Attempts to separate the power of classical and quantum models of computation have a long history. The ultimate goal is to find exponential separations for computational problems. However, such separations do not come a dime a dozen: while there were some early successes in the form of hidden subgroup problems for abelian groups–which generalize Shor's factoring algorithm perhaps most faithfully–only for a handful of non-abelian groups efficient quantum algorithms were found. Recently, problems have gotten increased attention that seek to identify hidden sub-structures of other combinatorial and algebraic objects besides groups. In this paper we provide new examples for exponential separations by considering hidden shift problems that are defined for several classes of highly non-linear Boolean functions. These so-called bent functions arise in cryptography, where their property of having perfectly flat Fourier spectra on the Boolean hypercube gives them resilience against certain types of attack. We present new quantum algorithms that solve the hidden shift problems for several well-known classes of bent functions in polynomial time and with a constant number of queries, while the classical query complexity is shown to be exponential. Our approach uses a technique that exploits the duality between bent functions and their Fourier transforms.Attempts to separate the power of classical and quantum models of computation have a long history. The ultimate goal is to find exponential separations for computational problems. However, such separations do not come a dime a dozen: while there were some early successes in the form of hidden subgroup problems for abelian groups–which generalize Shor's factoring algorithm perhaps most faithfully–only for a handful of non-abelian groups efficient quantum algorithms were found. Recently, problems have gotten increased attention that seek to identify hidden sub-structures of other combinatorial and algebraic objects besides groups. In this paper we provide new examples for exponential separations by considering hidden shift problems that are defined for several classes of highly non-linear Boolean functions. These so-called bent functions arise in cryptography, where their property of having perfectly flat Fourier spectra on the Boolean hypercube gives them resilience against certain types of attack. We present new quantum algorithms that solve the hidden shift problems for several well-known classes of bent functions in polynomial time and with a constant number of queries, while the classical query complexity is shown to be exponential. Our approach uses a technique that exploits the duality between bent functions and their Fourier transforms.

ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms (SODA)Jan 17, 201024 citations

Quantum algorithms for highly non-linear Boolean functions

Martin Rötteler

Attempts to separate the power of classical and quantum models of computation have a long history. The ultimate goal are exponential separations for computational (promise) problems, however, these do not come a dime a dozen: while there were some early successes in the form of hidden subgroup problems for abelian groups–which generalizes Shor’s factoring algorithm perhaps most faithfully–only for a handful of non-abelian groups efficient quantum algorithms were found. Recently, problems have gotten increased attention that seek to identify hidden sub-structures of other combinatorial and algebraic objects besides groups, notably the quantum algorithms by Childs, Schulman, and Vazirani for shifted subset problems for spheres over a finite field. In this paper we provide new examples for exponential separations by considering hidden shift problems that are defined for several classes of highly non-linear Boolean functions. These so-called bent functions arise in cryptography, where their property of having perfectly flat Fourier spectra on the Boolean hypercube gives them resilience against certain types of attack. We present quantum algorithms that solve the hidden shift problems for several well-known classes of bent functions in polynomial time with a constant number of queries, while the classical query complexity is shown to be exponential. Our approach uses a technique that exploits the duality between bent functions and their Fourier transforms. We also give a quantum algorithm that solves the hidden shift problem for quadratic forms that might be of independent interest. This algorithm can also be used to find approximating polynomials and shifts for functions with large Gowers U3 norm. 1 1Attempts to separate the power of classical and quantum models of computation have a long history. The ultimate goal are exponential separations for computational (promise) problems, however, these do not come a dime a dozen: while there were some early successes in the form of hidden subgroup problems for abelian groups–which generalizes Shor’s factoring algorithm perhaps most faithfully–only for a handful of non-abelian groups efficient quantum algorithms were found. Recently, problems have gotten increased attention that seek to identify hidden sub-structures of other combinatorial and algebraic objects besides groups, notably the quantum algorithms by Childs, Schulman, and Vazirani for shifted subset problems for spheres over a finite field. In this paper we provide new examples for exponential separations by considering hidden shift problems that are defined for several classes of highly non-linear Boolean functions. These so-called bent functions arise in cryptography, where their property of having perfectly flat Fourier spectra on the Boolean hypercube gives them resilience against certain types of attack. We present quantum algorithms that solve the hidden shift problems for several well-known classes of bent functions in polynomial time with a constant number of queries, while the classical query complexity is shown to be exponential. Our approach uses a technique that exploits the duality between bent functions and their Fourier transforms. We also give a quantum algorithm that solves the hidden shift problem for quadratic forms that might be of independent interest. This algorithm can also be used to find approximating polynomials and shifts for functions with large Gowers U3 norm. 1 1

