arXiv subjects

Chengkai Zhu

Publications and source records attributed to Chengkai Zhu.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2026

Entanglement cost of bipartite quantum channel discrimination under positive partial transpose operations

Quantum channel discrimination is a fundamental task in quantum information processing. In the one-shot regime, discrimination between two candidate channels is characterized by the diamond norm. Beyond this basic setting, however, many scenarios in distributed quantum information processing remain unresolved, motivating notions of distinguishability that capture the power of the available resources. In this work, we formulate a theory of testers for bipartite channel discrimination, leading to the concept of the entanglement cost of bipartite channel discrimination: the minimum Schmidt rank $k$ of a shared maximally entangled state required for local protocols to achieve the globally optimal success probability. We introduce $k$-injectable testers as a tester-based description of entanglement-assisted local discrimination and, in particular, study the class of $k$-injectable positive-partial-transpose (PPT) testers, which constitutes a numerically tractable relaxation of the practically relevant class of LOCC testers. For every $k$, we derive a semidefinite program (SDP) for the optimal success probability, which in turn yields an efficiently computable one-shot PPT entanglement cost. To render these optimization problems numerically feasible, we prove a symmetry-reduction principle for covariant channel pairs, thereby reducing the effective dimension of the associated SDPs. Finally, by dualizing the SDP, we derive bounds on the composite channel-discrimination problem and illustrate our framework with proof-of-principle examples based on the depolarizing channel, the depolarized SWAP channel, and the Werner--Holevo channels.

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arXiv2026

Power and limitations of distributed quantum state purification

Quantum state purification protocols, which mitigate noise by converting multiple copies of noisy quantum states into fewer copies with a lower noise level, have applications in quantum communication and computation with imperfect devices. Here, we systematically study the task of state purification in distributed quantum systems, demanding that purification be achieved by local operations and classical communication (LOCC). We prove that, in the presence of depolarizing noise, no LOCC purification protocol starting from two copies can work blindly for all the states in three important sets: the set of all pure two-qubit states, the set of all two-qubit maximally entangled states, and the Bell basis. In stark contrast, we show that a targeted, single-state purification is always achievable in the presence of depolarizing noise, and we provide an explicit analytical LOCC protocol for every given two-qubit state. For arbitrary finite sets of pure states and arbitrary noise profiles, we develop an optimization-based algorithm that systematically designs LOCC purification protocols, and we demonstrate it through concrete examples. Overall, our results identify both fundamental limitations and practical noise reduction strategies for distributed quantum information processing.

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arXiv2026

Simulation of Adjoints and Petz Recovery Maps for Unknown Quantum Channels

Transformations of quantum channels, such as the transpose, complex conjugate, and adjoint, are fundamental to quantum information theory. Given access to an unknown channel, a central problem is whether these transformations can be implemented physically with quantum supermaps. While such supermaps are known for unitary operations, the situation for general quantum channels is fundamentally different. In this work, we establish a strict hierarchy of physical realizability for the transposition, complex conjugation, and adjoint transformation of an unknown quantum channel. We present a probabilistic protocol that exactly implements the transpose with a single query. In contrast, we prove no-go theorems showing that neither the complex conjugate nor the adjoint can be implemented by any completely positive supermap, even probabilistically. We then overcome this impossibility by designing a virtual protocol for the complex conjugate based on quasi-probability decomposition, and show its optimality in terms of the diamond norm. As a key application, we propose a protocol to estimate the expectation values resulting from the Petz recovery map of an unknown channel, achieving an improved query complexity compared to existing methods.

