The Prime state of $n$ qubits, $|\mathbb{P}_n\rangle$, is defined as the uniform superposition of all the computational-basis states corresponding to prime numbers smaller than $2^n$. This state encodes, quantum mechanically, arithmetic properties of the primes. We first show that the Quantum Fourier Transform of the Prime state provides a direct access to Chebyshev-like biases in the distribution of prime numbers. We next study the entanglement entropy of $|\mathbb{P}_n\rangle$ up to $n=30$ qubits, and find a relation between its scaling and the Shannon entropy of the density of square-free integers. This relation also holds when the Prime state is constructed using a qudit basis, showing that this property is intrinsic to the distribution of primes. The same feature is found when considering states built from the superposition of primes in arithmetic progressions. Finally, we explore the properties of other number-theoretical quantum states, such as those defined from odd composite numbers, square-free integers and starry primes. For this study, we have developed an open-source library that diagonalizes matrices using floats of arbitrary precision.
We propose a quantum circuit that creates a pure state corresponding to the quantum superposition of all prime numbers less than 2^n, where n is the number of qubits of the register. This Prime state can be built using Grover's algorithm, whose oracle is a quantum implementation of the classical Miller-Rabin primality test. The Prime state is highly entangled, and its entanglement measures encode number theoretical functions such as the distribution of twin primes or the Chebyshev bias. This algorithm can be further combined with the quantum Fourier transform to yield an estimate of the prime …
We report the first experimental realization of the prime number quantum potential $V_N(x)$, defined as the potential entering the single-particle Schrödinger Hamiltonian with eigenvalues given by the first $N$ prime numbers. We use holographic optical traps and, in particular, a spatial light modulator to tailor the potential to the desired shape. As a further application, we also implement a potential with lucky numbers, a sequence of integers generated by a different sieve than the familiar Eratosthenes's sieve used for the primes. Our results pave the way towards the realization of quantum…
Large series of prime numbers can be superposed on a single quantum register and then analyzed in full parallelism. The construction of this Prime state is efficient, as it hinges on the use of a quantum version of any efficient primality test. We show that the Prime state turns out to be very entangled as shown by the scaling properties of purity, Renyi entropy and von Neumann entropy. An analytical approximation to these measures of entanglement can be obtained from the detailed analysis of the entanglement spectrum of the Prime state, which in turn produces new insights in the Hardy-Littlew…
We report a quantum-classical hybrid scheme for factorization of bi-prime numbers (which are odd and square-free) using IBM's quantum processors. The hybrid scheme proposed here involves both classical optimization techniques and adiabatic quantum optimization techniques, and is build by extending a previous scheme of hybrid factorization [Pal et al., Pramana 92, 26 (2019) and Xu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 130501 (2012)]. The quantum part of the scheme is very general in the sense that it can be implemented using any quantum computing architecture. Here, as an example, we experimentally imp…
A statistical analysis of the prime numbers indicates possible traces of quantum chaos. We have computed the nearest neighbor spacing distribution, number variance, skewness, and excess for sequences of the first N primes for various values of N. All four statistical measures clearly show a transition from random matrix statistics at small N toward Poisson statistics at large N. In addition, the number variance saturates at large lengths as is common for eigenvalue sequences. This data can be given a physical interpretation if the primes are thought of as eigenvalues of a quantum system whose …
In this paper it has been described how to use the unitary dynamics of quantum mechanics to solve the prime factorization problem on a spin ensemble without any quantum entanglement. The ensemble quantum computation for the prime factorization is based on the basic principle that both a closed quantum system and its ensemble obey the same unitary dynamics of quantum mechanics if there is not any decoherence effect in both the quantum system and its ensemble. It uses the NMR multiple-quantum measurement techniques to output the quantum computational results that are the inphase multiple-quantum…
A short review of Schroedinger hamiltonians for which the spectral problem has been related in the literature to the distribution of the prime numbers is presented here. We notice a possible connection between prime numbers and centrifugal inversions in black holes and suggest that this remarkable link could be directly studied within trapped Bose-Einstein condensates. In addition, when referring to the factorizing operators of Pitkanen and Castro and collaborators, we perform a mathematical extension allowing a more standard supersymmetric approach
We investigate prime factorization from two perspectives: quantum annealing and computational algebraic geometry, specifically Gröbner bases. We present a novel scalable algorithm which combines the two approaches and leads to the factorization of all bi-primes up to just over $200 \, 000$, the largest number factored to date using a quantum processor.
A simple criterion is derived in order that a number sequence ${\cal S}_n$ is a permitted spectrum of a quantized system. The sequence of the prime numbers fulfils the criterion and the corresponding one-dimensional quantum potential is explicitly computed in a semi-classical approximation. The existence of such a potential implies that the primality testing can in principle be resolved by the sole use of physical laws.
Spekkens' toy model is a non-contextual hidden variable model with an epistemic restriction, a constraint on what an observer can know about reality. The aim of the model, developed for continuous and discrete prime degrees of freedom, is to advocate the epistemic view of quantum theory, where quantum states are states of incomplete knowledge about a deeper underlying reality. Many aspects of quantum mechanics and protocols from quantum information can be reproduced in the model. In spite of its significance, a number of aspects of Spekkens' model remained incomplete. Formal rules for the upda…
We have developed a framework to convert an arbitrary integer factorization problem to an executable Ising model by first writing it as an optimization function and then transforming the k-bit coupling ($k\geq 3$) terms to quadratic terms using ancillary variables. The method is efficient and uses $\mathcal{O}(\text{log}^2(N))$ binary variables (qubits) for finding the factors of integer $N$. The method was tested using the D-Wave 2000Q for finding an embedding and determining the prime factors for a given composite number. As examples, we present quantum annealing results for factoring 15, 14…
In this paper we disprove the Haagerup statement that all complex Hadamard matrices of order five are equivalent with the Fourier matrix $F_5$ by constructing circulant matrices that lead to new Hadamard matrices. An important item is the construction of new mutually unbiased bases that are a basic concept of quantum theory and play an essential role in quantum tomography, quantum cryptografy, teleportation, construction of dense coding schemes, classical signal proccesing, etc.
