Basis-copying isometry ($C|k⟩=|k⟩|k⟩$)

Relative to a fixed orthonormal basis, the displayed linear map is an isometry because its basis images are orthonormal. Its adjoint obeys $C^{\ast }|k⟩|\ell ⟩={\delta }_{k\ell }|k⟩$. If vectors are described by coefficient functions, this adjoint maps $|f⟩|g⟩$ to $|fg⟩$, where the product is pointwise. Although $C$ copies every basis quantum state, it does not copy arbitrary superpositions. For example it sends $(|0⟩+|1⟩)/\sqrt{2}$ to $(|00⟩+|11⟩)/\sqrt{2}$, whereas two copies would also contain the cross terms $|01⟩$ and $|10⟩$.

For the normalized discrete Fourier transform basis over ${\mathbb{Z}}_N$, products of coefficient functions satisfy $f_m{f}_n=N^{-1/2}{f}_{m+n}$. Taking adjoints of the multiplication rule for the basis-copying isometry gives the displayed identity, with addition modulo $N$. Its $N$ output terms are orthonormal, so the prefactor is required by norm preservation. Each reduced quantum state is $I/N$, making the output a maximally entangled state for $N\ge 2$. This explains concretely why copying one basis is incompatible with copying its Fourier basis.