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For bipartite pure source and target states with positive target entanglement entropy, the optimal rate of LOCC conversion with vanishing output error is the ratio of their entanglement entropies. Here vanishing error means that the trace distance between the output and $|\varphi ⟩⟨\varphi {|}^{\otimes m}$ tends to zero; a recorded failure probability must also tend to zero. Entanglement concentration first provides $nS({\rho }_A^{\psi })-o(n)$ Bell pairs, and entanglement dilution needs $mS({\rho }_A^{\varphi })+o(m)$ such pairs. This achieves the ratio. Conversely, refine the output into pure branches. Average monotonicity of pure-state entanglement entropy bounds their average entropy by the input entropy; continuity bound for quantum conditional entropy, with trivial conditioning, makes the output entropy loss per target tend to zero. This forbids a larger rate. The convention permits approximations for finite blocks: exact deterministic conversion of every finite block can obey stricter majorization constraints. The reversible concentration construction is given in the original concentration paper.

Primary paper on deterministic pure-state conversion under LOCC and majorization, Physical Review Letters 83, 436–439. arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9811053

An auxiliary entangled pure state can enable an otherwise forbidden deterministic bipartite LOCC transformation while being returned exactly and uncorrelated with the output. Nielsen's pure-state conversion theorem reduces this to the displayed majorization condition on sorted squared Schmidt coefficients. It does not follow from a scalar comparison of entanglement entropies: tensoring changes which products occupy the largest cumulative-weight sums. An exact returned catalyst can be reused; merely restoring its marginal while allowing correlations is a different resource task.^[ref]

An exact deterministic LOCC conversion of a bipartite pure state to another is possible exactly when the input vector of squared Schmidt coefficients is majorized by the output vector. Sort the two probability vectors decreasingly and pad with zeros to a common length before applying majorization. A maximally entangled state may therefore be converted to a product state, while the reverse conversion is forbidden. The criterion does not assert conversion by postselection or with a catalyst.

Read equality of the two positive series as equality of a finite total $M$, so the sequences are summable. This is the majorization of summable sequences setting. If equality is instead allowed to mean $\infty =\infty$, the assertion is false: the strictly decreasing sequences $x_i=1+1/(i+1)$ and $y_i=2+1/(i+1)$ satisfy every partial-sum inequality and have divergent equal extended totals. But a normalized nonnegative row of any doubly stochastic matrix averages numbers all at least $2$, and cannot give $x_i<2$. We prove the intended finite-total assertion constructively.

Since $y_j\to 0$ and $0<x_1\le y_1$, there is a finite $k$ such that $y_k\ge x_1>y_{k+1}$. PutThe two-coordinate stochastic averaging matrix sends $(y_k,y_{k+1})$ to $(x_1,u)$. Move the first of these values to the front by a finite permutation, leaving the other values in decreasing order. The tail iswhich is decreasing and strictly positive because $y_{k+1}\le u\le y_k$.

We need the residual majorization in order to repeat the construction. For $n<k$, the first $n$ values of $z$ are at least $x_1$, while every target-tail value is at most $x_1$. ThusFor $n\ge k$, the residual initial sum is the old initial sum with $x_1$ removed:The tail totals also agree, both equalling $M-x_1$. Therefore the same step applies to $(x_2,x_3,\dots )$ and $z$.

Iterating, let $P^{(m)}$ be the product of the first $m$ finite permutations and embedded averaging matrices. Each $P^{(m)}$ is a doubly stochastic matrix, each row is a finitely supported sequence, and the first $m$ entries of $P^{(m)}y$ are $x_1,\dots ,x_m$. Later operations act only on tail rows, so row $i$ becomes permanently fixed once $m\ge i$. Define $p_{ij}$ to be that stabilized row. ThenFor every fixed column $j$ and every $m$, its first $m$ stabilized entries sum to at most one, since they are entries of column $j$ in $P^{(m)}$. Consequently $s_j={\sum }_i{p}_{ij}\le 1$. By Tonelli's theorem,All $y_j$ are strictly positive and every summand in the last expression is nonnegative, so $s_j=1$ for every $j$. Thus both the row sums and the column sums are one, andThe finite-total argument is what prevents loss of column mass in the infinite construction. This completes the doubly stochastic realization of summable-sequence majorization.

