A note on the degree conjecture for separability of multipartite quantum states

Abstract

The degree conjecture for bipartite quantum states which are normalized graph Laplacians was first put forward by Braunstein et al. [Phys. Rev. A 73 (2006) 012320]. The degree criterion, which is equivalent to PPT criterion, is simpler and more efficient to detect the separability of quantum states associated with graphs. Hassan et al. settled the degree conjecture for the separability of multipartite quantum states in [J. Math. Phys. 49 (2008) 0121105]. It is proved that the conjecture is true for pure multipartite quantum states. However, the degree condition is only necessary for separability of a class of quantum mixed states. It does not apply to all mixed states. In this paper, we show that the degree conjecture holds for the mixed quantum states of nearest point graph. As a byproduct, the degree criterion is necessary and sufficient for multipartite separability of [Formula: see text]-qubit quantum states associated with graphs.