Universal finite truncation of quantum and private capacities

Solved ID op_3ea0de34a1fe6e0b Last edited 4 September 2026
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Problem

Do there exist channel-independent finite integers \(m_Q\) and \(m_P\) that determine, respectively, the quantum capacity and the private classical capacity of every finite-dimensional quantum channel? Let \(V_{A\to BE}\) be a Stinespring isometry for a channel and its complement, and define coherent information by

\begin{equation} \mathcal N_{A\to B}(\rho):=\operatorname{Tr}_{E}[V\rho V^\dagger], \qquad \mathcal N^c_{A\to E}(\rho):=\operatorname{Tr}_{B}[V\rho V^\dagger], \qquad I_{\rm c}(\rho,\mathcal N):= S(\mathcal N(\rho))-S(\mathcal N^c(\rho)). \tag{1} \end{equation}

For each \(m\geq1\), use Eq. (1) to set

\begin{equation} Q^{(m)}(\mathcal N) :=\frac1m\max_{\rho_{A^m}} I_{\rm c}(\rho_{A^m},\mathcal N^{\otimes m}), \qquad Q(\mathcal N):=\sup_{m\geq1}Q^{(m)}(\mathcal N). \tag{2} \end{equation}

For an ensemble \(\{p_x,\rho_x^{A^m}\}\), let its joint channel output be

\begin{equation} \omega^{XB^mE^m} :=\sum_x p_x|x\rangle\!\langle x|^X\otimes V^{\otimes m}\rho_x^{A^m}(V^\dagger)^{\otimes m}. \tag{3} \end{equation}

In terms of the state in Eq. (3), define

\begin{equation} P^{(m)}(\mathcal N) :=\frac1m\max_{\{p_x,\rho_x^{A^m}\}} \bigl[I(X;B^m)_\omega-I(X;E^m)_\omega\bigr], \qquad P(\mathcal N):=\sup_{m\geq1}P^{(m)}(\mathcal N). \tag{4} \end{equation}

The question is whether there exist finite integers \(m_Q\) and \(m_P\), independent of the channel dimensions and of \(\mathcal N\), such that

\begin{equation} Q(\mathcal N)=Q^{(m_Q)}(\mathcal N) \quad\text{and}\quad P(\mathcal N)=P^{(m_P)}(\mathcal N) \quad\text{for every finite-dimensional }\mathcal N. \tag{5} \end{equation}

Source

Wilde asks whether an entropic formula evaluated on some finite tensor power could replace the regularizations in Eqs. (2) and (4). Equation (5) records the uniform, channel-independent interpretation of that question [Wil17].

Progress

  • Cubitt et al. proved that for every positive integer \(n\) there is a finite-dimensional channel \(\mathcal M_n\) such that

    \begin{equation} Q^{(n)}(\mathcal M_n)=0 \quad\text{while}\quad Q(\mathcal M_n)>0. \tag{6} \end{equation}

    Equation (6) rules out every proposed universal value of \(m_Q\) [CEM+15].

  • Elkouss and Strelchuk proved that for every \(n\) there is a channel \(\mathcal N_n\) for which, for all \(1\leq k<n\),

    \begin{equation} P^{(k)}(\mathcal N_n) <Q^{(k+1)}(\mathcal N_n) \leq P(\mathcal N_n). \tag{7} \end{equation}

    Choosing \(n>m_P\) in Eq. (7) rules out every universal private-information truncation \(m_P\) [ES15].

Comment

The answer to Eq. (5) is negative for both capacities. These counterexamples exclude only a channel-independent block length for the standard coherent- and private-information regularizations; they do not exclude finite stabilization for a particular channel or a different exact capacity formula.

References

[Wil17]
M. M. Wilde, Quantum Information Theory, 2nd ed., Cambridge University Press (2017), Sec. 26.6.DOIarXiv
[CEM+15]
T. S. Cubitt, D. Elkouss, W. Matthews, M. Ozols, D. Pérez-García, and S. Strelchuk, “Unbounded Number of Channel Uses May Be Required to Detect Quantum Capacity,” Nature Communications 6, 6739 (2015).DOIarXiv
[ES15]
D. Elkouss and S. Strelchuk, “Superadditivity of Private Information for Any Number of Uses of the Channel,” Physical Review Letters 115, 040501 (2015).DOIarXiv

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@incollection{qiqcop_op_3ea0de34a1fe6e0b,
  title = {Universal finite truncation of quantum and private capacities},
  booktitle = {Quantum Information and Quantum Computation Open Problem Zoo (QIQCOP Zoo)},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://qiqc-op.com/problem/op_3ea0de34a1fe6e0b/}},
  note = {Stable ID op_3ea0de34a1fe6e0b; status: Solved; accessed 2026-09-08}
}

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“Universal finite truncation of quantum and private capacities,” Quantum Information and Quantum Computation Open Problem Zoo (QIQCOP Zoo), https://qiqc-op.com/problem/op_3ea0de34a1fe6e0b/, ID op_3ea0de34a1fe6e0b, accessed 2026-09-08.

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01M1Q787QR8FTR00QF4PMHHWPE