Optimal Asymmetric Quantum Cloning

While the no-cloning theorem, which forbids the perfect copying of quantum states, is well-known as one of the defining features of quantum mechanics, the question of how well the theory allows a state to be cloned is yet to be completely solved. In this paper, rigorous solutions to the problem of M → N asymmetric cloning of qudits are obtained in a number of interesting cases. The central result is the solution to the 1→ N universal asymmetric qudit cloning problem for which the exact trade-off in the fidelities of the clones for every N and d is derived. Analogous results are proven for qubits when M = N − 1. We also consider state-dependent 1 → N qubit cloning, providing a general parametrization in terms of a Heisenberg star Hamiltonian. In all instances, we determine the feasibility of implementing the cloning economically, i.e., without an ancilla, and determine the dimension of the ancilla when an economic implementation is not possible.