A Parametrization of Bipartite Systems Based on SU(4) Euler Angles

In this paper we give an explicit parametrization for all two qubit density matrices. This is important for calculations involving entanglement and many other types of quantum information processing. To accomplish this we present a generalized Euler angle parametrization for SU(4) and all possible two qubit density matrices. The important group-theoretical properties of such a description are then manifest. We thus obtain the correct Haar (Hurwitz) measure and volume element for SU(4) which follows from this parametrization. In addition, we study the role of this parametrization in the Peres-Horodecki criteria for separability and its corresponding usefulness in calculating entangled two qubit states as represented through the parametrization.Comment: 23 pages, no figures; changed title and abstract and rewrote certain areas in line with referee comments. To be published in J. Phys. A: Math. and Ge