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arXiv:1102.2338 · Physical Review A

Basics of perfect communication through quantum networks

Alastair Kay

Published Aug 25, 2011• 73 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Perfect transfer of a quantum state through a one-dimensional chain is now well understood, allowing one not only to decide whether a fixed Hamiltonian achieves perfect transfer but to design a suitable one. We are particularly interested in being able to design, or understand the limitations imposed upon, Hamiltonians subject to various naturally arising constraints such as a limited coupling topology with low connectivity (specified by a graph) and type of interaction. In this paper, we characterize the necessary and sufficient conditions for transfer through a network and describe some natural consequences such as the impossibility of routing between many different recipients for a large class of Hamiltonians and the limitations on transfer rate. We also consider some of the trade-offs that arise in uniformly coupled networks (both Heisenberg and $XX$ models) between transfer distance and the size of the network as a consequence of the derived conditions.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.84.022337

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•Aug 13, 2014•34 citations
Perfect transfer of a quantum state through a one-dimensional chain is now well understood, allowing one not only to decide whether a fixed Hamiltonian achieves perfect transfer but to design a suitable one. We are particularly interested in being able to design, or understand the limitations imposed upon, Hamiltonians subject to various naturally arising constraints such as a limited coupling topology with low connectivity (specified by a graph) and type of interaction. In this paper, we characterize the necessary and sufficient conditions for transfer through a network and describe some natural consequences such as the impossibility of routing between many different recipients for a large class of Hamiltonians and the limitations on transfer rate. We also consider some of the trade-offs that arise in uniformly coupled networks (both Heisenberg and XXXXXX models) between transfer distance and the size of the network as a consequence of the derived conditions.
Perfect state transfer between qubits on a uniformly coupled network, with interactions specified by a graph, has advantages over an engineered chain, such as much faster transfer times (independent of the distance between the input and output vertices). This is achieved by many couplings working in parallel. The trade-offs seem to be the need for increasing connectivity between qubits, and a large number of vertices in the graph. The size of existing graph constructions scale exponentially in the transfer distance, making these schemes impractical over anything but the shortest distances. This prompts the question of "How low can you go?" for the size of the graph achieving a particular transfer distance. In this paper, we present reductions in the vertex count required, although the overall scaling with transfer distance remains exponential. We also tighten existing bounds on the required degree of the vertices of the graph.
We propose a class of qubit networks that admit perfect state transfer of any two-dimensional quantum state in a fixed period of time. We further show that such networks can distribute arbitrary entangled states between two distant parties, and can, by using such systems in parallel, transmit the higher-dimensional systems states across the network. Unlike many other schemes for quantum computation and communication, these networks do not require qubit couplings to be switched on and off. When restricted to NNN-qubit spin networks of identical qubit couplings, we show that 2log3N2\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{log}}_{3}N2log3​N is the maximal perfect communication distance for hypercube geometries. Moreover, if one allows fixed but different couplings between the qubits then perfect state transfer can be achieved over arbitrarily long distances in a linear chain. This paper expands and extends the work done by Christandl et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 187902 (2004).
We propose a class of qubit networks that admit the perfect state transfer of any quantum state in a fixed period of time. Unlike many other schemes for quantum computation and communication, these networks do not require qubit couplings to be switched on and off. When restricted to N-qubit spin networks of identical qubit couplings, we show that 2log3N is the maximal perfect communication distance for hypercube geometries. Moreover, if one allows fixed but different couplings between the qubits, then perfect state transfer can be achieved over arbitrarily long distances in a linear chain.
Christandl et al. have noted that the ddd-dimensional hypercube can be projected to a linear chain with d+1d+1d+1 sites so that, by considering fixed but different couplings between the qubits assigned to the sites, the perfect state transfer (PST) can be achieved over arbitrarily long distances in the chain [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 187902 (2004); Phys. Rev. A 71, 032312 (2005)]. In this work we consider distance-regular graphs as spin networks and note that any such network (not just the hypercube) can be projected to a linear chain and so can allow PST over long distances. We consider some particular spin Hamiltonians which are the extended version of those of Christandl et al. Then, by using techniques such as stratification of distance-regular graphs and spectral analysis methods, we give a procedure for finding a set of coupling constants in the Hamiltonians so that a particular state initially encoded on one site will evolve freely to the opposite site without any dynamical control, i.e., we show how to derive the parameters of the system so that PST can be achieved. It is seen that PST is only allowed in distance-regular spin networks for which, starting from an arbitrary vertex as reference vertex (prepared in the initial state which we wish to transfer), the last stratum of the networks with respect to the reference state contains only one vertex; i.e., stratification of these networks plays an important role which determines in which kinds of networks and between which vertices of them, PST can be allowed. As examples, the cycle network with even number of vertices and ddd-dimensional hypercube are considered in details and the method is applied for some important distance-regular networks.
We review the subject of perfect state transfer — how one designs the (fixed) interactions of a chain of spins so that a quantum state, initially inserted on one end of the chain, is perfectly transferred to the opposite end in a fixed time. The perfect state transfer systems are then used as a constructive tool to design Hamiltonian implementations of other primitive protocols such as entanglement generation and signal amplification in measurements, before showing that, in fact, universal quantum computation can be implemented in this way.
Let X be a graph, A its adjacency matrix, and t a non-negative real number. The matrix exp(i t A) determines the evolution in time of a certain quantum system defined on the graph. It represents a continuous-time quantum walk in X. We say that X admits perfect state transfer from a vertex u to a vertex v if there is a time t such that \n| exp(i t A)_(u,v) | = 1. \n \nThe main problem we study in this thesis is that of determining which simple graphs admit perfect state transfer. For some classes of graphs the problem is solved. For example, a path on n vertices admits perfect state transfer if and only if n=2 or n=3. However, the general problem of determining all graphs that admit perfect state transfer is substantially hard. \n \nIn this thesis, we focus on some special cases. We provide necessary and sufficient conditions for a distance-regular graph to admit perfect state transfer. In particular, we provide a detailed account of which distance-regular graphs of diameter three do so. \n \nA graph is said to be spectrally extremal if the number of distinct eigenvalues is equal to the diameter plus one. Distance-regular graphs are examples of such graphs. We study perfect state transfer in spectrally extremal graphs and explore rich connections to the topic of orthogonal polynomials. We characterize perfect state transfer in such graphs. \n \nWe also provide a general framework in which perfect state transfer in graph products can be studied. We use this to determine when direct products and double covers of graphs admit perfect state transfer. As a consequence, we provide many new examples of simple graphs admitting perfect state transfer. We also provide some advances in the understanding of perfect state transfer in Cayley graphs for the groups (Z_2)^d and Z_n. \n \nFinally, we consider the problem of determining which trees admit perfect state transfer. We show more generally that, except for the path on two vertices, if a connected bipartite graph contains a unique perfect matching, then it cannot admit perfect state transfer. We also consider this problem in the context of another model of quantum walks determined by the matrix exp(i t L), where L is the Laplacian matrix of the graph. In particular, we show that no tree on an odd number of vertices admits perfect state transfer according to this model.