On the characterization of Schmidt number breaking and annihilating channels

Abstract: Transmission of high dimensional entanglement through quantum channels is a significant area of interest in quantum information science. The certification of high dimensional entanglement is usually done through Schmidt numbers. Schmidt numbers quantify the entanglement dimension of quantum states. States with high Schmidt numbers provide a larger advantage in various quantum information processing tasks compared to quantum states with low Schmidt numbers. However, some quantum channels can reduce the Schmidt number of states. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of Schmidt number breaking channels which reduce the Schmidt number of bipartite composite systems. From a resource theoretic perspective, it becomes imperative to identify channels that preserve the Schmidt number. Based on our characterization we lay down prescriptions to identify such channels which are non-resource breaking, i.e., preserve the Schmidt number. Additionally, we introduce a new class of quantum channels, termed Schmidt number annihilating channels which reduce the Schmidt number of a quantum state that is a part of a larger composite system. Finally, we study the connection between entanglement breaking, Schmidt number breaking, and Schmidt number annihilating channels.