A new approach to quantum walks is presented. Considering a quantum system undergoing some unitary discrete-time evolution in a directed graph G, we think of the vertices of G as sites that are occupied by the quantum system, whose internal state is described by density operators. To formulate the unitary evolution, we define reflections in the tensor product of an internal Hilbert space and a spatial Hilbert space. We then construct unitary channels that govern the evolution of the system in the graph. The discrete dynamics of the system (called quantum walks) is obtained by iterating the unitary channel on the density operator of the quantum system. It turns out that in this framework, the action of the unitary channel on a density operator is described by the usual matrix multiplication.
In this paper, we consider the scattering theory for a one-dimensional quantum walk with impurities which make reflections and transmissions. We focus on an explicit expression of the scattering operator. Our construction of the formula is based on the counting paths of quantum walkers. The Fourier transform of the scattering operator gives an explicit formula of the scattering matrix which is deeply related with the resonant-tunneling for quantum walks.
We perform generalized measurements of a qubit by realizing the qubit as a coin in a photonic quantum walk and subjecting the walker to projective measurements. Our experimental technique can be used to realize photonically any rank-1 single-qubit positive operator-valued measure via constructing an appropriate interferometric quantum-walk network and then projectively measuring the walker's position at the final step.
We present a generalized definition of discrete-time quantum walks convenient for capturing a rather broad spectrum of walker's behavior on arbitrary graphs. It includes and covers both: the geometry of possible walker's positions with interconnecting links and the prescribed rule in which directions the walker will move at each vertex. While the former allows for the analysis of inhomogeneous quantum walks on graphs with vertices of varying degree, the latter offers us to choose, investigate, and compare quantum walks with different shift operators. The synthesis of both key ingredients const…
A simple coined quantum walk in one dimension can be characterized by a $SU(2)$ operator with three parameters which represents the coin toss. However, different such coin toss operators lead to equivalent dynamics of the quantum walker. In this manuscript we present the unitary equivalence classes of quantum walks and show that all the nonequivalent quantum walks can be distinguished by a single parameter. Moreover, we argue that the electric quantum walks are equivalent to quantum walks with time dependent coin toss operator.
We study a 2-D disordered time-discrete quantum walk based on 1-D `generalized elephant quantum walk' where an entangling coin operator is assumed and which paves the way to a new set of properties. We show that considering a given disorder in one direction, it is possible to control the degree of spreading and entanglement in the other direction. This observation helps assert that the random quantum walks of this ilk serve as a controllable decoherence channel with the degree of randomness being the tunable parameter and highlight the role of dimensionality in quantum systems regarding inform…
In this paper we unveil some features of a discrete-time quantum walk on the line whose coin depends on the temporal variable. After considering the most general form of the unitary coin operator, we focus on the role played by the two phase factors that one can incorporate there, and show how both terms influence the evolution of the system. A closer analysis reveals that the probabilistic properties of the motion of the walker remain unaltered when the update rule of these phases is chosen adequately. This invariance is based on a symmetry with consequences not yet fully explored.
