Attainment of the multiple quantum Chernoff bound for certain ensembles of mixed states

Abstract: We consider the problem of detecting the true quantum state among r possible ones, based on measurements performed on n of copies of a finite dimensional quantum system. It is known that the exponent for the rate of decrease of the averaged error probability cannot exceed the multiple quantum Chernoff bound (MQCB) defined as the worst case (smallest) quantum Chernoff distance between any possible pair of the r states. This error exponent is attainable for r pure states, but for the general case of mixed states only attainability up to a factor 1/3 is known. Here we show that the MQCB is attainable for mixed states if there is a pair which is closer in quantum Chernoff distance than 1/6 times the distance between all other pairs.