Mapping of Quantum Systems to the Probability Simplex

Abstract

We start with the simplest quantum system (a two-level system, i.e., a qubit) and discuss a one-to-one mapping of the quantum state in a two-dimensional Hilbert space to a vector in an eight dimensional probability space (probability simplex). We then show how the usual transformations of the quantum state, specifically the Hadamard gate and the single-qubit phase gate, can be accomplished with appropriate transformations of the mapped vector in the probability simplex. One key defining feature of both the mapping to the simplex and the transformations in the simplex is that they are not linear. These results show that both the initial state and the time evolution of a qubit can be fully captured in an eight dimensional probability simplex (or equivalently using three classical probabilistic bits). We then discuss multi-partite quantum systems and their mapping to the probability simplex. Here, the key tool is the identical tensor product structure of combining multiple quantum systems as well as multiple probability spaces. Specifically, we explicitly show how to implement an analog of the two-qubit controlled-not (CNOT) gate in the simplex. We leave it an open problem how much the quantum dynamics of $N$ qubits can be captured in a probability simplex with $3N$ classical probabilistic bits. Finally, we also discuss the equivalent of the Schrodinger's equation for the wavefunction (in a Hilbert space of arbitrary dimension), which dictates the time evolution of the vectors in the simplex.