Uniqueness of imaginarity-assisted transformation from computationally universal to strictly universal quantum computation

TL;DR

This paper characterizes the unique role of the maximally imaginary state |+i⟩ in transforming computationally universal quantum gates into strictly universal ones, highlighting its fundamental resource nature in quantum computation.

Contribution

It establishes that |+i⟩ is the unique resource state enabling universality transformation under free real operations, and links this to the ability to implement non-real quantum gates.

Findings

|+i⟩ is unique up to free operations as a resource state.

States not usable for universality are limited to real orthogonal gates.

|+i⟩ maximizes imaginarity and enables non-real quantum gates.

Abstract

The computational universality with an elementary gate set $\{H,CCZ\}$ can be transformed to the strict universality by using a maximally imaginary state $|+i\rangle$ and some non-imaginary ancillary qubits. From the viewpoint of operational resource theory, it would be intriguing to elucidate a resource for the universality transformation. In this paper, we explore a necessary and sufficient condition for resource states to realize the universality transformation under free real operations. We show that $|+i\rangle$ is a unique resource state up to the free operations. Moreover, we obtain a stronger conclusion. If a given resource state cannot be used for the universality transformation, then realizable quantum gates are restricted to real orthogonal matrices. Therefore, we can tell that $|+i\rangle$ is unique (up to the free operations) not only as a state whose resource measure of imaginarity is maximal, but also as a state which empowers real operations with the ability to apply at least one non-real quantum gate (regardless of the magnitudes of its imaginary parts).