On symmetric decompositions of positive operators

Abstract

We present results concerning decompositions of positive operators acting on finite-dimensional Hilbert spaces. Our motivation is the study of a generalized version of the SIC–POVM problem, which has applications to Quantum Information Theory. We relax some of the conditions in the SIC–POVM setting (the elements sum up to the identity, resp. the elements have unit rank), and we focus on equiangular decompositions (the elements of the decomposition should have the same length, and pairs of distinct elements should have constant angles). We characterize all such decompositions, comparing our results with the case of SIC–POVMs. We also generalize some existing Welch-type inequalities.