Characterizing entanglement using quantum discord over state extensions

Abstract

We propose a framework to characterize entanglement with quantum discord, both asymmetric and symmetric, over state extensions. In particular, we show that the minimal Bures distance of discord over state extensions is equivalent to the Bures distance of entanglement. This equivalence places quantum discord in a more primitive position than entanglement conceptually in the sense that entanglement can be interpreted as an irreducible part of discord over all state extensions. Based on this equivalence, we also offer an operational meaning of the Bures distance of entanglement by connecting it to quantum state discrimination. Moreover, for the relative entropy part, we prove that the entanglement measure introduced by Devi and Rajagopal [A. R. U. Devi and A. K. Rajagopal, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 140502 (2008)] is actually equivalent to the relative entropy of entanglement. We also provide several quantifications of entanglement based on discord measures.