Jan 1, 200824 citations

Hidden shift problem for complex functions

Serge Adonsou, Peter Bruin, Māris Ozols +1 more

We study quantum algorithms for the hidden shift problem of complex scalar- and vector-valued functions on finite abelian groups. Given oracle access to a shifted function and the Fourier transform of the unshifted function, the goal is to find the hidden shift. We analyze the success probability of our algorithms when using a constant number of queries. For bent functions, they succeed with probability 1, while for arbitrary functions the success probability depends on the `bentness' of the function.We study quantum algorithms for the hidden shift problem of complex scalar- and vector-valued functions on finite abelian groups. Given oracle access to a shifted function and the Fourier transform of the unshifted function, the goal is to find the hidden shift. We analyze the success probability of our algorithms when using a constant number of queries. For bent functions, they succeed with probability 1, while for arbitrary functions the success probability depends on the `bentness' of the function.

arXiv:2507.19440Jul 25, 20250 citations

Quantum algorithms and the fourier transform

Lawrence Ip, Umesh V. Vazirani

The search for practical problems that can be solved exponentially faster on a quantum computer is one of the primary goals in research into algorithms for quantum computers. It has long been known that such speedups are only possible for highly structured problems. We consider two problems with algebraic structure: (1) the hidden subgroup problem, where we have an unknown subgroup, a function that is constant on cosets of the subgroup, and the task is to find the unknown subgroup; (2) the hidden shift problem, where we have an unknown element of a group, a function that has been shifted by that group element, and the task is to find the unknown group element. We show that the Fourier transform is intimately connected to both these problems. This is because the Fourier transform respects group symmetries. For the hidden subgroup problem, we introduce the idea of using information theoretic techniques to design quantum algorithms. This consists of first finding an optimal set of measurements for distinguishing between different subgroups, followed by attempts to implement this set of measurements. We show that the standard algorithm for the abelian hidden subgroup problem is optimal. For the nonabelian hidden subgroup problem, the optimal measurements respect the Fourier transform in that they can be implemented by first performing a Fourier transform on each coset state, measuring the name of the irreducible representation for each state, followed by a joint measurement over the resulting lower dimensional space. This shows that the “strong standard method” cannot be used to implement the optimal set of measurements. For some instances of the hidden shift problem, we give a quantum algorithms that are exponentially faster than the best known classical algorithm. The algorithms make use of the Fourier transform in a way that may be interpreted as solving a deconvolution problem. As evidence of hardness, we give a reduction from algebraically homomorphic cryptosystems to the shifted Legendre symbol problem. This is an example of a problem which admits an exponential quantum speedup yet is not an instance of the abelian hidden subgroup problem.The search for practical problems that can be solved exponentially faster on a quantum computer is one of the primary goals in research into algorithms for quantum computers. It has long been known that such speedups are only possible for highly structured problems. We consider two problems with algebraic structure: (1) the hidden subgroup problem, where we have an unknown subgroup, a function that is constant on cosets of the subgroup, and the task is to find the unknown subgroup; (2) the hidden shift problem, where we have an unknown element of a group, a function that has been shifted by that group element, and the task is to find the unknown group element. We show that the Fourier transform is intimately connected to both these problems. This is because the Fourier transform respects group symmetries. For the hidden subgroup problem, we introduce the idea of using information theoretic techniques to design quantum algorithms. This consists of first finding an optimal set of measurements for distinguishing between different subgroups, followed by attempts to implement this set of measurements. We show that the standard algorithm for the abelian hidden subgroup problem is optimal. For the nonabelian hidden subgroup problem, the optimal measurements respect the Fourier transform in that they can be implemented by first performing a Fourier transform on each coset state, measuring the name of the irreducible representation for each state, followed by a joint measurement over the resulting lower dimensional space. This shows that the “strong standard method” cannot be used to implement the optimal set of measurements. For some instances of the hidden shift problem, we give a quantum algorithms that are exponentially faster than the best known classical algorithm. The algorithms make use of the Fourier transform in a way that may be interpreted as solving a deconvolution problem. As evidence of hardness, we give a reduction from algebraically homomorphic cryptosystems to the shifted Legendre symbol problem. This is an example of a problem which admits an exponential quantum speedup yet is not an instance of the abelian hidden subgroup problem.

