Open Quantum Problem 23: SIC-POVMs
Open Quantum Problem 23: SIC-POVMs
Problem statement
hasSICPOVM_56
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
hasSICPOVM_58
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
hasSICPOVM_59
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
hasSICPOVM_60
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
hasSICPOVM_64
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
hasSICPOVM_68
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
hasSICPOVM_69
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
hasSICPOVM_70
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
hasSICPOVM_71
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
hasSICPOVM_72
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
hasSICPOVM_75
Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension .
sicPOVMs
Do SIC-POVMs exist in every finite dimension?
Lean 4
Formal statement
Lean 4/-
Copyright 2026 The Formal Conjectures Authors.
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you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
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See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.
-/
import FormalConjecturesUtil
/-!
# Open Quantum Problem 23: SIC-POVMs
## Mathematical problem
The OQP page presents three increasingly strong formulations of this problem.
In this file we formalize the first one, closest to the physics terminology:
existence of a symmetric informationally complete POVM in every finite dimension.
A SIC-POVM in dimension $d$ can be represented by a family of $d^2$ normalized
vectors in $\mathbb{C}^d$ whose pairwise squared overlaps are all equal to
$(d + 1)^{-1}$. We encode such a family as a map `Fin (d ^ 2) → StateVector d`.
## Background
SIC-POVMs are a basic structure in finite-dimensional quantum information.
They are closely related to equiangular lines, tight frames, quantum state
reconstruction, and finite-dimensional measurement theory.
The open problem asks whether such families exist in every dimension.
## What this file formalizes
This file formalizes the existence problem for symmetric informationally complete
POVMs through the predicate `HasSICPOVM d`.
More precisely, it contains the following layers.
### Core API
The main definitions formalized in this file are:
- `StateVector d`: a state vector in `ℂ^d`;
- `mkStateVector`: constructor from coordinates in the computational basis;
- `IsNormalized ψ`: normalization predicate for a state vector;
- `overlapSq φ ψ`: squared magnitude of the inner-product overlap;
- `HasConstantOverlapSq c Φ`: constant pairwise squared-overlap condition;
- `sicOverlapSq d`: the SIC overlap value `(d + 1)⁻¹`;
- `IsSICFamily d Φ`: the predicate that a family of `d^2` vectors in `ℂ^d`
is a SIC family;
- `HasSICPOVM d`: existence of a SIC family in dimension `d`.
In addition, the file includes explicit witness families and convenient
constructors used in the low-dimensional benchmark cases:
- `vec2`, `vec3`;
- `qubitSICFamily`;
- `hesseFamily`;
- `bb84Family`.
### Complete open conjecture
The main open theorem is:
- `sicPOVMs`, expressing the conjecture that for every `d ≥ 1`, there exists a
SIC-POVM in dimension `d`.
### Special cases
The file also isolates several special cases:
- solved low-dimensional benchmark cases:
`hasSICPOVM_zero`, `hasSICPOVM_one`, `hasSICPOVM_two`, `hasSICPOVM_three`;
- a negative benchmark result:
`bb84Family_not_isSICFamily`, showing that the BB84 family in dimension `2`
does not form a SIC family;
- selected open benchmark dimensions:
`hasSICPOVM_56`, `hasSICPOVM_58`, `hasSICPOVM_59`, `hasSICPOVM_60`,
`hasSICPOVM_64`, `hasSICPOVM_68`, `hasSICPOVM_69`, `hasSICPOVM_70`,
`hasSICPOVM_71`, `hasSICPOVM_72`, `hasSICPOVM_75`.
### Test lemmas
The file includes the following test lemmas and benchmark-support statements:
- `hasConstantOverlapSq_singleton`;
- `sicOverlapSq_one`, `sicOverlapSq_two`, `sicOverlapSq_three`,
`sicOverlapSq_pos`;
- `isSICFamily_singleton_iff`, `isSICFamily_one_of_normalized`;
- `qubitSICFamily_normalized`, `qubitSICFamily_pairwise`;
- `hesseFamily_normalized`, `hesseFamily_pairwise`;
- `bb84Family_normalized`.
At present, these `@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]` results are included with
placeholder proofs `by sorry`; they are intended to be proved in the next PR.
