Operational interpretation of the Stabilizer Entropy

TL;DR

This paper provides an operational interpretation of the stabilizer entropy in quantum resource theory, linking it to state indistinguishability and the formation of approximate quantum designs.

Contribution

It establishes that stabilizer entropy quantifies the robustness of magic and characterizes the transition from stabilizer states to universal quantum states.

Findings

Stabilizer entropy determines the exponential indistinguishability rate from Haar-random states.

Clifford orbit forms an approximate state k-design with error related to stabilizer entropy.

Optimal distinguishability probability from stabilizer states is governed by stabilizer entropy.

Abstract

Magic-state resource theory is a fundamental framework with far-reaching applications in quantum error correction and the classical simulation of quantum systems. Recent advances have significantly deepened our understanding of magic as a resource across diverse domains, including many-body physics, nuclear and particle physics, and quantum chemistry. Central to this progress is the stabilizer R\'enyi entropy, a computable and experimentally accessible magic monotone. Despite its widespread adoption, a rigorous operational interpretation of the stabilizer entropy has remained an open problem. In this work, we provide such an interpretation in the context of quantum property testing. By showing that the stabilizer entropy is the most robust measurable magic monotone, we demonstrate that the Clifford orbit of a quantum state becomes exponentially indistinguishable from Haar-random states, at a rate governed by the stabilizer entropy $M_{\alpha}(\psi)$ and the number of available copies. This implies that the Clifford orbit forms an approximate state $k$-design, with an approximation error $\exp(-\Theta (M_{\alpha}(\psi)))$ for $\alpha\ge2$. Conversely, we establish that the optimal probability of distinguishing a given quantum state from the set of stabilizer states is also governed by its stabilizer entropy. These results reveal that the stabilizer entropy quantitatively characterizes the transition from stabilizer states to universal quantum states, thereby offering a comprehensive operational perspective of the stabilizer entropy as a quantum resource.