Quantum Hypothesis Testing

The problem of discriminating between many quantum channels with certainty is analyzed under the assumption of prior knowledge of algebraic relations among possible channels. It is shown, by explicit construction of a novel family of quantum algorithms, that when the set of possible channels faithfully represents a finite subgroup of SU(2) (e.g., Cn, D2n, A4, S4, A5) the recently developed techniques of quantum signal processing can be modified to constitute subroutines for quantum hypothesis testing. These algorithms, for group quantum hypothesis testing, intuitively encode discrete properties of the channel set in SU(2) and improve query complexity at least quadratically in n, the size of the channel set and group, compared to naïve repetition of binary hypothesis testing. Intriguingly, performance is completely defined by explicit group homomorphisms; these in turn inform simple constraints on polynomials embedded in unitary matrices. These constructions demonstrate a flexible technique for mapping questions in quantum inference to the well-understood subfields of functional approximation and discrete algebra. Extensions to larger groups and noisy settings are discussed, as well as paths by which improved protocols for quantum hypothesis testing against structured channel sets have application in the transmission of reference frames, proofs of security in quantum cryptography, and algorithms for property testing.

Zane M. Rossi and Isaac L. Chuang