Jan 1, 20040 citations

Quantum algorithms for shifted subset problems

Ashley Montanaro

We consider a recently proposed generalisation of the abelian hidden subgroup problem: the {\em shifted subset problem}. The problem is to determine a subset $S$ of some abelian group, given access to quantum states of the form $\ket{S+x}$ , for some unknown shift $x$ . We give quantum algorithms to find Hamming spheres and other subsets of the boolean cube $\{0,1\}^n$ . The algorithms have time complexity polynomial in $n$ and give rise to exponential separations from classical computation.We consider a recently proposed generalisation of the abelian hidden subgroup problem: the {\em shifted subset problem}. The problem is to determine a subset $S$ of some abelian group, given access to quantum states of the form $\ket{S+x}$, for some unknown shift $x$. We give quantum algorithms to find Hamming spheres and other subsets of the boolean cube $\{0,1\}^n$. The algorithms have time complexity polynomial in $n$ and give rise to exponential separations from classical computation.

arXiv:0806.3362Quantum Information and ComputationMay 1, 20094 citations

Quantum algorithms for abelian difference sets and applications to dihedral hidden subgroups

Martin Roetteler

Difference sets are basic combinatorial structures that have applications in signal processing, coding theory, and cryptography. We consider the problem of identifying a shifted version of the characteristic function of a (known) difference set. We present a generic quantum algorithm that can be used to tackle any hidden shift problem for any difference set in any abelian group. We discuss special cases of this framework where the resulting quantum algorithm is efficient. This includes: a) Paley difference sets based on quadratic residues in finite fields, which allows to recover the shifted Legendre function quantum algorithm, b) Hadamard difference sets, which allows to recover the shifted bent function quantum algorithm, and c) Singer difference sets based on finite geometries. The latter class allows us to define instances of the dihedral hidden subgroup problem that can be efficiently solved on a quantum computer.Difference sets are basic combinatorial structures that have applications in signal processing, coding theory, and cryptography. We consider the problem of identifying a shifted version of the characteristic function of a (known) difference set. We present a generic quantum algorithm that can be used to tackle any hidden shift problem for any difference set in any abelian group. We discuss special cases of this framework where the resulting quantum algorithm is efficient. This includes: a) Paley difference sets based on quadratic residues in finite fields, which allows to recover the shifted Legendre function quantum algorithm, b) Hadamard difference sets, which allows to recover the shifted bent function quantum algorithm, and c) Singer difference sets based on finite geometries. The latter class allows us to define instances of the dihedral hidden subgroup problem that can be efficiently solved on a quantum computer.

arXiv:1608.02005Aug 5, 20164 citations

We consider a recently proposed generalisation of the abelian hidden subgroup problem: the {\em shifted subset problem}. The problem is to determine a subset

S

of some abelian group, given access to quantum states of the form

\ket{S+x}

, for some unknown shift

x

. We give quantum algorithms to find Hamming spheres and other subsets of the boolean cube

\{0,1\}^n

. The algorithms have time complexity polynomial in

n

and give rise to exponential separations from classical computation.