Yes, the conversion can be deterministic using local operations and classical communication. Put $s=\sin \theta$ and $c=\cos \theta$. The initial state's squared Schmidt coefficients are $(1/2,1/2)$, while the target's decreasingly ordered squared Schmidt coefficients are $(c^2,s^2)$. Since $0<\theta <\pi /4$, one has $1/2<c^2$ and both pairs sum to one. ThusThe direction of this majorization is the allowed one in Nielsen's pure-state conversion theorem: maximal entanglement can be reduced by deterministic LOCC.

Here is an explicit protocol, so no conversion theorem need be assumed. The sender first applies a Pauli Z gate to remove the initial Bell-state minus sign. Starting from $|{\Phi }^{+}⟩$, she performs a two-outcome local measurement with Kraus operatorsThey define a valid measurement because $M_0^{†}{M}_0+M_1^{†}{M}_1=I$. The two unnormalized states after measurement areEach outcome has probability $1/2$. For outcome zero, the normalized state is already $s|00⟩+c|11⟩$. For outcome one, both parties apply Pauli X gates, obtaining the same state. The sender communicates only which outcome occurred. Finally the receiver applies a Pauli X gate, giving $s|01⟩+c|10⟩$ in either branch. This is deterministic two-qubit entanglement dilution, with total success probability one; it does not rely on postselection.

Put $s={\sin }^2\alpha$ and $t={\sin }^2\beta$. Then $0<s<t<1/2$, and the ordered squared Schmidt coefficients of the source and target are $(1-s,s)$ and $(1-t,t)$.

Nielsen's pure-state conversion theorem states that a deterministic exact conversion between bipartite pure states by LOCC exists precisely when the source's vector of squared Schmidt coefficients is majorized by the target's vector, with zero padding if needed. In the convention $x\prec y$, majorization requires ${\sum }_{j=1}^k{x}_j^{\downarrow }\le {\sum }_{j=1}^k{y}_j^{\downarrow }$ for every $k$, and equality of total sums. Here the first inequality would require $1-s\le 1-t$, but $s<t$ gives the reverse strict inequality. Thus exact conversion with certainty is impossible.

Use the usual asymptotic convention: the output approaches the desired $m(n)$-copy pure target in trace distance, and any recorded failure probability tends to zero. Define the binary entropyThe entanglement entropies per source and target are $E_{\psi }=h_2(s)$ and $E_{\varphi }=h_2(t)$. The asymptotic pure-state entanglement conversion rate isBoth achievability and the upper bound matter here.

For entanglement concentration, expand $n$ sources in their correlated computational basis. Every pair of strings of Hamming weight $k$ has the same amplitude $(1-s{)}^{(n-k)/2}{s}^{k/2}$. Alice measures only this weight, without resolving the individual string. Bob's string has the same weight automatically. Conditional on $k$, the normalized state is maximally entangled on $D_k=\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{n}{k}\right)$ correlated strings. Its outcome probability is $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{n}{k}\right)s^k(1-s{)}^{n-k}$, a binomial distribution. By the weak law of large numbers, $k/n\to s$ in probability; Stirling's formula then gives $n^{-1}{\log }_2{D}_k\to h_2(s)$. A uniform Schmidt vector on $D_k$ entries is majorized by a uniform vector on $2^{\lfloor {\log }_2{D}_k\rfloor }$ entries padded with zeros. Thus Nielsen's pure-state conversion theorem converts the conditional state into that many Bell pairs exactly. For any fixed $\delta >0$, one obtains at least $n(E_{\psi }-\delta )$ Bell pairs with probability tending to one.

