Quantum non-Markovianity of channels can be produced by mixing Markovian channels, as observed recently by various authors. We consider an analogous question of whether singularities of the channel can be produced by mixing nonsingular channels, i.e., ones that lack them. Here we answer the question in the negative in the context of qubit Pauli channels. On the other hand, mixing channels with a singularity can lead to the elimination of singularities in the resultant channel. We distinguish between two types of singular channels, which lead under mixing to broadly quite different properties of the singularity in the resultant channel. The connection to non-Markovianity (in the sense of completely positive indivisibility) is pointed out. These results impose nontrivial restrictions on the experimental realization of noninvertible quantum channels by a process of channel mixing.

• Received 25 November 2020
• Revised 7 February 2021
• Accepted 6 April 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.103.042610