit analogue. The qubit-qutrit conjecture we obtain is $(\frac{3}{10})^3 =\frac{3^3}{2^3 \cdot 5^3} = \frac{27}{1000} =0.027$, with the counterpart two-qubit separability probablity being $\frac{8}{33}=\frac{2^3}{3 \cdot 11} \approx 0.242424$. In the ($2 \times 4$) qubit-qudit case, we advance $\frac{16}{12375} =\frac{4^2}{3^2 \cdot 5^3 \cdot 11} \approx 0.001292929$ as the PPT-probability. The numerators of the probabilities for $2 \times m$ scenarios are, thus, possibly simply powers of $m$. We also search for the rebit-retrit counterpart to the established two-rebit result of $\frac{29}{64} =\frac{29}{2^6} \approx 0.453125$. Additionally, we find that the Hilbert-Schmidt separability/PPT-probabilities for the two-rebit, rebit-retrit and two-retrit $X$-states all equal $\frac{16}{3 \pi^2} \approx 0.54038$, as well as more generally, that the probabilities based on induced measures are equal across these three sets of $X$-states. Then, we extend the Lovas-Andai two-qubit framework from Hilbert-Schmidt measures to induced ones, raising the possibility of a still more general master formula.

Paul B. Slater

We begin by seeking the qubit-qutrit and rebit-retrit counterparts to the now well-established Hilbert-Schmidt separability probabilities for (the 15-dimensional convex set of) two-qubits of $\frac{8}{33} = \frac{2^3}{3 \cdot 11} \approx 0.242424$ and (the 9-dimensional) two-rebits of $\frac{29}{64} =\frac{29}{2^6} \approx 0.453125$. Based in part on extensive numerical computations, we advance the possibilities of a qubit-qutrit value of $\frac{27}{1000} = (\frac{3}{10})^3 =\frac{3^3}{2^3 \cdot 5^3} = 0.027$ and a rebit-retrit one of $\frac{860}{6561} =\frac{2^2 \cdot 5 \cdot 43}{3^8} \approx 0.131078$. These four values for $2 \times m$ systems ($m=2,3$) suggest certain numerator/denominator sequences involving powers of $m$, which we further investigate for $m>3$. Additionally, we find that the Hilbert-Schmidt separability/PPT-probabilities for the two-rebit, rebit-retrit and two-retrit $X$-states all equal $\frac{16}{3 π^2} \approx 0.54038$, as well as more generally, that the probabilities based on induced measures are equal across these three sets of $X$-states. Then, we extend the generalized two-qubit framework introduced by Lovas and Andai from Hilbert-Schmidt measures to induced ones. For instance, while the Lovas-Andai two-qubit function is $\frac{1}{3} \varepsilon^2 (4 -\varepsilon^2)$, yielding $\frac{8}{33}$, its $k=1$ induced measure counterpart is $\frac{1}{4} \varepsilon ^2 \left(3-\varepsilon ^2\right)^2$, yielding $\frac{61}{143} =\frac{61}{11 \cdot 13} \approx 0.426573$, where $\varepsilon$ is a singular-value ratio. We investigate, in these regards, the possibility of extending the previously-obtained "Lovas-Andai master formula".