Additivity and distinguishability of random unitary channels

A random unitary channel is one that is given by a convex combination of unitary channels. It is shown that the conjectures on the additivity of the minimum output entropy and the multiplicativity of the maximum output p-norm can be equivalently restated in terms of random unitary channels. This is done by constructing a random unitary approximation to a general quantum channel. This approximation can be constructed efficiently, and so it is also applied to the computational problem of distinguishing quantum circuits. It is shown that the problem of distinguishing random unitary circuits is as hard as the problem of distinguishing general mixed-state circuits, which is complete for the class of problems having quantum interactive proof systems.A random unitary channel is one that is given by a convex combination of unitary channels. It is shown that the conjectures on the additivity of the minimum output entropy and the multiplicativity of the maximum output p-norm can be equivalently restated in terms of random unitary channels. This is done by constructing a random unitary approximation to a general quantum channel. This approximation can be constructed efficiently, and so it is also applied to the computational problem of distinguishing quantum circuits. It is shown that the problem of distinguishing random unitary circuits is as hard as the problem of distinguishing general mixed-state circuits, which is complete for the class of problems having quantum interactive proof systems.

arXiv:0804.1936Journal of Mathematical PhysicsOct 1, 200819 citations

Computational Distinguishability of Quantum Channels

Bill Rosgen

The computational problem of distinguishing two quantum channels is central to quantum computing. It is a generalization of the well-known satisfiability problem from classical to quantum computation. This problem is shown to be surprisingly hard: it is complete for the class QIP of problems that have quantum interactive proof systems, which implies that it is hard for the class PSPACE of problems solvable by a classical computation in polynomial space. Several restrictions of distinguishability are also shown to be hard. It is no easier when restricted to quantum computations of logarithmic depth, to mixed-unitary channels, to degradable channels, or to antidegradable channels. These hardness results are demonstrated by finding reductions between these classes of quantum channels. These techniques have applications outside the distinguishability problem, as the construction for mixed-unitary channels is used to prove that the additivity problem for the classical capacity of quantum channels can be equivalently restricted to the mixed unitary channels.The computational problem of distinguishing two quantum channels is central to quantum computing. It is a generalization of the well-known satisfiability problem from classical to quantum computation. This problem is shown to be surprisingly hard: it is complete for the class QIP of problems that have quantum interactive proof systems, which implies that it is hard for the class PSPACE of problems solvable by a classical computation in polynomial space. Several restrictions of distinguishability are also shown to be hard. It is no easier when restricted to quantum computations of logarithmic depth, to mixed-unitary channels, to degradable channels, or to antidegradable channels. These hardness results are demonstrated by finding reductions between these classes of quantum channels. These techniques have applications outside the distinguishability problem, as the construction for mixed-unitary channels is used to prove that the additivity problem for the classical capacity of quantum channels can be equivalently restricted to the mixed unitary channels.

arXiv:0909.3930Sep 22, 20099 citations

Properties of Conjugate Channels with Applications to Additivity and Multiplicativity

