Optimal cloning of mixed states

Abstract

We consider the problem of approximate cloning of quantum states: given $n$ copies of an unknown state $\rho \in \mathbb{C}^{d \times d}$, prepare an $(n+k)$-copy state with high fidelity to $\rho^{\otimes (n+k)}$. Werner's pure state cloner is the optimal channel for the pure state case, and shows that $n = \Theta(kd/\varepsilon)$ copies are necessary and sufficient to clone $k$ additional copies of an unknown pure state to fidelity $1-\varepsilon$. The random purification channel gives a straightforward extension of Werner's cloner to mixed state inputs: given $n$ copies of a mixed state, randomly purify your input, apply Werner's channel in the larger Hilbert space, and then trace out the auxiliary registers. This gives a mixed state cloner using $n = O(krd/\varepsilon)$ copies to clone rank-$r$ states. Can one do any better? We show that the answer is no: one must use $n = \Omega(krd/\varepsilon)$ copies. We prove our lower bound by studying the special case of projector cloning, in which the input state $\rho$ is promised to be of the form $P/r$, where $P$ is a rank-$r$ orthogonal projector. As a further application of our techniques, we consider the closely related problem of approximate transposition of quantum states, where one seeks to convert $\rho^{\otimes n}$ to a $k$-copy state with high fidelity to $(\rho^T)^{\otimes k}$. Here, we again show $n = \Theta(krd/\varepsilon)$ copies are necessary and sufficient for this task.