We derive the optimal $N\ensuremath{\rightarrow}M$ phase-covariant quantum cloning for equatorial states in dimension
d with
M=kd+N,
k integer. The cloning maps are optimal for both global and single-qudit fidelity. The map is achieved by an ``economical'' cloning machine, which works without ancilla.
The possibility of cloning a
d-dimensional quantum system without an ancilla is explored, extending on the economical phase-covariant cloning machine for qubits found in Phys. Rev. A 60, 2764 (1999). We prove the impossibility of constructing an economical version of the optimal universal $1\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2$ cloning machine in any dimension. We also show, using an ansatz on the generic form of cloning machines, that the
d-dimensional $1\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2$ phase-covariant cloner, which optimally clones all balanced superpositions with arbitrary phases, can be realized economically only in dimension
d=2. The used ansatz is supported by numerical evidence up to
d=7. An economical phase-covariant cloner can nevertheless be constructed for
d>2, albeit with a slightly lower fidelity than that of the optimal cloner requiring an ancilla. Finally, using again an ansatz on cloning machines, we show that an economical version of the $1\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2$ Fourier-covariant cloner, which optimally clones the computational basis and its Fourier transform, is also possible only in dimension
d=2.
We consider cloning transformations of equatorial qubits $|{\ensuremath{\psi}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi}}〉=1/\sqrt{2}(|0〉{+e}^{i\ensuremath{\varphi}}|1〉)$ and qutrits $|{\ensuremath{\psi}}_{\ensuremath{\varphi},\ensuremath{\theta}}〉=1/\sqrt{3}(|0〉{+e}^{i\ensuremath{\varphi}}|1〉{+e}^{i\ensuremath{\theta}}|2〉),$ with the transformation covariant for rotation of the phases $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ and $\ensuremath{\theta}.$ The optimal cloning maps are derived without simplifying assumptions from first principles, for any number of input and output qubits, and for a single-input qutrit and any number of output qutrits. We also compare the cloning maps for global and single-particle fidelities, and we show that the two criteria lead to different optimal maps.
We generalize three symmetric cloners to the asymmetric cases and present three explicit cloning transformations as well as their corresponding fidelity distributions in d dimensions. The three asymmetric cloners, including the optimal asymmetric phase-covariant cloning (APCC) and the suboptimal asymmetric economical phase-covariant cloning (AEPCC) working without ancilla and the optimal asymmetric real state cloning (ARSC), together with the optimal asymmetric universal quantum cloning (AUQC) construct a generic cloning, where the quantum information of initial systems of different pure input states in d dimensions with their information not completely known can be optimally distributed to different final systems. By comparison of the fidelity distributions of the four asymmetric cloners, some interesting results can be obtained.