## References
*Primary source list entry:*
- IQOQI Vienna Open Quantum Problems, problem 23:
https://oqp.iqoqi.oeaw.ac.at/sic-povms-and-zauners-conjecture
- Formal Conjectures issue #1823:
https://github.com/google-deepmind/formal-conjectures/issues/1823
### Foundational references
- J. M. Renes, R. Blume-Kohout, A. J. Scott, and M. C. Caves,
*Symmetric informationally complete quantum measurements*,
J. Math. Phys. 45, 2171-2180 (2004), arXiv:quant-ph/0310075.
- G. Zauner,
*Quantum Designs: Foundations of a Noncommutative Design Theory*,
PhD thesis, University of Vienna (1999).
-/
noncomputable section
namespace OpenQuantumProblem23
/- ## Basic structures -/
/-- A state vector in the $d$-dimensional complex Hilbert space $\mathbb{C}^d$. -/
abbrev StateVector (d : ℕ) := EuclideanSpace ℂ (Fin d)
/-- Build a state vector from its coordinates in the computational basis. -/
abbrev mkStateVector {d : ℕ} (ψ : Fin d → ℂ) : StateVector d := WithLp.toLp 2 ψ
/-- Coercion from a state vector to its coordinate function. -/
instance {d : ℕ} : CoeFun (StateVector d) (fun _ => Fin d → ℂ) where
coe ψ := ψ.ofLp
/-- A state vector is normalized if it has $L^2$ norm $1$. -/
def IsNormalized {d : ℕ} (ψ : StateVector d) : Prop := ‖ψ‖ = 1
/-- The squared magnitude of the overlap between two state vectors. -/
def overlapSq {d : ℕ} (φ ψ : StateVector d) : ℝ :=
Complex.normSq (∑ i : Fin d, star (φ i) * ψ i)
/-- A family has constant pairwise squared overlap $c$ if every two distinct members have squared overlap $c$. -/
def HasConstantOverlapSq {d N : ℕ} (c : ℝ) (Φ : Fin N → StateVector d) : Prop :=
Pairwise fun i j => overlapSq (Φ i) (Φ j) = c
/-- The squared overlap value of a SIC family in dimension $d$. -/
def sicOverlapSq (d : ℕ) : ℝ := (d + 1 : ℝ)⁻¹
/-- A SIC family in dimension $d$ consists of $d^2$ normalized vectors in $\mathbb{C}^d$ with pairwise squared overlap $(d + 1)^{-1}$. -/
def IsSICFamily (d : ℕ) (Φ : Fin (d ^ 2) → StateVector d) : Prop :=
(∀ i, IsNormalized (Φ i)) ∧ HasConstantOverlapSq (sicOverlapSq d) Φ
/-- There exists a SIC-POVM in dimension $d$. -/
def HasSICPOVM (d : ℕ) : Prop :=
∃ Φ : Fin (d ^ 2) → StateVector d, IsSICFamily d Φ
/- ## Basic benchmark cases -/
/-- Any singleton family has constant pairwise squared overlap, vacuously. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma hasConstantOverlapSq_singleton {d : ℕ} (c : ℝ) (ψ : StateVector d) :
HasConstantOverlapSq c (fun _ : Fin 1 => ψ) := by
intro i j hij
exact absurd (Subsingleton.elim i j) hij
/-- The SIC overlap value in dimension $1$ is $1/2$. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma sicOverlapSq_one : sicOverlapSq 1 = (1 / 2 : ℝ) := by
simp [sicOverlapSq]; norm_num
/-- The SIC overlap value is positive in every dimension. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma sicOverlapSq_pos (d : ℕ) : 0 < sicOverlapSq d := by
simp [sicOverlapSq]; positivity
/-- In dimension $1$, a singleton family is SIC exactly when its vector is normalized. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma isSICFamily_singleton_iff {ψ : StateVector 1} :
IsSICFamily 1 (fun _ : Fin 1 => ψ) ↔ IsNormalized ψ := by
constructor
· intro ⟨h, _⟩; exact h 0
· intro h; exact ⟨fun _ => h, hasConstantOverlapSq_singleton _ _⟩
/-- The empty family witnesses the degenerate dimension-$0$ case. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_zero : HasSICPOVM 0 := by
exact ⟨Fin.elim0, fun i => Fin.elim0 i, fun i j _ => Fin.elim0 i⟩
/-- Any normalized state in dimension $1$ yields a SIC family. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma isSICFamily_one_of_normalized {ψ : StateVector 1} (hψ : IsNormalized ψ) :
IsSICFamily 1 (fun _ : Fin 1 => ψ) :=
isSICFamily_singleton_iff.mpr hψ
/-- Dimension $1$ admits a SIC-POVM. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_one : HasSICPOVM 1 := by