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arXiv2026

Optimal Hamiltonian recognition of unknown quantum dynamics

Identifying unknown Hamiltonians from their quantum dynamics is a pivotal challenge in quantum technologies. In this paper, we introduce Hamiltonian recognition, a framework that bridges quantum hypothesis testing and quantum metrology, aiming to identify the Hamiltonian governing quantum dynamics from a known set of Hamiltonians. To identify $H$ for an unknown qubit quantum evolution $\exp(-iHθ)$ with unknown $θ$, from two or three orthogonal Hamiltonians, we develop a quantum algorithm for coherent function simulation, built on two quantum signal processing (QSP) structures. It can simultaneously realize a target polynomial based on measurement results regardless of the chosen signal unitary for the QSP. Utilizing semidefinite optimization and group representation theory, we prove that our methods achieve the optimal average success probability, taken over possible Hamiltonians $H$ and parameters $θ$, decays as $O(1/k)$ with $k$ queries of the unknown unitary transformation. Furthermore, we demonstrate the validity of our protocol on a superconducting quantum processor. We also investigate a physically motivated recognition task for Heisenberg Hamiltonians, providing numerical evidence for effective multi-qubit quantum system recognition. This work presents an efficient method to recognize Hamiltonians from limited queries of the dynamics, opening new avenues in composite channel discrimination and quantum metrology.

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arXiv2025

Normalized tensor train decomposition

Tensors with unit Frobenius norm are fundamental objects in many fields, including scientific computing and quantum physics, which are able to represent normalized eigenvectors and pure quantum states. While the tensor train decomposition provides a powerful low-rank format for tackling high-dimensional problems, it does not intrinsically enforce the unit-norm constraint. To address this, we introduce the normalized tensor train (NTT) decomposition, which aims to approximate a tensor by unit-norm tensors in tensor train format. The low-rank structure of NTT decomposition not only saves storage and computational cost but also preserves the underlying unit-norm structure. We prove that the set of fixed-rank NTT tensors forms a smooth manifold, and the corresponding Riemannian geometry is derived, paving the way for geometric methods. We propose NTT-based methods for low-rank tensor recovery, high-dimensional eigenvalue problem, estimation of stabilizer rank, and calculation of the minimum output Rényi 2-entropy of quantum channels. Numerical experiments demonstrate the superior efficiency and scalability of the proposed NTT-based methods.

math.NA↗

arXiv2025

Quantifying Unextendibility via Virtual State Extension

Monogamy of entanglement, which limits how entanglement can be shared among multiple parties, is a fundamental feature underpinning the privacy of quantum communication. In this work, we introduce a novel operational framework to quantify the unshareability or unextendibility of entanglement via a virtual state-extension task. The virtual extension cost is defined as the minimum simulation cost of a randomized protocol that reproduces the marginals of a $k$-extension. For the important family of isotropic states, we derive an exact closed-form expression for this cost. Our central result establishes a tight connection: the virtual extension cost of a maximally entangled state equals the optimal simulation cost of universal virtual quantum broadcasting. Using the algebra of partially transposed permutation matrices, we obtain an analytical formula and construct an explicit quantum circuit for the optimal broadcasting protocol, thereby resolving an open question in quantum broadcasting. We further relate the virtual extension cost to the absolute robustness of unextendibility, providing it with a clear operational meaning, and show that the virtual extension cost is an entanglement measure that bounds distillable entanglement and connects to logarithmic negativity.

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arXiv2025

Geometric optimization for quantum communication

Determining the ultimate limits of quantum communication, such as the quantum capacity of a channel and the distillable entanglement of a shared state, remains a central challenge in quantum information theory, primarily due to the phenomenon of superadditivity. This work develops Riemannian optimization methods to establish significantly tighter, computable two-sided bounds on these fundamental quantities. For upper bounds, our method systematically searches for state and channel extensions that minimize known information-theoretic bounds. We achieve this by parameterizing the space of all possible extensions as a Stiefel manifold, enabling a universal search that overcomes the limitations of ad-hoc constructions. Combined with an improved upper bound on the one-way distillable entanglement based on a refined continuity bound on quantum conditional entropy, our approach yields new state-of-the-art upper bounds on the quantum capacity of the qubit depolarizing channel for large values of the depolarizing parameter, strictly improving the previously best-known bounds. For lower bounds, we introduce Riemannian optimization methods to compute multi-shot coherent information. We establish lower bounds on the one-way distillable entanglement by parameterizing quantum instruments on the unitary manifold, and on the quantum capacity by parameterizing code states with a product of unitary manifolds. Numerical results for noisy entangled states and different channels demonstrate that our methods successfully unlock superadditive gains, improving previous results. Together, these findings establish Riemannian optimization as a principled and powerful tool for navigating the complex landscape of quantum communication limits. Furthermore, we prove that amortization does not enhance the channel coherent information, thereby closing a potential avenue for improving capacity lower bounds in general.

