4 Rem 4: Z-Type Support Convention
This chapter establishes the Z-type support convention for Pauli operators. For a Pauli operator \(P\), the Z-type support \(\mathcal{S}_Z\) is the set of qubits on which \(P\) acts via \(Y\) or \(Z\), and the X-type support \(\mathcal{S}_X\) is the set of qubits on which \(P\) acts via \(X\) or \(Y\). A Pauli operator can be decomposed as \(P = i^{\sigma } \prod _{v \in \mathcal{S}_X} X_v \prod _{v \in \mathcal{S}_Z} Z_v\) for some phase \(\sigma \in \{ 0,1,2,3\} \). The main result is that if \(P\) commutes with an \(X\)-type logical operator \(L = \prod _v X_v\), then \(|\mathcal{S}_Z \cap \mathrm{supp}(L)| \equiv 0 \pmod{2}\).
The Pauli operator \(Y\) satisfies both \(\mathrm{isXType}(Y) = \mathrm{true}\) and \(\mathrm{isZType}(Y) = \mathrm{true}\).
Both equalities hold by reflexivity of definitional computation.
A Pauli type \(p\) is nontrivial if and only if it is X-type or Z-type (or both, i.e., \(Y\)):
We proceed by case analysis on \(p \in \{ I, X, Y, Z\} \). In each case, the equivalence is verified by simplification using the definitions of \(\mathrm{isNontrivial}\), \(\mathrm{isXType}\), and \(\mathrm{isZType}\).
For Pauli types \(p\) and \(q\), \(\mathrm{commutes}(p, q) = \mathrm{false}\) if and only if \((p,q)\) is one of the pairs \((X,Z)\), \((Z,X)\), \((X,Y)\), \((Y,X)\), \((Z,Y)\), or \((Y,Z)\).
We proceed by case analysis on both \(p\) and \(q\), each ranging over \(\{ I, X, Y, Z\} \). In each of the 16 cases, the equivalence is verified by simplification using the definition of \(\mathrm{commutes}\).
For any Pauli type \(q\), \(\mathrm{commutes}(X, q) = \mathrm{true}\) if and only if \(\mathrm{isZType}(q) = \mathrm{false}\).
We proceed by case analysis on \(q \in \{ I, X, Y, Z\} \) and verify each case by simplification using the definitions of \(\mathrm{commutes}\) and \(\mathrm{isZType}\).
For any Pauli type \(q\), \(\mathrm{commutes}(Z, q) = \mathrm{true}\) if and only if \(\mathrm{isXType}(q) = \mathrm{false}\).
We proceed by case analysis on \(q \in \{ I, X, Y, Z\} \) and verify each case by simplification using the definitions of \(\mathrm{commutes}\) and \(\mathrm{isXType}\).
For Pauli operators \(P\) and \(Q\) on \(n\) qubits, the Z-support overlap is
For a Pauli operator \(P\) on \(n\) qubits and a set \(S \subseteq \mathrm{Fin}(n)\), the anticommuting positions with pure \(X\) is
For a Pauli operator \(P\) on \(n\) qubits and a set \(S \subseteq \mathrm{Fin}(n)\),
By extensionality, it suffices to show equality for an arbitrary element \(i\). We unfold the definitions of \(\mathrm{anticommutingPositionsWithPureX}\) and \(\mathrm{zSupport}\), expressing both sides using filter and membership in finsets. The equivalence then follows by the tautology that the filter condition on \(S\) combined with the Z-type check is equivalent to membership in \(\mathcal{S}_Z(P) \cap S\).
For a Pauli operator \(P\) on \(n\) qubits and a set \(S \subseteq \mathrm{Fin}(n)\),
We unfold the definition of \(\mathrm{commutes}\). The anticommuting positions are exactly those \(i\) where \(P_i\) does not commute with \((\mathrm{pureX}(S))_i\). We establish that
by extensionality. For the forward direction: if \(i \in S\), then \(\mathrm{pureX}(S)_i = X\), and by case analysis on \(P_i \in \{ I, X, Y, Z\} \), the position anticommutes precisely when \(P_i\) is Z-type. If \(i \notin S\), then \(\mathrm{pureX}(S)_i = I\), which commutes with everything, so we get a contradiction. For the reverse direction: given \(P_i\) is Z-type and \(i \in S\), we again case-split on \(P_i\) (the cases \(I\) and \(X\) are excluded by the Z-type assumption) and verify that \(Y\) anticommutes with \(X\) and \(Z\) anticommutes with \(X\). Having established this equality, the result follows by rewriting.
If \(P\) commutes with \(\mathrm{pureX}(S)\), then \(|\mathcal{S}_Z(P) \cap S| \equiv 0 \pmod{2}\).
This follows directly from the forward direction of Theorem 112, i.e., \((\mathrm{commutes\_ with\_ pureX\_ iff}\; P\; S).\mathrm{mp}\; h\).
If \(|\mathcal{S}_Z(P) \cap S| \equiv 0 \pmod{2}\), then \(P\) commutes with \(\mathrm{pureX}(S)\).
This follows directly from the backward direction of Theorem 112, i.e., \((\mathrm{commutes\_ with\_ pureX\_ iff}\; P\; S).\mathrm{mpr}\; h\).
