Stratified manifold of quantum states, actions of the complex special linear group

Abstract

We review the geometry of the space of quantum states S(H) of a finite-level quantum system with Hilbert space H from a group-theoretical point of view. This space carries two stratifications generated by the action of two different Lie groups, namely, the special unitary group SU(H) and its complexification SL(H), the complex special linear group. A stratum of the stratification generated by SU(H) is composed of isospectral states, that is, density operators with the same spectrum. A stratum of the stratification generated by SL(H) is composed of quantum states with the same rank.We prove that on every submanifold of isospectral quantum states there is also a canonical left action of SL(H) which is related with the canonical Kähler structure on isospectral quantum states. The fundamental vector fields of this SL(H)-action are divided into Hamiltonian and gradient vector fields. The former give rise to invertible maps on S that preserve the von Neumann entropy and the convex structure of S(H), while the latter give rise to invertible maps on S(H) that preserve the von Neumann entropy but not the convex structure of S(H).A similar decomposition is given for the fundamental vector fields of the SL(H)-action generating the stratification of S(H) into manifolds of quantum states with the same rank. However, in this case, the gradient vector fields preserve the rank but do not preserve entropy.Finally, some comments on multipartite quantum systems are made, and it is proved that the sets of product states of a multipartite quantum system are homogeneous manifolds for the local action of the complex special linear group associated with the partition.