Alternative mathematical explorations in quantum computing can be of great scientific interest, especially if they come with penetrating physical insights. In this paper, we present a critical revisitation of our application of geometric (Clifford) algebras (GAs) in quantum computing as originally presented in [C. Cafaro and S. Mancini, Adv. Appl. Clifford Algebras 21, 493 (2011)]. Our focus is on testing the usefulness of geometric algebras (GAs) techniques in two quantum computing applications. First, making use of the geometric algebra of a relativistic configuration space (namely multiparticle spacetime algebra or MSTA), we offer an explicit algebraic characterization of one- and two-qubit quantum states together with a MSTA description of one- and two-qubit quantum computational gates. In this first application, we devote special attention to the concept of entanglement, focusing on entangled quantum states and two-qubit entangling quantum gates. Second, exploiting the previously mentioned MSTA characterization together with the GA depiction of the Lie algebras SO3;R and SU2;C depending on the rotor group Spin+3,0 formalism, we focus our attention to the concept of universality in quantum computing by reevaluating Boykin’s proof on the identification of a suitable set of universal quantum gates. At the end of our mathematical exploration, we arrive at two main conclusions. Firstly, the MSTA perspective leads to a powerful conceptual unification between quantum states and quantum operators. More specifically, the complex qubit space and the complex space of unitary operators acting on them merge in a single multivectorial real space. Secondly, the GA viewpoint on rotations based on the rotor group Spin+3,0 carries both conceptual and computational advantages compared to conventional vectorial and matricial methods.
This paper presents a unified algebraic framework for
n-qubit quantum computation rooted in the complex Clifford algebra
Cl(2n,C). We leverage the fundamental isomorphism
Cl(2n,C)≅M(2n,C) to directly identify the algebra of all
n-qubit quantum operators (including states, gates, and observables) with elements of
Cl(2n,C). This operator-centric perspective treats quantum states, whether pure or mixed, as density multivectors
ρ∈Cl(2n,C) satisfying standard physical constraints (
ρ†=ρ,
2n⟨ρ⟩0=1, positivity), and unitary gates
U as multivectors obeying
U†U=I. Quantum evolution
ρ′=UρU† and measurements
p(m)=2n⟨Pmρ⟩0 are thus described by intrinsic Clifford algebraic operations. This contrasts with, yet encompasses, specific realizations like spinor representations based on Witt ideals (
S=Cl(2n,C)∏jfjfj†), which are shown to be particular constructions within this universal algebra. By analyzing Deutsch's algorithm through these different lenses, we demonstrate the generality and unifying power of the operator-centric multivector approach. This formulation not only provides a comprehensive algebraic language that naturally handles mixed states and general quantum processes but also opens avenues for applying the rich geometric and structural tools of Clifford algebras—such as grade decomposition and invariant theory—to gain deeper insights into quantum information, entanglement, and dynamics.
Abstract Quantum computation based on nonadiabatic geometric phases has attracted a broad range of interests, due to its fast manipulation and inherent noise resistance. However, it is limited to some special evolution paths, and the gate-times are typically longer than conventional dynamical gates, resulting in weakening of robustness and more infidelities of the implemented geometric gates. Here, we propose a path-optimized scheme for geometric quantum computation (GQC) on superconducting transmon qubits, where high-fidelity and robust universal nonadiabatic geometric gates can be implemented, based on conventional experimental setups. Specifically, we find that, by selecting appropriate evolution paths, the constructed geometric gates can be superior to their corresponding dynamical ones under different local errors. Numerical simulations show that the fidelities for single-qubit geometric phase, π /8 and Hadamard gates can be obtained as 99.93%, 99.95% and 99.95%, respectively. Remarkably, the fidelity for two-qubit control-phase gate can be as high as 99.87%. Therefore, our scheme provides a new perspective for GQC, making it more promising in the application of large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computation.