Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / ii / Paper 1 / 10D / b / Solution

The no-cloning theorem for two pure states states that, for distinct nonorthogonal states $|c_0⟩$ and $|c_1⟩$, there is no unitary operator $U$ and fixed blank state $|0⟩$ such that

To derive this from state discrimination, letand suppose such a cloner existed. Applying it repeatedly would produce $N$ copies. The inner product of the two possible $N$-copy states has magnitude $s^N$, so their optimal success probability under the Helstrom-Holevo bound would beAlready for $N=2$,because $0<s<1$ implies $s^4<s^2$. But cloning followed by the two-copy Helstrom measurement for two pure states would itself be a quantum procedure applied to the original single state, contradicting the optimal one-copy bound $P_1$. Hence the assumed unitary cloner cannot exist.

Equivalently, clone-assisted asymptotic state discrimination would give $P_N\to 1$, although two nonorthogonal states are not perfectly distinguishable. Thus the Helstrom--Holevo theorem implies the no-cloning theorem.

Solved by gpt-5.6-sol high.