Entanglement witnesses: construction, analysis and classification
Dariusz Chruściński, Gniewomir Sarbicki · Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical · 2014
From the physical point of view entanglement witnesses (EWs) define a universal tool for analysis and classification of quantum entangled states. From the mathematical perspective bipartite EWs provide highly non-trivial generalization of positive operators and establish elegant correspondence with the theory of positive maps in matrix algebras. We concentrate on theoretical analysis of various important notions like decomposability, atomicity, optimality, extremality and exposedness. Several methods of construction are provided as well. Our discussion is illustrated by many examples enabling the reader to see the intricate structure of these objects. It is shown that the theory of EWs finds elegant geometric formulation in terms of convex cones and related geometric structures.