Bounds on Discrete Potentials of Spherical (k,k)-Designs

Abstract

We derive universal lower and upper bounds for max-min and min-max problems (also known as polarization) for the potential of spherical $(k,k)$-designs and provide certain examples, including unit-norm tight frames, that attain these bounds. The universality is understood in the sense that the bounds hold for all spherical $(k,k)$-designs and for a large class of potential functions, and the bounds involve certain nodes and weights that are independent of the potential. When the potential function is $h(t)=t^{2k}$, we prove an optimality property of the spherical $(k,k)$-designs in the class of all spherical codes of the same cardinality both for max-min and min-max potential problems.