We propose a scheme for perfect transfer of an unknown qubit state via the discrete-time quantum walk on a line or a circle. For this purpose, we introduce an additional coin operator which is applied at the end of the walk. This operator does not depend on the state to be transferred. We show that perfect state transfer over an arbitrary distance can be achieved only if the walk is driven by an identity or a flip coin operator. Other biased coin operators and Hadamard coin allow perfect state transfer over finite distances only. Furthermore, we show that quantum walks ending with a perfect st…
A discrete-time staggered quantum walk was recently introduced as a generalization that allows to unify other versions, such as the coined and Szegedy's walk. However, it also produces new forms of quantum walks not covered by previous versions. To explore their properties, we study here the staggered walk on a hexagonal lattice. Such a walk is defined using a set of overlapping tessellations that cover the graph edges, and each tessellation is a partition of the node set into cliques. The hexagonal lattice requires at least three tessellations. Each tessellation is associated with a local uni…
We devise a protocol to build 1D time-dependent quantum walks in 1D maximizing the spatial spread throughout the procedure. We allow only one of the physical parameters of the coin-tossing operator to vary, i.e. the angle $θ$, such that for $θ=0$ we have the $\hatσ_z$, while for $θ=π/4$ we obtain the Hadamard gate. The optimal $θ$ sequences present non-trivial patterns, with mostly $θ\approx 0$ alternated with $θ\approx π/4$ values after increasingly long periods. We provide an analysis of the entanglement properties, quasi-energy spectrum and survival probability, providing a full physical pi…
We implement the discrete-time quantum walk model using the continuous-time evolution of the Hamiltonian that includes both the shift and the coin generators. Based on the Trotter-Suzuki first-order approximation, we consider an optimization problem in which the Hellinger distance between the walker probability distributions resulted from the evolution of such Hamiltonian and the quantum walk dynamics is minimized. The phase space implementation of the quantum walk is considered where the walker state is encoded on the coherent state of a resonator and the coin on the two-level state of a qubi…
Staggered quantum walks on graphs are based on the concept of graph tessellation and generalize some well-known discrete-time quantum walk models. In this work, we address the class of 2-tessellable quantum walks with the goal of obtaining an eigenbasis of the evolution operator. By interpreting the evolution operator as a quantum Markov chain on an underlying multigraph, we define the concept of quantum detailed balance, which helps to obtain the eigenbasis. A subset of the eigenvectors is obtained from the eigenvectors of the double discriminant matrix of the quantum Markov chain. To obtain …
Full state revivals in a quantum walk can be viewed as returning of the walker to the initial quantum state in a periodic fashion during the propagation of the walk. In this paper we show that for any given number of spatial dimensions, a coin operator can be constructed to generate a quantum walk having full revivals with any desired period. From the point of view of quantum computation and simulations, these coin operators can be useful in implementing quantum walks which oscillate between any two states with a finite periodicity.
In the literature, there are numerous studies of one-dimensional discrete-time quantum walks (DTQWs) using a moving shift operator. However, there is no exact solution for the limiting probability distributions of DTQWs on cycles using a general coin or swapping shift operator. In this paper, we derive exact solutions for the limiting probability distribution of quantum walks using a general coin and swapping shift operator on cycles for the first time. Based on the exact solutions, we show how to generate symmetric quantum walks and determine the condition under which a symmetric quantum walk…
When searching for a marked vertex in a graph, Szegedy's usual search operator is defined by using the transition probability matrix of the random walk with absorbing barriers at the marked vertices. Instead of using this operator, we analyze searching with Szegedy's quantum walk by using reflections around the marked vertices, that is, the standard form of quantum query. We show we can boost the probability to 1 of finding a marked vertex in the complete graph. Numerical simulations suggests that the success probability can be improved for other graphs, like the two-dimensional grid. We also …
Quantum walks determined by the coin operator on graphs have been intensively studied. The typical examples of coin operator are the Grover and Fourier matrices. The periodicity of the Grover walk is well investigated. However, the corresponding result on the Fourier walk is not known. In this paper, we present a necessary condition for the Fourier walk on regular graphs to have the finite period. As an application of our result, we show that the Fourier walks do not have any finite period for some classes of regular graphs such as complete graphs, cycle graphs with selfloops, and hypercubes.
A new model that maps a quantum random walk described by a Hadamard operator to a particular case of a random walk is presented. The model is represented by a Markov chain with a stochastic matrix, i.e., all the transition rates are positive, although the Hadamard operator contains negative entries. Using a proper transformation that is applied to the random walk distribution after n steps, the probability distributions in space of the two quantum states |1>, |0> are revealed. These show that a quantum walk can be entirely mapped to a particular case of a higher dimension of a random walk mode…
Properties of one dimensional discrete-time quantum walks are sensitive to the presence of inhomogeneities in the substrate, which can be generated by defining position dependent coin operators. Deterministic aperiodic sequences of two or more symbols provide ideal environments where these properties can be explored in a controlled way. This work discusses a two-coin model resulting from the construction rules that lead to the usual fractal Cantor set. Although the fraction of the less frequent coin $\rightarrow 0$ as the size of the chain is increased, it leaves peculiar properties in the wal…
Dukes (2014) and Konno, Shimizu, and Takei (2017) studied the periodicity for 2-state quantum walks whose coin operator is the Hadamard matrix on cycle graph C_N with N vertices. The present paper treats the periodicity for 3-state quantum walks on C_N. Our results follow from a new method based on cyclotomic field. This method shows a necessary condition for the coin operator of quantum walks to have the finite period. Moreover, we reveal the period T_N of two kinds of typical quantum walks, the Grover and Fourier walks. We prove that both walks do not have any finite period except for N=3, i…
In this work we explain the necessity for consistently labeled rotation maps for efficiently computing coined discrete time quantum walks on regular graphs.
