Effective criteria for entanglement witnesses in small dimensions

TL;DR

This paper develops an exact and efficient set of criteria based on Sturm sequences for determining block-positivity of 4x4 matrices, aiding in identifying entanglement witnesses in quantum systems.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, exact method using Sturm sequences for testing block-positivity of 4x4 matrices, with potential generalization to higher-dimensional systems.

Findings

Provides necessary and sufficient criteria for 4x4 block-positivity.

Enables precise identification of entanglement witnesses.

Offers an alternative approach using Gr"obner bases.

Abstract

We present an effective set of necessary and sufficient criteria for block-positivity of matrices of order $4$ over $\mathbb{C}$. The approach is based on Sturm sequences and quartic polynomial positivity conditions presented in recent literature. The procedure allows us to test whether a given $4\times 4$ complex matrix corresponds to an entanglement witness, and it is exact when the matrix coefficients belong to the rationals, extended by $\mathrm{i}$. The method can be generalized to $\mathcal{H}_2\otimes\mathcal{H}_d$ systems for $d>2$ to provide necessary but not sufficient criterion for block-positivity. We also outline an alternative approach to the problem relying on Gr\"obner bases.