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arXiv2025

No-Go Theorems for Universal Quantum State Purification via Classically Simulable Operations

Quantum state purification, a process that aims to recover a state closer to a system's principal eigenstate from multiple copies of an unknown noisy quantum state, is crucial for restoring noisy states to a more useful form in quantum information processing. Fault-tolerant quantum computation relies on stabilizer operations, which are classically simulable protocols critical for error correction but inherently limited in computational power. In this work, we investigate the limitations of classically simulable operations for quantum state purification. We demonstrate that while certain classically simulable operations can enhance fidelity for specific noisy state ensembles, they cannot achieve universal purification. We prove that neither deterministic nor probabilistic protocols using only classically simulable operations can achieve universal purification of two-copy noisy states for qubit systems and all odd dimensions. We further extend this no-go result of state purification using three and four copies via numerical solutions of semidefinite programs. Our findings highlight the indispensable role of non-stabilizer resources and the inherent limitations of classically simulable operations in quantum state purification, emphasizing the necessity of harnessing the full power of quantum operations for more robust quantum information processing.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Virtual Quantum Markov Chains

Quantum Markov chains generalize classical Markov chains for random variables to the quantum realm and exhibit unique inherent properties, making them an important feature in quantum information theory. In this work, we propose the concept of virtual quantum Markov chains (VQMCs), focusing on scenarios where subsystems retain classical information about global systems from measurement statistics. As a generalization of quantum Markov chains, VQMCs characterize states where arbitrary global shadow information can be recovered from subsystems through local quantum operations and measurements. We present an algebraic characterization for virtual quantum Markov chains and show that the virtual quantum recovery is fully determined by the block matrices of a quantum state on its subsystems. Notably, we find a distinction between two classes of tripartite entanglement by showing that the W state is a VQMC while the GHZ state is not. Furthermore, we introduce the virtual non-Markovianity to quantify the non-Markovianity of a given quantum state, which also assesses the optimal sampling overhead for virtually recovering this state. Our findings elucidate distinctions between quantum Markov chains and virtual quantum Markov chains, extending our understanding of quantum recovery to scenarios prioritizing classical information from measurement statistics.

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arXiv2025

Quantum Coherence and Distinguishability as Complementary Resources: A Resource-Theoretic Perspective from Wave-Particle Duality

Wave-particle duality, a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics, encapsulates the complementary relationship between the wave and particle behaviors of quantum systems. In this paper, we treat quantum coherence and classical distinguishability as complementary resources and uncover a novel duality relation, which is explored through quantum state discrimination under incoherent operations, extending beyond typical interference scenarios. We prove that in an ensemble of mutually orthogonal pure states, the sum of `co-bits', quantifying the coherence preserved under incoherent free operations, and classical bits, representing the distinguishability extracted via quantum state discrimination, is bounded. This coherence-distinguishability duality relation exposes an inherent trade-off between the simultaneous preservation of a system's quantum coherence (wave-like property) and the extraction of its classical distinguishability (particle-like property). Our findings provide a fresh perspective on wave-particle duality through quantum resource theories, offering complementary insights into manipulating quantum and classical resources, with implications for quantum foundations and quantum technologies.

