Yu and Oh (eprint) [1] have given a state-independent proof of the Kochen–Specker theorem in three dimensions using only 13 rays. The proof consists of showing that a non-contextual hidden variable theory necessarily leads to an inequality that is violated by quantum mechanics. We give a similar proof making use of 21 rays that constitute aSIC (symmetric informationally-complete positive operator-valued measure) and a complete set of MUB (mutually unbiased bases). A theory-independent inequality is also presented using the same 21 rays, as required for experimental tests of contextuality.

Recent experiments have demonstrated ququart state-independent quantum contextuality and qutrit state-dependent quantum contextuality. So far, the most basic form of quantum contextuality pointed out by Kochen and Specker, and Bell, has eluded experimental confirmation. Here we present an experimentally feasible test to observe qutrit state-independent quantum contextuality using single photons in a three-path setup. In addition, we show that if the same measurements are performed on two entangled qutrits, rather than sequentially on the same qutrit, then the noncontextual inequality becomes a Bell inequality. We show that this connection also applies to other recently introduced noncontextual inequalities.

We look at generalisations of sets of vectors proving the Kochen-Specker theorem in 3 and 4 dimensions. It has been shown that two such sets, although unitarily inequivalent, are part of a larger 3-parameter family of vectors that share the same orthogonality graph. We find that these sets are unusual, in that the vectors in all other Kochen-Specker sets investigated here are fully determined by orthogonality conditions and thus admit no free parameters.

Five years ago, Lane Hughston showed that some of the symmetric informationally complete positive operator valued measures (SICs) in dimension 3 coincide with the Hesse configuration (a structure well known to algebraic geometers, which arises from the torsion points of a certain elliptic curve). This connection with elliptic curves is signalled by the presence of linear dependencies among the SIC vectors. Here we look for analogous connections between SICs and algebraic geometry by performing computer searches for linear dependencies in higher dimensional SICs. We prove that linear dependencies will always emerge in Weyl-Heisenberg orbits when the fiducial vector lies in a certain subspace of an order 3 unitary matrix. This includes SICs when the dimension is divisible by 3 or equal to 8 mod 9. We examine the linear dependencies in dimension 6 in detail and show that smaller dimensional SICs are contained within this structure, potentially impacting the SIC existence problem. We extend our results to look for linear dependencies in orbits when the fiducial vector lies in an eigenspace of other elements of the Clifford group that are not order 3. Finally, we align our work with recent studies on representations of the Clifford group.

We express Alltop's construction of mutually unbiased bases as orbits under the Weyl–Heisenberg group in prime dimensions and find a related construction in dimensions 2 and 4. We reproduce Alltop's mutually unbiased bases using abelian subgroups of the Clifford group in prime dimensions, in direct analogy to the well-known construction of mutually unbiased bases using abelian subgroups of the Weyl–Heisenberg group. Finally, we prove three theorems relating to the distances and linear dependencies among different sets of mutually unbiased bases.

We investigate the action of Weyl-Heisenberg and Clifford groups on sets of vectors that comprise mutually unbiased bases (MUBs). We consider two distinct MUB constructions, the standard and Alltop constructions, in Hilbert spaces of prime dimension. We show how the standard set of MUBs turns into the Alltop set under the action of an element at the third level of the Clifford hierarchy. We prove that when the dimension is a prime number equal to one modulo three each Alltop vector is invariant under an element of the Clifford group of order 3. The set of all Alltop vectors splits into three different orbits of the Clifford group, and forms a configuration together with the set of all subspaces invariant under an order 3 element of the Clifford group. There is a well-known conjecture that SIC vectors can be found in the eigenspace of order 3 Cliffords. This, combined with a connection between MUB and SIC vectors, suggests our work may provide a clue to the SIC existence problem in these dimensions. We identify Alltop vectors as so-called magic states which appear in the context of fault-tolerant quantum computing. The appearance of distinct Clifford orbits implies an inequivalence between some magic states.