Christopher King, Keiji Matsumoto, Michael Nathanson +1 more

Quantum channels can be described via a unitary coupling of system and environment, followed by a trace over the environment state space. Taking the trace instead over the system state space produces a different mapping which we call the conjugate channel. We explore the properties of conjugate channels and describe several different methods of construction. In general, conjugate channels map M_d to M_d' with d < d', and different constructions may differ by conjugation with a partial isometry. We show that a channel and its conjugate have the same minimal output entropy and maximal output p-norm. It then follows that the additivity and multiplicativity conjectures for these measures of optimal output purity hold for a product of channels if and only if they also hold for the product of their conjugates. This allows us to reduce these conjectures to the special case of maps taking M_d to M_d' with a minimal representation of dimension at most d. We find explicit expressions for the conjugates for a number of well-known examples, including entanglement-breaking channels, unital qubit channels, the depolarizing channel, and a subclass of random unitary channels. For the entanglement-breaking channels, channels this yields a new class of channels for which additivity and multiplicativity of optimal output purity can be established. For random unitary channels using the generalized Pauli matrices, we obtain a new formulation of the multiplicativity conjecture. The conjugate of the completely noisy channel plays a special role and suggests a mechanism for using noise to transmit information.Quantum channels can be described via a unitary coupling of system and environment, followed by a trace over the environment state space. Taking the trace instead over the system state space produces a different mapping which we call the conjugate channel. We explore the properties of conjugate channels and describe several different methods of construction. In general, conjugate channels map M_d to M_d' with d < d', and different constructions may differ by conjugation with a partial isometry. We show that a channel and its conjugate have the same minimal output entropy and maximal output p-norm. It then follows that the additivity and multiplicativity conjectures for these measures of optimal output purity hold for a product of channels if and only if they also hold for the product of their conjugates. This allows us to reduce these conjectures to the special case of maps taking M_d to M_d' with a minimal representation of dimension at most d. We find explicit expressions for the conjugates for a number of well-known examples, including entanglement-breaking channels, unital qubit channels, the depolarizing channel, and a subclass of random unitary channels. For the entanglement-breaking channels, channels this yields a new class of channels for which additivity and multiplicativity of optimal output purity can be established. For random unitary channels using the generalized Pauli matrices, we obtain a new formulation of the multiplicativity conjecture. The conjugate of the completely noisy channel plays a special role and suggests a mechanism for using noise to transmit information.

arXiv:quant-ph/0509126Markov Processes And Related FieldsSep 19, 2005115 citations

LOW ENTROPY OUTPUT STATES FOR PRODUCTS OF RANDOM UNITARY CHANNELS

Benoı̂t Collins, Motohisa Fukuda, Ion Nechita

In this paper, we study the behavior of the output of pure entangled states after being transformed by a product of conjugate random unitary channels. This study is motivated by the counterexamples by Hastings [Superadditivity of communication capacity using entangled inputs, Nat. Phys.5 (2009) 255–257] and Hayden–Winter [Counterexamples to the maximal p-norm multiplicativity conjecture for all p > 1, Comm. Math. Phys.284(1) (2008) 263–280] to the additivity problems. In particular, we study in depth the difference of behavior between random unitary channels and generic random channels. In the case where the number of unitary operators is fixed, we compute the limiting eigenvalues of the output states. In the case where the number of unitary operators grows linearly with the dimension of the input space, we show that the eigenvalue distribution converges to a limiting shape that we characterize with free probability tools. In order to perform the required computations, we need a systematic way of dealing with moment problems for random matrices whose blocks are i.i.d. Haar distributed unitary operators. This is achieved by extending the graphical Weingarten calculus introduced in [B. Collins and I. Nechita, Random quantum channels I: Graphical calculus and the Bell state phenomenon, Comm. Math. Phys.297(2) (2010) 345–370].In this paper, we study the behavior of the output of pure entangled states after being transformed by a product of conjugate random unitary channels. This study is motivated by the counterexamples by Hastings [Superadditivity of communication capacity using entangled inputs, Nat. Phys.5 (2009) 255–257] and Hayden–Winter [Counterexamples to the maximal p-norm multiplicativity conjecture for all p > 1, Comm. Math. Phys.284(1) (2008) 263–280] to the additivity problems. In particular, we study in depth the difference of behavior between random unitary channels and generic random channels. In the case where the number of unitary operators is fixed, we compute the limiting eigenvalues of the output states. In the case where the number of unitary operators grows linearly with the dimension of the input space, we show that the eigenvalue distribution converges to a limiting shape that we characterize with free probability tools. In order to perform the required computations, we need a systematic way of dealing with moment problems for random matrices whose blocks are i.i.d. Haar distributed unitary operators. This is achieved by extending the graphical Weingarten calculus introduced in [B. Collins and I. Nechita, Random quantum channels I: Graphical calculus and the Bell state phenomenon, Comm. Math. Phys.297(2) (2010) 345–370].