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arXiv2025

Classical communication cost of a bipartite quantum channel assisted by non-signalling correlations

Understanding the classical communication cost of simulating a quantum channel is a fundamental problem in quantum information theory, which becomes even more intriguing when considering the role of non-locality in quantum information processing. This paper investigates the bidirectional classical communication cost of simulating a bipartite quantum channel assisted by non-signalling correlations, which are permitted across the spatial dimension between the two parties. By introducing non-signalling superchannels, we present lower and upper bounds on the one-shot $ε$-error one-way classical communication cost of a bipartite channel via its smooth max-relative entropy of one-way classical communication, and establish that the asymptotic exact cost is given by its max-relative entropy of one-way classical communication. For the bidirectional scenario, we derive semidefinite programming (SDP) formulations for the one-shot exact bidirectional classical communication cost via non-signalling bipartite superchannels. We further introduce a channel's bipartite conditional min-entropy as an efficiently computable lower bound on the asymptotic cost of bidirectional classical communication. Our results in both one-shot and asymptotic settings provide lower bounds on the entanglement-assisted simulation cost in scenarios where entanglement is available to the two parties. Moreover, we propose a seesaw-based algorithm to compute an upper bound on the minimum simulation error via local operations and shared entanglement, which provides valuable insights into the relationship between non-signalling bipartite superchannels and more physically realizable protocols. Numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our bounds in estimating communication costs for various quantum channels, showing that our bounds can be tight in different scenarios.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Computable and Faithful Lower Bound on Entanglement Cost

Quantifying the minimum entanglement needed to prepare quantum states and implement quantum processes is a key challenge in quantum information theory. In this work, we develop computable and faithful lower bounds on the entanglement cost under quantum operations that completely preserve the positivity of partial transpose (PPT operations), by introducing the generalized divergence of $k$-negativity, a generalization of logarithmic negativity. Our bounds are efficiently computable via semidefinite programming and provide non-trivial values for all states that are non-PPT (NPT), establishing their faithfulness for the resource theory of NPT entanglement. Notably, we find and affirm the irreversibility of asymptotic entanglement manipulation under PPT operations for full-rank entangled states. Furthermore, we extend our methodology to derive lower bounds on the entanglement cost of both point-to-point and bipartite quantum channels. Our bound demonstrates improvements over previously known computable bounds for a wide range of quantum states and channels. These findings push the boundaries of understanding the structure of entanglement and the fundamental limits of entanglement manipulation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Riemannian Optimization for Holevo Capacity

Computing the classical capacity of a noisy quantum channel is crucial for understanding the limits of communication over quantum channels. However, its evaluation remains challenging due to the difficulty of computing the Holevo capacity and the even greater difficulty of regularization. In this work, we formulate the computation of the Holevo capacity as an optimization problem on a product manifold constructed from probability distributions and their corresponding pure input states for a quantum channel. A Riemannian gradient descent algorithm is proposed to solve the problem, providing lower bounds on the classical capacity of general quantum channels and outperforming existing methods in numerical experiments in both efficiency and scale.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Entanglement cost of discriminating quantum states under locality constraints

The unique features of entanglement and non-locality in quantum systems, where there are pairs of bipartite states perfectly distinguishable by general entangled measurements yet indistinguishable by local operations and classical communication, hold significant importance in quantum entanglement theory, distributed quantum information processing, and quantum data hiding. This paper delves into the entanglement cost for discriminating two bipartite quantum states, employing positive operator-valued measures (POVMs) with positive partial transpose (PPT) to achieve optimal success probability through general entangled measurements. First, we introduce an efficiently computable quantity called the spectral PPT-distance of a POVM to quantify the localness of a general measurement. We show that it can be a lower bound for the entanglement cost of optimal discrimination by PPT POVMs. Second, we establish an upper bound on the entanglement cost of optimal discrimination by PPT POVMs for any pair of states. Leveraging this result, we show that a pure state can be optimally discriminated against any other state with the assistance of a single Bell state. This study advances our understanding of the pivotal role played by entanglement in quantum state discrimination, serving as a crucial element in unlocking quantum data hiding against locally constrained measurements.

