The form of a local Clifford [LC, also called local Gaussian (LG)] operation for the continuous-variable (CV) weighted graph states is presented in this paper, which is the counterpart of the LC operation of local complementation for qubit graph states. The property of the CV weighted graph states is shown, which can be expressed by the stabilizer formalism. It is distinctively different from the qubit weighted graph states, which cannot be expressed by the stabilizer formalism. The corresponding graph rule, stated in purely graph theoretical terms, is described, which completely characterizes the evolution of CV weighted graph states under this LC operation. This LC operation may be applied repeatedly on a CV weighted graph state, which can generate the infinite LC equivalent graph states of this graph state. This work is an important step to characterize the LC equivalence class of CV weighted graph states.

• Received 17 August 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.78.052307