Parameter estimation with reluctant quantum walks: a maximum likelihood approach

Abstract

The parametric maximum likelihood estimation problem is addressed in the context of quantum walk theory for quantum walks on the lattice of integers. A coin action is presented, with the real parameter θ to be estimated identified with the angular argument of an orthogonal reshuffling matrix. We provide analytic results for the probability distribution for a quantum walker to be displaced by d units from its initial position after k steps. For k large, we show that the likelihood is sharply peaked at a displacement determined by the ratio d/k which is correlated with the reshuffling parameter θ. We suggest that this ‘reluctant walker’ behaviour provides the framework for maximum likelihood estimation analysis, allowing for robust parameter estimation of θ via return probabilities of closed evolution loops and quantum measurements of the position of quantum walker with ‘reluctance index’ r = d/k.