Constant-depth Quantum Circuit Research Articles

Complexity of simulating constant-depth BosonSampling

BosonSampling is a restricted model of quantum computation proposed recently, where a non-adaptive linear-optical network is used to solve a sampling problem that seems to be hard for classical computers. Here we show that, even if the linear-optical network has a constant number (greater than four) of beam splitter layers, the exact version of the BosonSampling problem is still classically hard, unless the polynomial hierarchy collapses to its third level. This is based on similar result known for constant-depth quantum circuits and circuits of 2-local commuting gates (IQP).

Hardness of classically simulating quantum circuits with unbounded Toffoli and fan-out gates

We study the classical simulatability of constant-depth polynomial-size quantum circuits followed by only one single-qubit measurement, where the circuits consist of universal gates on at most two qubits and additional gates on an unbounded number of qubits. First, we consider unbounded Toffoli gates as additional gates and deal with the weak simulation, i.e., sampling the output probability distribution. We show that there exists a constant-depth quantum circuit with only one unbounded Toffoli gate that is not weakly simulatable, unless $\bqp \subseteq \postbpp \cap \am$. Then, we consider unbounded fan-out gates as additional gates and deal with the strong simulation, i.e., computing the output probability. We show that there exists a constant-depth quantum circuit with only two unbounded fan-out gates that is not strongly simulatable, unless $\p = \pp$. These results are in contrast to the fact that any constant-depth quantum circuit without additional gates on an unbounded number of qubits is strongly and weakly simulatable.

Hardness of classically simulating quantum circuits with unbounded Toffoli and fan-out gates

We study the classical simulatability of constant-depth polynomial-size quantum circuits followed by only one single-qubit measurement, where the circuits consist of universal gates on at most two ...

Classification of Topologically Protected Gates for Local Stabilizer Codes

Given a quantum error correcting code, an important task is to find encoded operations that can be implemented efficiently and fault tolerantly. In this Letter we focus on topological stabilizer codes and encoded unitary gates that can be implemented by a constant-depth quantum circuit. Such gates have a certain degree of protection since propagation of errors in a constant-depth circuit is limited by a constant size light cone. For the 2D geometry we show that constant-depth circuits can only implement a finite group of encoded gates known as the Clifford group. This implies that topological protection must be "turned off" for at least some steps in the computation in order to achieve universality. For the 3D geometry we show that an encoded gate U is implementable by a constant-depth circuit only if UPU(†) is in the Clifford group for any Pauli operator P. This class of gates includes some non-Clifford gates such as the π/8 rotation. Our classification applies to any stabilizer code with geometrically local stabilizers and sufficiently large code distance.

Commuting quantum circuits: efficiently classical simulations versus hardness results

The study of quantum circuits composed of commuting gates is particularly useful to understand the delicate boundary between quantum and classical computation. Indeed, while being a restricted class, commuting circuits exhibit genuine quantum effects such as entanglement. In this paper we show that the computational power of commuting circuits exhibits a surprisingly rich structure. First we show that every 2-local commuting circuit acting on $d$-level systems and followed by single-qudit measurements can be efficiently simulated classically with high accuracy. In contrast, we prove that such strong simulations are hard for 3-local circuits. Using sampling methods we further show that all commuting circuits composed of exponentiated Pauli operators $e^{i\theta P}$ can be simulated efficiently classically when followed by single-qubit measurements. Finally, we show that commuting circuits can efficiently simulate certain non-commutative processes, related in particular to constant-depth quantum circuits. This gives evidence that the power of commuting circuits goes beyond classical computation.

Quantum lower bounds for fanout

We consider the resource bounded quantum circuit model with circuits restricted by the number of qubits they act upon and by their depth. Focusing on natural universal sets of gates which are familiar from classical circuit theory, several new lower bounds for constant depth quantum circuits are proved. The main result is that parity (and hence fanout) requires log depth quantum circuits, when the circuits are composed of single qubit and arbitrary size Toffoli gates, and when they use only constantly many ancill\ae. Under this constraint, this bound is close to optimal. In the case of a non-constant number $a$ of ancill\ae\ and $n$ input qubits, we give a tradeoff between $a$ and the required depth, that results in a non-constant lower bound for fanout when $a = n^{1-o(1)}$. We also show that, regardless of the number of ancill\ae\, arbitrary arity Toffoli gates cannot be simulated exactly by a constant depth circuit family with gates of bounded arity.