Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1108.3383

Gadgets and Anti-Gadgets Leading to a Complexity Dichotomy

Jin‐Yi Cai, Michael Kowalczyk, Tyson Williams

Published Aug 17, 2011• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We introduce an idea called anti-gadgets in complexity reductions. These combinatorial gadgets have the effect of erasing the presence of some other graph fragment, as if we had managed to include a negative copy of a graph gadget. We use this idea to prove a complexity dichotomy theorem for the partition function $Z(G)$ on 3-regular directed graphs $G$, where each edge is given a complex-valued binary function $f: \{0,1\}^2 \rightarrow \mathbb{C}$. We show that \[Z(G) = \sum_{σ: V(G) \to \{0,1\}} \prod_{(u,v) \in E(G)} f(σ(u), σ(v)),\] is either computable in polynomial time or #P-hard, depending explicitly on $f$.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.1108.3383

Related papers

Gadgets and anti-gadgets leading to a complexity dichotomy

Jin‐Yi Cai, Michael Kowalczyk, Tyson Williams

We introduce an idea called anti-gadgets in complexity reductions. These combinatorial gadgets have the effect of erasing the presence of some other graph fragment, as if we had managed to include a negative copy of a graph gadget. We use this idea to prove a complexity dichotomy theorem for the partition function Z(G) on 3-regular directed graphs G, where each edge is given a complex-valued binary function f: {0,1}2 → C. We show that

Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science•Jan 8, 2012•16 citations

Gadgets and Anti-Gadgets Leading to a Complexity Dichotomy

Jin‐Yi Cai, Michael Kowalczyk, Tyson Williams

We introduce an idea called anti-gadgets for reductions in complexity theory. These anti-gadgets are presented as graph fragments, but their effect is equivalent to erasing the presence of other graph fragments, as if we had managed to include a negative copy of a certain graph gadget. We use this idea to prove a complexity dichotomy theorem for the partition function Z ( G ) of spin systems over 3-regular directed graphs G , Z ( G ) = ∑ σ : V ( G ) → { 0,1} ∏ ( u , v ) ∈ E ( G ) f (σ ( u ), σ ( v )), where each edge is given a (not necessarily symmetric) complex-valued binary function f : { 0,1} 2 → C. We show that Z ( G ) is either computable in polynomial time or #P-hard, depending explicitly on f . When the input graph G is planar, there is an additional class of polynomial time computable partition functions Z ( G ), while everything else remains #P-hard. Furthermore, this additional class is precisely those that can be transformed by a holographic reduction to matchgates, followed by the Fisher-Kasteleyn-Temperley algorithm via Pfaffians.

ACM Transactions on Computation Theory•Feb 17, 2019•6 citations

Holant Problems for Regular Graphs with Complex Edge Functions

Michael Kowalczyk, Jin‐Yi Cai

We prove a complexity dichotomy theorem for Holant Problems on 3-regular graphs with an arbitrary complex-valued edge function. Three new techniques are introduced: (1) higher dimensional iterations in interpolation; (2) Eigenvalue Shifted Pairs, which allow us to prove that a pair of combinatorial gadgets in combination succeed in proving #P-hardness; and (3) algebraic symmetrization, which significantly lowers the symbolic complexity of the proof for computational complexity. With holographic reductions the classification theorem also applies to problems beyond the basic model.

arXiv:1001.0464•Jan 4, 2010•16 citations

A Complexity Trichotomy for the Six-Vertex Model.

Jin‐Yi Cai, Zhiguo Fu, Shuai Shao

We prove a complexity classification theorem that divides the six-vertex model on graphs into exactly three types. For every setting of the parameters of the model, the computation of the partition function is precisely: Either (1) solvable in polynomial time for every graph, or (2) #P-hard for general graphs but solvable in polynomial time for planar graphs, or (3) #P-hard even for planar graphs. The classification has an explicit criterion. In addition to matchgates and matchgates-transformable signatures, we discover previously unknown families of planar-tractable partition functions by a non-local connection to #CSP, defined in terms of a loop space. For the proof of #P-hardness, we introduce the use of M\obius transformations as a powerful new tool to prove that certain complexity reductions succeed in polynomial time.

•Apr 5, 2017•2 citations

Computational Complexity of Holant Problems

Jin‐Yi Cai, Pinyan Lu, Mingji Xia

We propose and explore a novel alternative framework to study the complexity of counting problems, called Holant problems. Compared to counting constraint satisfaction problems (#CSP), it is a refinement with a more explicit role for the constraint functions. Both graph homomorphism and #CSP can be viewed as special cases of Holant problems. We prove complexity dichotomy theorems in this framework. Our dichotomy theorems apply to local constraint functions, which are symmetric functions on Boolean input variables and evaluate to arbitrary real or complex values. We discover surprising tractable subclasses of counting problems, which could not easily be specified in the #CSP framework. When all unary functions are assumed to be free ($\mathrm{Holant}^*$ problems), the tractable ones consist of functions that are degenerate, or of arity at most two, or holographic transformations of Fibonacci gates. When only two special unary functions, the constant zero and constant one functions, are assumed to be free ($\mathrm{Holant}^c$ problems), we further identify three special families of tractable cases. Then we prove that all other cases are #P-hard. The main technical tool we use and develop is holographic reductions. Another technical tool used in combination with holographic reductions is polynomial interpolations.

