Optimal arrangements of classical and quantum states with limited purity

Abstract

We consider sets of trace-normalized non-negative operators in Hilbert-Schmidt balls that maximize their mutual Hilbert-Schmidt distance; these are optimal arrangements in the sets of purity-limited classical or quantum states on a finite-dimensional Hilbert space. Classical states are understood to be represented by diagonal matrices, with the diagonal entries forming a probability vector. We also introduce the concept of spectrahedron arrangements which provides a unified framework for classical and quantum arrangements and the flexibility to define new types of optimal packings. Continuing a prior work, we combine combinatorial structures and line packings associated with frames to arrive at optimal arrangements of higher-rank quantum states. One new construction that is presented involves generating an optimal arrangement we call a Gabor-Steiner equiangular tight frame as the orbit of a projective representation of the Weyl-Heisenberg group over any finite abelian group. The minimal sets of linearly dependent vectors, the so-called binder, of the Gabor-Steiner equiangular tight frames are then characterized; under certain conditions these form combinatorial block designs and in one case generate a new class of block designs. The projections onto the span of minimal linearly dependent sets in the Gabor-Steiner equiangular tight frame are then used to generate further optimal spectrahedron arrangements.