Robust Quantum Search with Uncertain Number of Target States

The quantum search algorithm is one of the milestones of quantum algorithms. Compared with classical algorithms, it shows quadratic speed-up when searching marked states in an unsorted database. However, the success rates of quantum search algorithms are sensitive to the number of marked states. In this paper, we study the relation between the success rate and the number of iterations in a quantum search algorithm of given λ=M/N, where M is the number of marked state and N is the number of items in the dataset. We develop a robust quantum search algorithm based on Grover–Long algorithm with some uncertainty in the number of marked states. The proposed algorithm has the same query complexity ON as the Grover’s algorithm, and shows high tolerance of the uncertainty in the ratio M/N. In particular, for a database with an uncertainty in the ratio M±MN, our algorithm will find the target states with a success rate no less than 96%.

Implementation and analysis of quantum computing application to Higgs boson reconstruction at the large Hadron Collider

With the advent of the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) era, high energy physics (HEP) event selection will require new approaches to rapidly and accurately analyze vast databases. The current study addresses the enormity of HEP databases in an unprecedented manner—a quantum search using Grover’s Algorithm (GA) on an unsorted database, ATLAS Open Data, from the ATLAS detector. A novel method to identify rare events at 13 TeV in CERN’s LHC using quantum computing (QC) is presented. As indicated by the Higgs boson decay channel $$H\rightarrow ZZ^*\rightarrow 4l$$ H → Z Z ∗ → 4 l , the detection of four leptons in one event may be used to reconstruct the Higgs boson and, more importantly, evince Higgs boson decay to some new phenomena, such as $$H\rightarrow ZZ_d \rightarrow 4l$$ H → Z Z d → 4 l . Searching the dataset for collisions resulting in detection of four leptons using a Jupyter Notebook, a classical simulation of GA, and several quantum computers with multiple qubits, the current application was found to make the proper selection in the unsorted dataset. Quantum search efficacy was analyzed for the incoming HL-LHC by implementing the QC method on multiple classical simulators and IBM’s quantum computers with the IBM Qiskit Open Source Software. The current QC application provides a novel, high-efficiency alternative to classical database searches, demonstrating its potential utility as a rapid and increasingly accurate search method in HEP.

Abnormal Quantum State Search Based on Parallel Phase Comparison

We discuss the problem of filtering out abnormal states from a larger number of quantum states. For this type of problem with [Formula: see text] items to be searched, both the traditional search by enumeration and classical Grover search algorithm have the complexity about [Formula: see text]. In this letter a novel quantum search scheme with exponential speed up is proposed for abnormal states. First, a new comprehensive quantum operator is well-designed to extract the superposition state containing all abnormal states with unknown number [Formula: see text] with complexity [Formula: see text] in probability 1 via well-designed parallel phase comparison. Then, every abnormal state is achieved respectively from [Formula: see text] abnormal states via [Formula: see text] times’ measurement. Finally, a numerical example is given to show the efficiency of the proposed scheme.

Optimization of 16-Element Quantum Search on IBMQ

Unstructured searching, which is to find the marked element from a given unstructured data set, is a widely studied problem in computer science. It is well known that Grover algorithm provides a quadratic speedup to solve unstructured search problem compared with the classical algorithm. This algorithm has received a lot of attention due to the strong versatility. In this manuscript, we report experimental results of searching a unique target from 16 elements on five different quantum devices of IBM quantum Experience (IBMQ). We first implement the original Grover algorithm on these devices. However, the experiment probability of success of finding the correct target is almost the same as random choice. We then optimize the quantum circuit size of the search algorithm. The oracle operator and diffusion operator are two of the most costly operators in Grover algorithm. For the 16-element quantum search algorithm, both the oracle operator and diffusion operator consist of a triple controlled [Formula: see text] gate ([Formula: see text]) and some single-qubit gates. So we optimize the implementation of the [Formula: see text] gate according to the qubits layout of different quantum devices. On the ibmq_santiago, the experimental success rate of the 16-element quantum search algorithm is increased to [Formula: see text] by the optimization, which is better than all the published experiments implemented on IBMQ devices. For other IBMQ devices, the experimental success rate of 16-element quantum search also has been significantly improved. We then try to further reduce the size of the quantum circuit by modifying the Grover algorithm, with a tolerable loss of the theoretical success probability. On ibmq_quito, the experimental success rate is further improved from 25.23% to 27.56% after optimization. These experimental results show the importance of circuit optimization and algorithm optimization in the Noisy-Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) era.

Role of Symmetry in Quantum Search via Continuous-Time Quantum Walk

For quantum search via the continuous-time quantum walk, the evolution of the whole system is usually limited in a small subspace. In this paper, we discuss how the symmetries of the graphs are related to the existence of such an invariant subspace, which also suggests a dimensionality reduction method based on group representation theory. We observe that in the one-dimensional subspace spanned by each desired basis state which assembles the identically evolving original basis states, we always get a trivial representation of the symmetry group. So, we could find the desired basis by exploiting the projection operator of the trivial representation. Besides being technical guidance in this type of problem, this discussion also suggests that all the symmetries are used up in the invariant subspace and the asymmetric part of the Hamiltonian is very important for the purpose of quantum search.

Grover's algorithm in natural settings

The execution of Grover's quantum search algorithm needs rather limited resources without much fine tuning. Consequently, the algorithm can be implemented in a variety of physical set-ups, which involve wave dynamics but may not need other quantum features. Several of these set-ups are described, pointing out that some of them occur quite naturally. In particular, it is entirely possible that the algorithm played a key role in the selection of the universal structure of genetic languages.

Electric-Circuit Realization of Fast Quantum Search

Quantum search algorithm, which can search an unsorted database quadratically faster than any known classical algorithms, has become one of the most impressive showcases of quantum computation. It has been implemented using various quantum schemes. Here, we demonstrate both theoretically and experimentally that such a fast search algorithm can also be realized using classical electric circuits. The classical circuit networks to perform such a fast search have been designed. It has been shown that the evolution of electric signals in the circuit networks is analogies of quantum particles randomly walking on graphs described by quantum theory. The searching efficiencies in our designed classical circuits are the same to the quantum schemes. Because classical circuit networks possess good scalability and stability, the present scheme is expected to avoid some problems faced by the quantum schemes. Thus, our findings are advantageous for information processing in the era of big data.