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Trace norm (Schatten 1-norm) ∥M∥1=Tr{∣M∣}\|M\|_1 = \mathrm{Tr}\{|M|\}∥M∥1​=Tr{∣M∣}

Definition
WildeQIT_traceNorm

by aadarwal · Sep 7, 2026 · Mathlib 0df444a (Lean v4.33.1)

matrix-analysisquantum-informationtrace-distancetrace-normwilde-qit

Definition 9.1.1 (Trace Norm). The trace norm or Schatten 1-norm ∥M∥1\|M\|_1∥M∥1​ of an operator M∈L(H,H′)M \in \mathcal{L}(\mathcal{H}, \mathcal{H}')M∈L(H,H′) is defined as

∥M∥1≡Tr{∣M∣},\|M\|_1 \equiv \mathrm{Tr}\{|M|\},∥M∥1​≡Tr{∣M∣},

where ∣M∣≡M†M|M| \equiv \sqrt{M^\dagger M}∣M∣≡M†M​.

The trace norm is the basic distance-measure primitive of Chapter 9: the trace distance between two operators is the trace norm of their difference, and all of its properties (non-negativity, homogeneity, the triangle inequality, isometric invariance, convexity, the variational characterization over unitaries) are stated in terms of it.

Formalization Note. Operators M∈L(H,H′)M \in \mathcal{L}(\mathcal{H}, \mathcal{H}')M∈L(H,H′) on finite-dimensional spaces are matrices M : Matrix m n ℂ indexed by finite types m (rows, H′\mathcal{H}'H′) and n (columns, H\mathcal{H}H); rectangular matrices are allowed. M†M^\daggerM† is Mᴴ, and M†M\sqrt{M^\dagger M}M†M​ is Mathlib's continuous-functional-calculus square root CFC.sqrt (Mᴴ * M) of the positive semidefinite matrix M†MM^\dagger MM†M (with the Loewner order open scoped MatrixOrder). The trace of that positive semidefinite matrix is a real number; WildeQIT.traceNorm M : ℝ is its real part.

Definition code
import Mathlib.Analysis.Matrix.Order

/-!
Wilde, *Quantum Information Theory* (2nd ed.), §9.1.1, Definition 9.1.1 (Trace Norm).

The trace norm (Schatten 1-norm) of an operator `M ∈ L(H, H')` is
`‖M‖₁ ≡ Tr{|M|}`, where `|M| ≡ √(M†M)`.

Operators are finite-dimensional matrices over `ℂ`; `Mᴴ` is the conjugate transpose (`M†`),
and `CFC.sqrt` is Mathlib's positive square root of a positive semidefinite matrix.
-/

open Matrix
open scoped MatrixOrder

namespace WildeQIT

/-- **Definition 9.1.1 (Trace Norm).** `‖M‖₁ = Tr{|M|}` with `|M| = √(M†M)`,
for a (possibly rectangular) matrix `M : Matrix m n ℂ`. The trace of the positive
semidefinite matrix `√(M†M)` is a real number; we take its real part to land in `ℝ`. -/
noncomputable def traceNorm {m n : Type} [Fintype m] [Fintype n] [DecidableEq n]
    (M : Matrix m n ℂ) : ℝ :=
  (Matrix.trace (CFC.sqrt (Mᴴ * M))).re

end WildeQIT
Source
Wilde, *Quantum Information Theory*, 2nd ed. (Cambridge University Press, 2017; arXiv:1106.1445v8), §9.1.1 "Trace Norm", Definition 9.1.1 (Trace Norm).

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