Quantum simulation in the Heisenberg picture via vectorization
Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)（洛桑联邦理工学院物理研究所）；Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, EPFL（洛桑联邦理工学院量子科学与工程中心）
Classical chemical kinetics use rate-equation models to describe how a reaction proceeds in time. Such models are sufficient for describing state transitions in a reaction where coherences between different states do not arise, or in other words, a reaction which contain only incoherent transitions. A prominent example reaction containing coherent transitions is the radical-pair model. The kinetics of such reactions is defined by the so-called reaction operator which determines the radical-pair state as a function of intermediate transition rates. We argue that the well-known concept of quantu…
This paper presents a simple model that mimics quantum mechanics (QM) results in terms of probability fields of free particles subject to self-interference, without using Schrödinger equation or wavefunctions. Unlike the standard QM picture, the proposed model only uses integer-valued quantities and arithmetic operations. In particular, it assumes a discrete spacetime under the form of an euclidean lattice. The proposed approach describes individual particle trajectories as random walks. Transition probabilities are simple functions of a few quantities that are either randomly associated to th…
We demonstrate an implementation of unambiguous state discrimination of two equally probable single-qubit states via a one-dimensional photonic quantum walk experimentally. Furthermore we experimentally realize a quantum walk algorithm for implementing a generalized measurement in terms of positive operator value measurement on a single qubit. The measurement of the single-photons' positions corresponds to a measurement of an element of the positive operator value measurement on the polarizations of the single-photons.
The evolution of a walker in standard "Discrete-time Quantum Walk (DTQW)" is determined by coin and shift unitary operators. The conditional shift operator shifts the position of the walker to right or left by unit step size while the direction of motion is specified by the coin operator. This scenario can be generalized by choosing the step size randomly at each step in some specific interval. For example, the value of the roll of a dice can be used to specify the step size after throwing the coin. Let us call such a quantum walk "Discrete-time Random Step Quantum Walk (DTRSQW)". A completely…
In this article we present an effective Hamiltonian approach for Discrete Time Quantum Random Walk. A form of the Hamiltonian for one dimensional quantum walk has been prescribed, utilizing the fact that Hamiltonians are the generators of time translations. Then an attempt has been made to generalize the techniques to higher dimensions. We find that the Hamiltonian can be written as the sum of a Weyl Hamiltonian and a Dirac comb potential. The time evolution operator obtained from this prescribed Hamiltonian is in complete agreement with that of the standard approach. But in higher dimension w…
We analyze a continuous-time quantum walk on a chimera graph, which is a graph of choice for designing quantum annealers, and we discover beautiful quantum-walk features such as localization that starkly distinguishes classical from quantum behavior. Motivated by technological thrusts, we study continuous-time quantum walks on enhanced variants of the chimera graph and on a diminished chimera graph with a random removal of sites. We explain the quantum walk by constructing a generating set for a suitable subgroup of graph isomorphisms and corresponding symmetry operators that commute with the …
We show that a genuine Parrondo paradox can emerge in two-state quantum walks without resorting to experimentally intricate high-dimensional coins. To achieve such goal we employ a time-dependent coin operator without breaking the translation spatial invariance of the system.
