Maximally entangled state can be a mixed state

Abstract

We find that the mixed maximally entangled states exist and prove that the form of the mixed maximally entangled states is unique in terms of the entanglement of formation. Moreover, even if the entanglement is quantified by other entanglement measures, this conclusion is still proven right. This result is a supplementary to the generally accepted fact that all maximally entangled states are pure. These states possess important properties of the pure maximally entangled states, for example, these states can be used as a resource for faithful teleportation and they can be distinguished perfectly by local operations and classical communication.