Picturing Qubits in Phase Space

Abstract

Focusing particularly on one-qubit and two-qubit systems, I explain how the quantum state of a system of n qubits can be expressed as a real function--a generalized Wigner function--on a discrete 2^n x 2^n phase space. The phase space is based on the finite field having 2^n elements, and its geometric structure leads naturally to the construction of a complete set of 2^n+1 mutually conjugate bases.

26 pages; contribution to the Charles H. Bennett 60th Birthday Symposium; references added in v2, v3, and v4