By resorting to basic features of topological knot theory we propose a (classical) cryptographic protocol based on the `difficulty' of decomposing complex knots generated as connected sums of prime knots and their mutants. The scheme combines an asymmetric public key protocol with symmetric private ones and is intrinsecally secure against quantum eavesdropper attacks.
We introduce a family of ZX-calculi which axiomatise the stabiliser fragment of quantum theory in odd prime dimensions. These calculi recover many of the nice features of the qubit ZX-calculus which were lost in previous proposals for higher-dimensional systems. We then prove that these calculi are complete, i.e. provide a set of rewrite rules which can be used to prove any equality of stabiliser quantum operations. Adding a discard construction, we obtain a calculus complete for mixed state stabiliser quantum mechanics in odd prime dimensions, and this furthermore gives a complete axiomatisat…
The effects induced by the quantum vacuum fluctuations of one massless real scalar field on a configuration of two partially transparent plates are investigated. The physical properties of the infinitely thin plates are simulated by means of Dirac-$δ-δ^\prime$ point interactions. It is shown that the distortion caused on the fluctuations by this external background gives rise to a generalization of Robin boundary conditions. The $T$-operator for potentials concentrated on points with non defined parity is computed with total generality. The quantum vacuum interaction energy between the two pla…
Determining the prime factors of a given number N is a problem, which requires super-polynomial time for conventional digital computers. A polynomial-time algorithm was invented by P. Shor for quantum computers. However, the realization of quantum computers is associated with significant technological challenges in achieving and preserving quantum entanglement. Prime factorization can be also solved by using classical wave interference without quantum entanglement. In this work, we present experimental data showing prime factorization by utilizing spin wave interference. The prime factorizatio…
The road to computing on quantum devices has been accelerated by the promises that come from using Shor's algorithm to reduce the complexity of prime factorization. However, this promise hast not yet been realized due to noisy qubits and lack of robust error correction schemes. Here we explore a promising, alternative method for prime factorization that uses well-established techniques from variational imaginary time evolution. We create a Hamiltonian whose ground state encodes the solution to the problem and use variational techniques to evolve a state iteratively towards these prime factors.…
The Feynman path integral in p-adic quantum mechanics is considered. The probability amplitude ${\cal K}_p (x^{\prime\prime},t^{\prime\prime}; x^\prime,t^\prime)$ for one-dimensional systems with quadratic actions is calculated in an exact form, which is the same as that in ordinary quantum mechanics.
We propose a prime factoring machine operated in a frame work of quantum annealing (QA). The idea is inverse operation of a quantum-mechanically reversible multiplier implemented with QA-based Boolean logic circuits. We designed the QA machine on an application-specific-annealing-computing architecture which efficiently increases available hardware budgets at the cost of restricted functionality. The circuits are to be implemented and fabricated by using superconducting integrated circuit technology. We propose a three-dimensional packaging scheme of a qubit-chip / interposer / package-substra…
The assumed computationally difficulty of factoring large integers forms the basis of security for RSA public-key cryptography, which specifically relies on products of two large primes or semi-primes. The best-known factoring algorithms for classical computers run in sub-exponential time. Since integer factorization is in NP, one can reduce this problem to any NP-hard problem, such as Boolean Satisfiability (SAT). While reducing factoring to SAT has proved to be useful for studying SAT solvers, attempting to factor large integers via such a reduction has not been found to be successful. Shor'…
We construct multipartite graph states whose dimension is the power of a prime number. This is realized by the finite field, as well as the generalized controlled-NOT quantum circuit acting on two qudits. We propose the standard form of graph states up to local unitary transformations and particle permutations. The form greatly simplifies the classification of graph states as we illustrate up to five qudits. We also show that some graph states are multipartite maximally entangled states in the sense that any bipartite of the system produces a bipartite maximally entangled state. We further pro…
A quantum processor (QuP) can be used to exploit quantum mechanics to find the prime factors of composite numbers[1]. Compiled versions of Shor's algorithm have been demonstrated on ensemble quantum systems[2] and photonic systems[3-5], however this has yet to be shown using solid state quantum bits (qubits). Two advantages of superconducting qubit architectures are the use of conventional microfabrication techniques, which allow straightforward scaling to large numbers of qubits, and a toolkit of circuit elements that can be used to engineer a variety of qubit types and interactions[6, 7]. Us…
We propose a prime factorizer operated in a framework of quantum annealing (QA). The idea is inverse operation of a multiplier implemented with QA-based Boolean logic circuits. We designed the QA machine on an application-specific-annealing-computing architecture which efficiently increases available hardware budgets at the cost of restricted functionality. The invertible operation of QA logic gates consisting of superconducting flux qubits was confirmed by circuit simulation with classical noise sources. The circuits were implemented and fabricated by using superconducting integrated circuit …
Prime factorization is a difficult problem with classical computing, whose exponential hardness is the foundation of Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) cryptography. With programmable quantum devices, adiabatic quantum computing has been proposed as a plausible approach to solve prime factorization, having promising advantage over classical computing. Here, we find there are certain hard instances that are consistently intractable for both classical simulated annealing and un-configured adiabatic quantum computing (AQC). Aiming at an automated architecture for optimal configuration of quantum adiabat…
