The Gell-Mann feature map of qutrits and its applications in classification tasks

Abstract: Recent advancements in quantum hardware have enabled the realization of high-dimensional quantum states. This work investigates the potential of qutrits in quantum machine learning, leveraging their larger state space for enhanced supervised learning tasks. To that end, the Gell-Mann feature map is introduced which encodes information within an $8$-dimensional Hilbert space. The study focuses on classification problems, comparing Gell-Mann feature map with maps generated by established qubit and classical models. We test different circuit architectures and explore possibilities in optimization techniques. By shedding light on the capabilities and limitations of qutrit-based systems, this research aims to advance applications of low-depth quantum circuits.