For entanglement dilution, consider the Schmidt strings of $m$ targets with probabilities $q_x$. The quantum typical subspace retains strings satisfyingThe retained probability $Q_m$ tends to one by the weak law applied to the independent variables $-{\log }_2{q}_{x_j}$. The number of retained strings is at most $2^{m(E_{\varphi }+\delta )}$, because their probabilities sum to at most one. Normalize the target after truncation to those strings. Its squared overlap with the full target is $Q_m\to 1$. A uniform Schmidt vector of dimension $2^L$, with $L=\lceil m(E_{\varphi }+\delta )\rceil$, is majorized by the truncated target's Schmidt vector padded with zeros: the sum of its largest $k$ entries is at least $k/2^L$. Hence $L$ Bell pairs prepare the truncated target exactly by LOCC. Its trace distance from the true target is $\sqrt{1-Q_m}\to 0$. Combining concentration and dilution achieves any rate $R<E_{\psi }/E_{\varphi }$. Choosing margins tending sufficiently slowly to zero attains the ratio as a limiting rate.

For the converse, average monotonicity of pure-state entanglement entropy follows from Concavity of Von Neumann entropy: a measurement by one party leaves the other party's reduction unchanged on average, so its average conditional entropy cannot increase. Refine local measurement records, including local discarded systems, to obtain pure output branches $\{p_r,|{\chi }_r⟩\}$ on the $m$ output qubits of each party. Iterating the concavity argument givesLet $|{\Phi }_m⟩=|\varphi {⟩}^{\otimes m}$ and let the squared-overlap error of the average output ${\rho }_{\mathrm{out}}$ be $\epsilon =1-⟨{\Phi }_m|{\rho }_{\mathrm{out}}|{\Phi }_m⟩\to 0$. Define $d_r=\sqrt{1-|⟨{\Phi }_m|{\chi }_r⟩{|}^2}$, the pure-state trace distance. Concavity of the square root gives ${\sum }_r{p}_r{d}_r\le \sqrt{\epsilon }$. Partial trace cannot increase trace distance, so the reduced states are also within $d_r$. The continuity bound for quantum conditional entropy, with trivial conditioning and local dimension $2^m$, impliesConsequentlywhich excludes a limiting rate exceeding $E_{\psi }/E_{\varphi }$.

The vanishing-error convention is essential. If exact deterministic conversion were required for every finite block, majorization would also require the largest squared Schmidt coefficient to satisfy $(1-s{)}^n\le (1-t{)}^m$, henceThis can be strictly smaller than the entropy ratio: at $s=0.1,t=0.2$, the two bounds are approximately $0.4722$ and $0.6496$. Thus the boxed rate answers the standard asymptotic task, rather than imposing unmentioned exact zero-error conditions on every finite block.

The final printed direction is reversed under the majorization convention stated in the same part. A completely depolarizing unital quantum channel sends a pure qubit state to $I/2$, giving spectra $r=(1,0)$ and $s=(1/2,1/2)$. The proposed $r\prec s$ fails already at the first partial sum, since $1>1/2$. The valid conclusion isHere is its general proof. Choose eigenbases $\rho ={\sum }_i{r}_i|u_i⟩⟨u_i|$ and $\sigma ={\sum }_j{s}_j|v_j⟩⟨v_j|$, and define the eigenvalue mixing matrix of a unital quantum channelIts entries are nonnegative by positivity. Trace preservation gives ${\sum }_j{A}_{ji}=1$ for every column. Unitality gives ${\sum }_i{A}_{ji}=⟨v_j|\Lambda (I)|v_j⟩=1$ for every row. Thus $A$ is a doubly stochastic matrix, and linearity givesThe supplied doubly stochastic characterization of majorization then yields $s\prec r$, completing the intended corrected result. This proves spectral majorization under a unital quantum channel. A unital quantum channel can make a spectrum more uniform; it cannot generally make the output spectrum majorize the input. The counterexample resolves the false printed assertion rather than treating the reversed inequality as a convention change.

Let $r$ be the input Schmidt rank, so ${\lambda }_j=0$ for $j>r$ and ${\sum }_{j=1}^r{\lambda }_j=1$. If $r=d$, the output rank is already at most $r$. Otherwise, Nielsen's pure-state conversion theorem and majorization at $k=r$ giveThus all output coefficients beyond $r$ vanish, provingThis is monotonicity of Schmidt rank under LOCC. It also holds separately in any nonzero postselected branch: represent the input amplitudes by a matrix $C$; a local branch maps it to $AC{B}^T$, whose rank cannot exceed the rank of $C$. The deterministic result requested here follows already from the majorization criterion.