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arXiv2024

Amortized Stabilizer Rényi Entropy of Quantum Dynamics

Unraveling the secrets of how much nonstabilizerness a quantum dynamic can generate is crucial for harnessing the power of magic states, the essential resources for achieving quantum advantage and realizing fault-tolerant quantum computation. In this work, we introduce the amortized $α$-stabilizer Rényi entropy, a magic monotone for unitary operations that quantifies the nonstabilizerness generation capability of quantum dynamics. Amortization is key in quantifying the magic of quantum dynamics, as we reveal that nonstabilizerness generation can be enhanced by prior nonstabilizerness in input states when considering the $α$-stabilizer Rényi entropy, while this is not the case for robustness of magic or stabilizer extent. We demonstrate the versatility of the amortized $α$-stabilizer Rényi entropy in investigating the nonstabilizerness resources of quantum dynamics of computational and fundamental interest. In particular, we establish improved lower bounds on the $T$-count of quantum Fourier transforms and the quantum evolutions of one-dimensional Heisenberg Hamiltonians, showcasing the power of this tool in studying quantum advantages and the corresponding cost in fault-tolerant quantum computation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Circuit Knitting Faces Exponential Sampling Overhead Scaling Bounded by Entanglement Cost

Circuit knitting, a method for connecting quantum circuits across multiple processors to simulate nonlocal quantum operations, is a promising approach for distributed quantum computing. While various techniques have been developed for circuit knitting, we uncover fundamental limitations to the scalability of this technology. We prove that the sampling overhead of circuit knitting is exponentially lower bounded by the exact entanglement cost of the target bipartite dynamic, even for asymptotic overhead in the parallel cut regime. Specifically, we prove that the regularized sampling overhead assisted with local operations and classical communication (LOCC), of any bipartite quantum channel is lower bounded by the exponential of its exact entanglement cost under separable preserving operations. Furthermore, we show that the regularized sampling overhead for simulating a general bipartite channel via LOCC is lower bounded by $κ$-entanglement and max-Rains information, providing efficiently computable benchmarks. Our work reveals a profound connection between virtual quantum information processing via quasi-probability decomposition and quantum Shannon theory, highlighting the critical role of entanglement in distributed quantum computing.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Enhancement of non-Stabilizerness within Indefinite Causal Order

In quantum computing, the nonstabilizerness of quantum operations is crucial for understanding and quantifying quantum speedups. In this study, we explore the phenomena of nonstabilizerness of the quantum SWITCH, a novel structure that allows quantum states to pass through operations in a superposition of different orders, outperforming traditional circuits in numerous tasks. To assess its nonstabilizerness, we propose the magic resource capacity of a quantum process to quantitatively examine the nonstabilizerness of general quantum transformations. We find that the completely stabilizer-preserving operations, which cannot generate magic states under standard conditions, can be transformed to do so when processed by the quantum SWITCH. Furthermore, when considering the impact of noise, although the nonstabilizerness of each path may be annihilated, their superposition could still preserve the overall nonstabilizerness. These findings reveal the unique properties of the quantum SWITCH and open avenues in research on nonstabilizer resources of general quantum architecture.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Limitations of Classically-Simulable Measurements for Quantum State Discrimination

In the realm of fault-tolerant quantum computing, stabilizer operations play a pivotal role, characterized by their remarkable efficiency in classical simulation. This efficiency sets them apart from non-stabilizer operations within the quantum computational theory. In this Letter, we investigate the limitations of classically-simulable measurements in distinguishing quantum states. We demonstrate that any pure magic state and its orthogonal complement of odd prime dimensions cannot be unambiguously distinguished by stabilizer operations, regardless of how many copies of the states are supplied. We also reveal intrinsic similarities and distinctions between the quantum resource theories of magic states and entanglement in quantum state discrimination. The results emphasize the inherent limitations of classically-simulable measurements and contribute to a deeper understanding of the quantum-classical boundary.

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