Symplectic spreads, planar functions and mutually unbiased bases

In this paper we give explicit descriptions of complete sets of mutually unbiased bases (MUBs) and orthogonal decompositions of special Lie algebras $sl_n(\mathbb{C})$ obtained from commutative and symplectic semifields, and from some other non-semifield symplectic spreads. Relations between various constructions are also studied. We show that the automorphism group of a complete set of MUBs is isomorphic to the automorphism group of the corresponding orthogonal decomposition of the Lie algebra $sl_n(\mathbb{C})$. In the case of symplectic spreads this automorphism group is determined by the automorphism group of the spread. By using the new notion of pseudo-planar functions over fields of characteristic two we give new explicit constructions of complete sets of MUBs.Comment: 20 page

SU(2) nonstandard bases: the case of mutually unbiased bases

This paper deals with bases in a finite-dimensional Hilbert space. Such a space can be realized as a subspace of the representation space of SU(2) corresponding to an irreducible representation of SU(2). The representation theory of SU(2) is reconsidered via the use of two truncated deformed oscillators. This leads to replace the familiar scheme {j^2, j_z} by a scheme {j^2, v(ra)}, where the two-parameter operator v(ra) is defined in the enveloping algebra of the Lie algebra su(2). The eigenvectors of the commuting set of operators {j^2, v(ra)} are adapted to a tower of chains SO(3) > C(2j+1), 2j integer, where C(2j+1) is the cyclic group of order 2j+1. In the case where 2j+1 is prime, the corresponding eigenvectors generate a complete set of mutually unbiased bases. Some useful relations on generalized quadratic Gauss sums are exposed in three appendices.Comment: 33 pages; version2: rescaling of generalized Hadamard matrices, acknowledgment and references added, misprints corrected; version 3: published in SIGMA (Symmetry, Integrability and Geometry: Methods and Applications) at http://www.emis.de/journals/SIGMA/ (22 pages

MUBs inequivalence and affine planes

There are fairly large families of unitarily inequivalent complete sets of N+1 mutually unbiased bases (MUBs) in C^N for various prime powers N. The number of such sets is not bounded above by any polynomial as a function of N. While it is standard that there is a superficial similarity between complete sets of MUBs and finite affine planes, there is an intimate relationship between these large families and affine planes. This note briefly summarizes "old" results that do not appear to be well-known concerning known families of complete sets of MUBs and their associated planes.Comment: This is the version of this paper appearing in J. Mathematical Physics 53, 032204 (2012) except for format changes due to the journal's style policie

Association schemes related to universally optimal configurations, Kerdock codes and extremal Euclidean line-sets

H. Cohn et. al. proposed an association scheme of 64 points in R^{14} which is conjectured to be a universally optimal code. We show that this scheme has a generalization in terms of Kerdock codes, as well as in terms of maximal real mutually unbiased bases. These schemes also related to extremal line-sets in Euclidean spaces and Barnes-Wall lattices. D. de Caen and E. R. van Dam constructed two infinite series of formally dual 3-class association schemes. We explain this formal duality by constructing two dual abelian schemes related to quaternary linear Kerdock and Preparata codes.Comment: 16 page