refine ⟨fun _ => EuclideanSpace.single 0 1, isSICFamily_one_of_normalized ?_⟩
simp [IsNormalized]
/- ## Explicit low-dimensional witnesses -/
/-- The standard algebraic primitive cube root of unity. -/
def ω : ℂ :=
((-(1 : ℝ) / 2 : ℝ) : ℂ) + ((Real.sqrt 3 / 2 : ℝ) : ℂ) * Complex.I
/-- The first real amplitude used in the tetrahedral qubit SIC. -/
def tetraA : ℝ := Real.sqrt (1 / 3)
/-- The second real amplitude used in the tetrahedral qubit SIC. -/
def tetraB : ℝ := Real.sqrt (2 / 3)
/-- The common scale used in the Hesse qutrit SIC. -/
def hesseS : ℝ := Real.sqrt (1 / 2)
/-- A convenient constructor for qubit state vectors. -/
def vec2 (z₀ z₁ : ℂ) : StateVector 2 := mkStateVector ![z₀, z₁]
/-- A convenient constructor for qutrit state vectors. -/
def vec3 (z₀ z₁ z₂ : ℂ) : StateVector 3 := mkStateVector ![z₀, z₁, z₂]
/-- The tetrahedral qubit SIC family. -/
def qubitSICFamily : Fin 4 → StateVector 2
| 0 => vec2 1 0
| 1 => vec2 (tetraA : ℂ) (tetraB : ℂ)
| 2 => vec2 (tetraA : ℂ) ((tetraB : ℂ) * ω)
| _ => vec2 (tetraA : ℂ) ((tetraB : ℂ) * (ω ^ 2))
/-- The Hesse qutrit SIC family. -/
def hesseFamily : Fin 9 → StateVector 3
| 0 => vec3 0 (hesseS : ℂ) (-(hesseS : ℂ))
| 1 => vec3 0 (hesseS : ℂ) (-((hesseS : ℂ) * ω))
| 2 => vec3 0 (hesseS : ℂ) (-((hesseS : ℂ) * (ω ^ 2)))
| 3 => vec3 (-(hesseS : ℂ)) 0 (hesseS : ℂ)
| 4 => vec3 (-((hesseS : ℂ) * ω)) 0 (hesseS : ℂ)
| 5 => vec3 (-((hesseS : ℂ) * (ω ^ 2))) 0 (hesseS : ℂ)
| 6 => vec3 (hesseS : ℂ) (-(hesseS : ℂ)) 0
| 7 => vec3 (hesseS : ℂ) (-((hesseS : ℂ) * ω)) 0
| _ => vec3 (hesseS : ℂ) (-((hesseS : ℂ) * (ω ^ 2))) 0
/-- The BB84 family of four qubit states. -/
def bb84Family : Fin 4 → StateVector 2
| 0 => vec2 1 0
| 1 => vec2 0 1
| 2 => vec2 (hesseS : ℂ) (hesseS : ℂ)
| _ => vec2 (hesseS : ℂ) (-(hesseS : ℂ))
/-- The SIC overlap value in dimension $2$ is $1/3$. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma sicOverlapSq_two : sicOverlapSq 2 = (1 / 3 : ℝ) := by
simp [sicOverlapSq]; norm_num
/-- The SIC overlap value in dimension $3$ is $1/4$. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma sicOverlapSq_three : sicOverlapSq 3 = (1 / 4 : ℝ) := by
simp [sicOverlapSq]; norm_num
/-- The unit complex number `ω` (primitive cube root) has norm `1`. -/
@[category API, AMS 15 47 81]
private lemma omega_norm : ‖ω‖ = 1 := by
rw [Complex.norm_def, ω]
simp [Complex.normSq_apply]
have : Real.sqrt 3 * Real.sqrt 3 = 3 := Real.mul_self_sqrt (by norm_num)
rw [show (-1 / 2 : ℝ) * (-1 / 2) + Real.sqrt 3 / 2 * (Real.sqrt 3 / 2) = 1
from by nlinarith]
/-- Every vector in the tetrahedral qubit SIC family is normalized. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma qubitSICFamily_normalized (i : Fin 4) :
IsNormalized (qubitSICFamily i) := by
have h2 : Real.sqrt 2 ^ 2 = 2 := Real.sq_sqrt (by norm_num)
have h3 : Real.sqrt 3 ^ 2 = 3 := Real.sq_sqrt (by norm_num)
have sqrt2_pos : (0:ℝ) < Real.sqrt 2 := Real.sqrt_pos.mpr (by norm_num)
have sqrt3_pos : (0:ℝ) < Real.sqrt 3 := Real.sqrt_pos.mpr (by norm_num)
have omega2_norm : ‖ω ^ 2‖ = 1 := by rw [norm_pow, omega_norm]; ring
fin_cases i <;>
simp [IsNormalized, qubitSICFamily, vec2, mkStateVector,
EuclideanSpace.norm_eq, Fin.sum_univ_two, tetraA, tetraB,
omega_norm, omega2_norm, abs_of_pos sqrt2_pos, abs_of_pos sqrt3_pos]
all_goals (try (field_simp; linarith [h2, h3]))
/-- The tetrahedral qubit SIC family has the correct constant pairwise overlap. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma qubitSICFamily_pairwise :
HasConstantOverlapSq (sicOverlapSq 2) qubitSICFamily := by sorry
/-- Dimension $2$ admits a SIC-POVM, witnessed by the tetrahedral qubit SIC. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_two : HasSICPOVM 2 := by sorry
/-- Every vector in the Hesse qutrit SIC family is normalized. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma hesseFamily_normalized (i : Fin 9) :
