Separability criterion and inseparable mixed states with positive partial transposition

Pawel Horodecki

Published 1997-03-04, updated 1997-05-23Version 2

It is shown that any separable state on Hilbert space ${\cal H}={\cal H}_1\otimes{\cal H}_2$, can be written as a convex combination of N pure product states with $N\leq (dim{\cal H})^2$. Then a new separability criterion for mixed states in terms of range of density matrix is obtained. It is used in construction of inseparable mixed states with positive partial transposition in the case of $3\times 3$ and $2\times 4$ systems. The states represent an entanglement which is hidden in a more subtle way than it has been known so far.