Nielsen's pure-state conversion theorem gives the exact deterministic LOCC criterion. Let the Schmidt decompositions be $|\psi ⟩={\sum }_j\sqrt{{\lambda }_j}|a_j{b}_j⟩$ and $|\varphi ⟩={\sum }_j\sqrt{{\mu }_j}|a_j^{\prime }{b}_j^{\prime }⟩$. The vectors $\lambda ,\mu$ consist of squared Schmidt coefficients, equivalently the eigenvalues of either reduced density operator. Order each in decreasing order and pad with zeros to a common length $d$.

Then deterministic conversion is possible if and only ifThis is majorization, with the input vector majorized by the output vector. The direction matters: a maximally entangled state has a uniform vector, which is majorized by a product state's vector $(1,0,\dots )$, so entanglement can be discarded by LOCC. The criterion is for certain exact conversion, without catalysts or postselection on a successful branch.

Nielsen's pure-state conversion theorem concerns exact deterministic transformations of bipartite pure states by local operations and classical communication. Let $\lambda (\psi )$ be the decreasing vector of squared Schmidt coefficients, equivalently the eigenvalues of either party's reduced density matrix, padded with zeros when necessary. ThenThe majorization relation means ${\sum }_{j=1}^k{\lambda }_j(\psi )\le {\sum }_{j=1}^k{\lambda }_j(\chi )$ for every $k$, with equality for the total sum. The direction allows a maximally entangled state to become a product state, not the reverse. Local-unitary invariance of reduced-state spectra alone would require equality of all the weights; measurements and communicated outcomes permit this larger class of conversions. A comparison of entanglement entropies alone is not a sufficient test in higher dimension.^[ref]

For the supplied states, the weight vectors and cumulative sums areAt $k=2$, $0.8>0.75$, violating the required inequality. The desired conversion is impossible with certainty using LOCC alone. The reverse conversion also fails, already at $k=1$, so these states are incomparable under this deterministic ordering.

Taking a tensor product with the catalyst multiplies every original weight by each catalyst weight. Regrouping the two local systems on Alice's side and the two on Bob's side leaves a Schmidt decomposition across the Alice–Bob partition. After sorting, the resulting weight vectors areThe actual nonnegative Schmidt amplitudes are $\sqrt{x_j}$ and $\sqrt{y_j}$; the displayed numbers are their squares. The cumulative sums areEvery component obeys $X_k\le Y_k$, so $x\prec y$. HenceThe final catalyst is exactly its initial state and is uncorrelated with the desired output. It can therefore be returned and reused. This is entanglement catalysis; it is stronger than merely retaining the same catalyst marginal while leaving correlations with the output.^[ref]

For the maximally entangled two-level auxiliary state, the sorted input weights are $(0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2,0.05,0.05,0.05,0.05)$, while the output weights are $(0.25,0.25,0.125,0.125,0.125,0.125,0,0)$. Their first four sums are $0.8$ and $0.75$. This maximally entangled auxiliary state cannot catalyze the conversion while being returned unchanged.

Nevertheless, $(0.5,0.5)\prec (0.6,0.4)$, so it can first be converted deterministically into the nonmaximal catalyst. The desired conversion can then proceed, after which Alice and Bob can return $|\varphi ⟩$, rather than the borrowed maximally entangled state. Turning that returned pair alone back into a maximally entangled pair would increase its entanglement entropy and is forbidden by LOCC. No joint restoration procedure can both keep the exact desired $|{\psi }_2⟩$ and return the original maximally entangled auxiliary state deterministically: its composition with the preceding steps would contradict the failed four-weight inequality above.

A unital quantum channel mixes its input spectrum with a doubly stochastic matrix, so its output spectrum satisfies the majorization relation with its input spectrum. The reverse inequality is generally false: a pure state can be sent to a maximally mixed state. The direction expresses the fact that unital noise can make eigenvalues more uniform. Equality of the two spectra is possible, for example under a unitary channel.