The Schrodinger and Heisenberg pictures are equivalent formulations of quantum mechanics. Here we use the Schrodinger picture to calculate the decoherence that occurs when an optical Schrodinger cat state is passed through a beam splitter. We find that an exponentially large amount of decoherence can occur even when there is a negligible change in the quadrature operator x(t) in the Heisenberg picture. Similar results have been observed in the decoherence produced by an optical amplifier, and we suggest that the usual quadrature operators in the Heisenberg picture do not provide a complete des…
We study the localization of probability distribution in a discrete quantum random walk on an infinite chain. With a phase defect introduced in any position of the quantum random walk (QRW), we have found that the localization of the probability distribution in the QRW emerges. Different localized behaviors of the probability distribution in the QRW are presented when the defect occupies different positions. Given that the coefficients of the localized stationary eigenstates relies on the coin operator, we reveal that when the defect occupies different positions, the amplitude of localized pro…
This paper examines a way to simplify the circuit of quantum random walk search algorithm, when the traversing coin is constructed by both generalized Householder reflection and an additional phase multiplier. If an appropriate relation between corresponding parameters is realized, our algorithm becomes more robust to deviations in the phases. In this modification marking coin is not needed, and all advantages from above mentioned optimization to the stability, are preserved. It is shown explicitly how to construct such walk coin in order to obtain more robust quantum algorithm.
We have realized a quantum walk in momentum space with a rubidium spinor Bose-Einstein condensate by applying a periodic kicking potential as a walk operator and a resonant microwave pulse as a coin toss operator. The generated quantum walks appear to be stable for up to ten steps and then quickly transit to classical walks due to spontaneous emissions induced by laser beams of the walk operator. We investigate these quantum to classical walk transitions by introducing well controlled spontaneous emissions with an external light source during quantum walks. Our findings demonstrate a scheme to…
Quantum walk (QW) is the quantum analog of the random walk. QW is an integral part of the development of numerous quantum algorithms. Hence, an in-depth understanding of QW helps us to grasp the quantum algorithms. We revisit the one-dimensional discrete-time QW and discuss basic steps in detail by incorporating the most general coin operator. We investigate the impact of each parameter of the general coin operator on the probability distribution of the quantum walker. We show that by tuning the parameters of the general coin, one can regulate the probability distribution of the walker. We pro…
In this work we seek to generalize the connection between traversable wormholes and quantum channels. We do this via a connection between traversable wormholes and graph geometries on which we can perform quantum random walks for signal transmission. As a proof of principle, we give an example of a geometry for which quantum random walk signal traversal occurs exponentially faster than a standard ballistic classical traversal. We then generalize this connection to superpositions over holographic states, and argue that the quantum random walk/graph geometry picture works to study quantum channe…
Quantum walks, whose dynamics is prescribed by alternating unitary coin and shift operators, possess topological phases akin to those of Floquet topological insulators, driven by a time-periodic field. While there is ample theoretical work on topological phases of quantum walks where the coin operators are spin rotations, in experiments a different coin, the Hadamard operator is often used instead. This was the case in a recent photonic quantum walk experiment, where protected edge states were observed between two bulks whose topological invariants, as calculated by the standard theory, were t…
The aim of this article is to relate the discrete quantum walk on $\mathbb{Z}$ with the continuous Schrödinger operator on $\mathbb{R}$ in the scattering problem. Each point of $\mathbb{Z}$ is associated with a barrier of the potential, and the coin operator of the quantum walk is determined by the transfer matrix between bases of WKB solutions on the classically allowed regions of both sides of the barrier. This correspondence enables us to represent each entry of the scattering matrix of the Schrödinger operator as a countable sum of probability amplitudes associated with the paths of the qu…
In this note, we develop a framework to describe open quantum systems in the Heisenberg picture, i.e., via time evolving operator algebras. We point out the incompleteness of the previous proposals in this regard. We argue that a complete Heisenberg picture for an open quantum system involves multiple image Heisenberg operators for each system observable. For a given system observable, the number of such image operators is equal to the dimension of the environment Hilbert space. We derive a perturbative expression, accurate upto arbitrary orders in the system environment coupling, for these im…
