On the Monotonicity of Relative Entropy: A Comparative Study of Petz’s and Uhlmann’s Approaches

We revisit the monotonicity of relative entropy under the action of quantum channels, a foundational result in quantum information theory. Among the several available proofs, we focus on those by Petz and Uhlmann, which we reformulate within a unified, finite-dimensional operator-theoretic framework. In the first part, we examine Petz’s strategy, identify a subtle flaw in his original use of Jensen’s contractive operator inequality, and point out how it was corrected to restore the validity of his line of reasoning. In the second part, we develop Uhlmann’s approach, which is based on interpolations of positive sesquilinear forms and applies automatically to non-invertible density operators. By comparing these two approaches, we highlight their complementary strengths: Petz’s method is more direct and clear; Uhlmann’s method is more abstract and general. Our treatment aims to clarify the mathematical structure underlying the monotonicity of relative entropy and to make these proofs more accessible to a broader audience interested in both the foundations and applications of quantum information theory.