arXiv:1208.1449Random Matrices Theory and ApplicationJan 1, 20139 citations

On the convergence of output sets of quantum channels

Benoı̂t Collins, Motohisa Fukuda, Ion Nechita

We study the asymptotic behavior of the output states of sequences of quantum channels. Under a natural assumption, we show that the output set converges to a compact convex set, clarifying and substantially generalizing results in [BCN13]. Random mixed unitary channels satisfy the assumption; we give a formula for the asymptotic maximum output infinity norm and we show that the minimum output entropy and the Holevo capacity have a simple relation for the complementary channels. We also give non-trivial examples of sequences $Φ_n$ such that along with any other quantum channel $Ξ$ , we have convergence of the output set of $Φ_n$ and $Φ_n\otimes Ξ$ simultaneously; the case when $Ξ$ is entanglement breaking is investigated in details.We study the asymptotic behavior of the output states of sequences of quantum channels. Under a natural assumption, we show that the output set converges to a compact convex set, clarifying and substantially generalizing results in [BCN13]. Random mixed unitary channels satisfy the assumption; we give a formula for the asymptotic maximum output infinity norm and we show that the minimum output entropy and the Holevo capacity have a simple relation for the complementary channels. We also give non-trivial examples of sequences $Φ_n$ such that along with any other quantum channel $Ξ$, we have convergence of the output set of $Φ_n$ and $Φ_n\otimes Ξ$ simultaneously; the case when $Ξ$ is entanglement breaking is investigated in details.

arXiv:1311.7571Journal of Operator TheoryMay 1, 20158 citations

The additivity problem for constrained quantum channels

Александр Семенович Холево, Максим Евгеньевич Широков

One of the central problems of quantum information theory [1] is the additivity conjecture for the channel capacity of quantum communication channels [2]–[4]. Recently Shor showed [5] that the validity of this conjecture for all quantum channels was equivalent to a whole series of (super)additivity properties for other important characteristics such as minimal output entropy and entanglementof formation. The present paper introduces the new property of strong additivity (additivity for channels with input constraints) with several equivalent formulations, establishes that it is satisfied for some nontrivial classes of channels and notes that the validity of the additivity conjecture for all channels implies strong additivity. Let H, H′ be finite-dimensional unitary spaces. By a quantum channel we mean a completely positive trace-preserving linear map Φ: B(H) → B(H′), where B(H) is the algebra of all operators on H. In particular, Φ generates an affine map of the convex set S(H) of states (density operators) on the space H into the set S(H′) of states on H′ [1]. The quantum analogue of Shannon’s theorem, established in [4], gives the following expression for the classical channel capacity:One of the central problems of quantum information theory [1] is the additivity conjecture for the channel capacity of quantum communication channels [2]–[4]. Recently Shor showed [5] that the validity of this conjecture for all quantum channels was equivalent to a whole series of (super)additivity properties for other important characteristics such as minimal output entropy and entanglementof formation. The present paper introduces the new property of strong additivity (additivity for channels with input constraints) with several equivalent formulations, establishes that it is satisfied for some nontrivial classes of channels and notes that the validity of the additivity conjecture for all channels implies strong additivity. Let H, H′ be finite-dimensional unitary spaces. By a quantum channel we mean a completely positive trace-preserving linear map Φ: B(H) → B(H′), where B(H) is the algebra of all operators on H. In particular, Φ generates an affine map of the convex set S(H) of states (density operators) on the space H into the set S(H′) of states on H′ [1]. The quantum analogue of Shannon’s theorem, established in [4], gives the following expression for the classical channel capacity:

Russian Mathematical SurveysApr 30, 20040 citations

Φ_n

such that along with any other quantum channel

Ξ

, we have convergence of the output set of

Φ_n

and

Φ_n\otimes Ξ

simultaneously; the case when

Ξ

is entanglement breaking is investigated in details.