Higher rank numerical ranges and low rank perturbations of quantum channels.pdf

a r X i v : 0 7 1 0 .2 8 9 8 v 2 [ m a t h .F A ] 6 A u g 2 0 0 8 HIGHER RANK NUMERICAL RANGES AND LOW RANK PERTURBATIONS OF QUANTUM CHANNELS CHI-KWONG LI, YIU-TUNG POON, AND NUNG-SING SZE Abstract. For a positive integer k, the rank-k numerical range Λk(A) of an operator A acting on a Hilbert space H of dimension at least k is the set of scalars λ such that PAP = λP for some rank k orthogonal projection P . In this paper, a close connection between low rank perturbation of an operator A and Λk(A) is established. In particular, for 1 ≤ r k it is shown that Λk(A) ? Λk?r(A + F ) for any operator F with rank (F ) ≤ r. In quantum computing, this result implies that a quantum channel with a k-dimensional error correcting code under a perturbation of rank ≤ r will still have a (k? r)- dimensional error correcting code. Moreover, it is shown that if A is normal or if the dimension of A is finite, then Λk(A) can be obtained as the intersection of Λk?r(A + F ) for a collection of rank r operators F . Examples are given to show that the result fails if A is a general operator. The closure and the interior of the convex set Λk(A) are completely determined. Analogous results are obtained for Λ∞(A) defined as the set of scalars λ such that PAP = λP for an infinite rank orthogonal projection P . It is shown that Λ∞(A) is the intersection of all Λk(A) for k = 1, 2, . . . . If A ? μI is not compact for any μ ∈ C, then the closure and the interior of Λ∞(A) coincide with those of the essential numerical range of A. The situation for the special case when A?μI is compact for some μ ∈ C is also studied. 1. Introduction Let B(H) be the algebra of bounded linear operators acting on a Hilbert space H. We identify B(H) with Mn if H has dimension n. For k ≤ dimH , define the rank-k numerical range of A ∈ B(H) by Λk(A) = {λ ∈ C : PAP = λP for some rank-k orthogonal projection P ∈ B(H)}. Note that we allow k = ∞ if dim H = ∞. Evidently, λ ∈ Λk(A) if and only if there is an orthogonal