Quantum Fidelity Estimation in the Resource Theory of Nonstabilizerness

Abstract: Quantum fidelity estimation is essential for benchmarking quantum states and processes on noisy quantum devices. While stabilizer operations form the foundation of fault-tolerant quantum computing, non-stabilizer resources further enable universal quantum computation through state injection. In this work, we propose several efficient fidelity estimation protocols for both quantum states and channels within the resource theory of nonstabilizerness, focusing on qudit systems with odd prime dimensions. Our protocols require measuring only a constant number of phase-space point operator expectation values, with operators selected randomly according to an importance weighting scheme tailored to the target state. Notably, we demonstrate that mathematically defined nonstabilizerness measures--such as Wigner rank and mana--quantify the sample complexity of the proposed protocols, thereby endowing them with a clear operational interpretation in the fidelity estimation task. This connection reveals a fundamental trade-off: while fidelity estimation for general quantum states and channels requires resources that scale exponentially with their nonstabilizerness, the task remains tractable for states and channels that admit efficient classical simulation.