Quantum channels as a categorical completion

We propose a categorical foundation for the connection between pure and mixed states in quantum information and quantum computation. The foundation is based on distributive monoidal categories. First, we prove that the category of all quantum channels is a canonical completion of the category of pure quantum operations (with ancilla preparations). More precisely, we prove that the category of completely positive trace-preserving maps between finite-dimensional C*-algebras is a canonical completion of the category of finite-dimensional vector spaces and isometries. Second, we extend our result to give a foundation to the topological relationships between quantum channels. We do this by generalizing our categorical foundation to the topologically-enriched setting. In particular, we show that the operator norm topology on quantum channels is the canonical topology induced by the norm topology on isometries.Comment: 12 pages + ref, accepted at LICS 201

C∗C^*-algebraic drawings of dendroidal sets

In recent years the theory of dendroidal sets has emerged as an important framework for higher algebra. In this article we introduce the concept of a $C^*$-algebraic drawing of a dendroidal set. It depicts a dendroidal set as an object in the category of presheaves on $C^*$-algebras. We show that the construction is functorial and, in fact, it is the left adjoint of a Quillen adjunction between combinatorial model categories. We use this construction to produce a bridge between the two prominent paradigms of noncommutative geometry via adjunctions of presentable $\infty$-categories, which is the primary motivation behind this article. As a consequence we obtain a single mechanism to construct bivariant homology theories in both paradigms. We propose a (conjectural) roadmap to harmonize algebraic and analytic (or topological) bivariant K-theory. Finally, a method to analyse graph algebras in terms of trees is sketched.Comment: 28 pages; v2 expanded version with some improvements; v3 revised and added references; v4 some changes according to the suggestions of the referees (to appear in Algebr. Geom. Topol.