A finset \(S \subseteq \mathrm{Fin}(n)\) has even cardinality if \(|S| \equiv 0 \pmod{2}\):
If a Pauli operator \(P\) commutes with an \(X\)-type logical operator \(L = \prod _{v \in \mathrm{supp}(L)} X_v\) of a stabilizer code \(C\), then the Z-type support of \(P\) restricted to \(\mathrm{supp}(L)\) has even cardinality:
We use the product representation of \(L\): by \(L.\mathrm{product\_ representation}\), the Pauli components of \(L\) are the same as those of \(\mathrm{pureX}(\mathrm{supp}(L))\). Since the commutation check depends only on the Pauli components (not the phase), we have
Rewriting the hypothesis \(h\) with this equivalence, the result follows directly from Theorem 113 applied to \(P\) and \(\mathrm{supp}(L)\).
If a Pauli operator \(P\) commutes with an \(X\)-type logical operator \(L\) whose support is the full set \(\mathrm{Fin}(n)\), then the Z-type support of \(P\) has even cardinality:
From Theorem 116, we obtain \(|\mathcal{S}_Z(P) \cap \mathrm{supp}(L)| \equiv 0 \pmod{2}\). Since \(\mathrm{supp}(L) = \mathrm{Fin}(n)\) by the hypothesis \(\mathrm{hfull}\), we simplify \(\mathcal{S}_Z(P) \cap \mathrm{Fin}(n) = \mathcal{S}_Z(P)\) (using \(\mathrm{Finset.inter\_ univ}\)), yielding \(|\mathcal{S}_Z(P)| \equiv 0 \pmod{2}\).
Every single-qubit Pauli type can be written as \(X^a Z^b\) for \(a, b \in \{ 0,1\} \) (ignoring phase). The X-Z exponents map assigns:
For a Pauli type \(p\), the first component of \(\mathrm{xzExponents}(p)\) equals \(1\) if and only if \(p\) is X-type:
By case analysis on \(p \in \{ I, X, Y, Z\} \), verified by simplification using the definitions of \(\mathrm{xzExponents}\) and \(\mathrm{isXType}\).
For a Pauli type \(p\), the second component of \(\mathrm{xzExponents}(p)\) equals \(1\) if and only if \(p\) is Z-type:
By case analysis on \(p \in \{ I, X, Y, Z\} \), verified by simplification using the definitions of \(\mathrm{xzExponents}\) and \(\mathrm{isZType}\).
The X-Z decomposition of a Pauli operator \(P\) on \(n\) qubits is a structure witnessing that:
The X-type support of \(P\) is exactly \(\{ i \mid (\mathrm{xzExponents}(P_i))_1 = 1\} \).
The Z-type support of \(P\) is exactly \(\{ i \mid (\mathrm{xzExponents}(P_i))_2 = 1\} \).
This captures the decomposition \(P = i^{\sigma } \prod _{v \in \mathcal{S}_X} X_v \prod _{v \in \mathcal{S}_Z} Z_v\).
Every Pauli operator \(P\) on \(n\) qubits admits an X-Z decomposition.
We construct the decomposition by verifying both fields. For the X-support correctness: by extensionality on an arbitrary qubit \(i\), we simplify the definitions of \(\mathrm{xSupport}\) and the filter, and the equivalence follows from the symmetric form of Lemma 119 applied to \(P_i\). For the Z-support correctness: similarly, by extensionality and simplification, the equivalence follows from the symmetric form of Lemma 120 applied to \(P_i\).
For any set \(S \subseteq \mathrm{Fin}(n)\), the Z-type support of \(\mathrm{pureX}(S)\) is empty:
By extensionality on an arbitrary qubit \(i\). We unfold \(\mathrm{zSupport}\) and \(\mathrm{pureX}\), then split on whether \(i \in S\): if \(i \in S\), then \(\mathrm{pureX}(S)_i = X\), which has \(\mathrm{isZType}(X) = \mathrm{false}\); if \(i \notin S\), then \(\mathrm{pureX}(S)_i = I\), which has \(\mathrm{isZType}(I) = \mathrm{false}\). In either case, \(i\) is not in the Z-type support.
For any sets \(S, T \subseteq \mathrm{Fin}(n)\),
For a Pauli operator \(P\) on \(n\) qubits,
By extensionality on an arbitrary qubit \(i\). We unfold the definitions of \(\mathrm{xSupport}\) and \(\mathrm{zSupport}\) as filters, and express intersection membership. By case analysis on \(P_i \in \{ I, X, Y, Z\} \): only \(Y\) satisfies both \(\mathrm{isXType}(Y) = \mathrm{true}\) and \(\mathrm{isZType}(Y) = \mathrm{true}\).
For a Pauli operator \(P\) on \(n\) qubits,
By extensionality on an arbitrary qubit \(i\). We unfold the definitions of \(\mathrm{support}\), \(\mathrm{xSupport}\), and \(\mathrm{zSupport}\) as filters and express union membership. By case analysis on \(P_i \in \{ I, X, Y, Z\} \): \(I\) is in neither support (and not in \(\mathrm{supp}(P)\)), \(X\) is in \(\mathcal{S}_X\) only, \(Z\) is in \(\mathcal{S}_Z\) only, and \(Y\) is in both. In all cases, the nontriviality condition for \(\mathrm{supp}(P)\) matches the disjunction.