IsNormalized (hesseFamily i) := by
have h2 : Real.sqrt 2 ^ 2 = 2 := Real.sq_sqrt (by norm_num)
have sqrt2_pos : (0:ℝ) < Real.sqrt 2 := Real.sqrt_pos.mpr (by norm_num)
have omega2_norm : ‖ω ^ 2‖ = 1 := by rw [norm_pow, omega_norm]; ring
fin_cases i <;>
simp [IsNormalized, hesseFamily, vec3, mkStateVector,
EuclideanSpace.norm_eq, Fin.sum_univ_three, hesseS,
omega_norm, omega2_norm, abs_of_pos sqrt2_pos]
all_goals (try (field_simp; linarith [h2]))
/-- The Hesse qutrit SIC family has the correct constant pairwise overlap. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma hesseFamily_pairwise :
HasConstantOverlapSq (sicOverlapSq 3) hesseFamily := by sorry
/-- Dimension $3$ admits a SIC-POVM, witnessed by the Hesse qutrit SIC. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_three : HasSICPOVM 3 := by sorry
/-- Every vector in the BB84 family is normalized. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
lemma bb84Family_normalized (i : Fin 4) :
IsNormalized (bb84Family i) := by
fin_cases i <;> simp [IsNormalized, bb84Family, vec2, EuclideanSpace.norm_eq, hesseS] <;> grind
/-- The BB84 family has the right cardinality for a qubit SIC but fails the constant-overlap condition. -/
@[category test, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem bb84Family_not_isSICFamily : ¬ IsSICFamily 2 bb84Family := by
intro h
have h_overlap := h.2 (show 0 ≠ 1 by decide)
simp [Fin.sum_univ_two, bb84Family, vec2, overlapSq, sicOverlapSq_two] at h_overlap
/- ## Smallest open special cases (all d<=75) -/
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $56$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_56 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 56 := by sorry
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $58$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_58 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 58 := by sorry
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $59$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_59 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 59 := by sorry
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $60$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_60 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 60 := by sorry
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $64$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_64 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 64 := by sorry
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $68$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_68 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 68 := by sorry
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $69$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_69 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 69 := by sorry
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $70$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_70 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 70 := by sorry
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $71$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_71 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 71 := by sorry
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $72$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_72 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 72 := by sorry
/-- Benchmark open subproblem: existence of a SIC-POVM in dimension $75$. -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem hasSICPOVM_75 : answer(sorry) ↔ HasSICPOVM 75 := by sorry
/- ## Full conjecture -/
/-- Do SIC-POVMs exist in every finite dimension? -/
@[category research open, AMS 15 47 81]
theorem sicPOVMs :
answer(sorry) ↔ ∀ d : ℕ, 1 ≤ d → HasSICPOVM d := by
sorry
end OpenQuantumProblem23
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