SIAM Journal on Computing•Jan 1, 2011•64 citations

A Complete Dichotomy for Complex-Valued Holant^c

Miriam Backens

Holant problems are a family of counting problems on graphs, parametrised by sets of complex-valued functions of Boolean inputs. Holant^c denotes a subfamily of those problems, where any function set considered must contain the two unary functions pinning inputs to values 0 or 1. The complexity classification of Holant problems usually takes the form of dichotomy theorems, showing that for any set of functions in the family, the problem is either #P-hard or it can be solved in polynomial time. Previous such results include a dichotomy for real-valued Holant^c and one for Holant^c with complex symmetric functions. Here, we derive a dichotomy theorem for Holant^c with complex-valued, not necessarily symmetric functions. The tractable cases are the complex-valued generalisations of the tractable cases of the real-valued Holant^c dichotomy. The proof uses results from quantum information theory, particularly about entanglement.

arXiv:1704.05798•Leibniz international proceedings in informatics•Apr 19, 2017•3 citations
We introduce an idea called anti-gadgets in complexity reductions. These combinatorial gadgets have the effect of erasing the presence of some other graph fragment, as if we had managed to include a negative copy of a graph gadget. We use this idea to prove a complexity dichotomy theorem for the partition function Z(G)Z(G)Z(G) on 3-regular directed graphs GGG, where each edge is given a complex-valued binary function f:{0,1}2→Cf: \{0,1\}^2 \rightarrow \mathbb{C}f:{0,1}2→C. We show that [Z(G) = \sum_{σ: V(G) \to {0,1}} \prod_{(u,v) \in E(G)} f(σ(u), σ(v)),] is either computable in polynomial time or #P-hard, depending explicitly on fff.
We introduce an idea called anti-gadgets for reductions in complexity theory. These anti-gadgets are presented as graph fragments, but their effect is equivalent to erasing the presence of other graph fragments, as if we had managed to include a negative copy of a certain graph gadget. We use this idea to prove a complexity dichotomy theorem for the partition function Z ( G ) of spin systems over 3-regular directed graphs G , Z ( G ) = ∑ σ : V ( G ) → { 0,1} ∏ ( u , v ) ∈ E ( G ) f (σ ( u ), σ ( v )), where each edge is given a (not necessarily symmetric) complex-valued binary function f : { 0,1} 2 → C. We show that Z ( G ) is either computable in polynomial time or #P-hard, depending explicitly on f . When the input graph G is planar, there is an additional class of polynomial time computable partition functions Z ( G ), while everything else remains #P-hard. Furthermore, this additional class is precisely those that can be transformed by a holographic reduction to matchgates, followed by the Fisher-Kasteleyn-Temperley algorithm via Pfaffians.
We prove a complexity dichotomy theorem for Holant Problems on 3-regular graphs with an arbitrary complex-valued edge function. Three new techniques are introduced: (1) higher dimensional iterations in interpolation; (2) Eigenvalue Shifted Pairs, which allow us to prove that a pair of combinatorial gadgets in combination succeed in proving #P-hardness; and (3) algebraic symmetrization, which significantly lowers the symbolic complexity of the proof for computational complexity. With holographic reductions the classification theorem also applies to problems beyond the basic model.
We prove a complexity classification theorem that divides the six-vertex model on graphs into exactly three types. For every setting of the parameters of the model, the computation of the partition function is precisely: Either (1) solvable in polynomial time for every graph, or (2) #P-hard for general graphs but solvable in polynomial time for planar graphs, or (3) #P-hard even for planar graphs. The classification has an explicit criterion. In addition to matchgates and matchgates-transformable signatures, we discover previously unknown families of planar-tractable partition functions by a non-local connection to #CSP, defined in terms of a loop space. For the proof of #P-hardness, we introduce the use of M\obius transformations as a powerful new tool to prove that certain complexity reductions succeed in polynomial time.
We propose and explore a novel alternative framework to study the complexity of counting problems, called Holant problems. Compared to counting constraint satisfaction problems (#CSP), it is a refinement with a more explicit role for the constraint functions. Both graph homomorphism and #CSP can be viewed as special cases of Holant problems. We prove complexity dichotomy theorems in this framework. Our dichotomy theorems apply to local constraint functions, which are symmetric functions on Boolean input variables and evaluate to arbitrary real or complex values. We discover surprising tractable subclasses of counting problems, which could not easily be specified in the #CSP framework. When all unary functions are assumed to be free (Holant∗\mathrm{Holant}^*Holant∗ problems), the tractable ones consist of functions that are degenerate, or of arity at most two, or holographic transformations of Fibonacci gates. When only two special unary functions, the constant zero and constant one functions, are assumed to be free (Holantc\mathrm{Holant}^cHolantc problems), we further identify three special families of tractable cases. Then we prove that all other cases are #P-hard. The main technical tool we use and develop is holographic reductions. Another technical tool used in combination with holographic reductions is polynomial interpolations.
Holant problems are a family of counting problems on graphs, parametrised by sets of complex-valued functions of Boolean inputs. Holant^c denotes a subfamily of those problems, where any function set considered must contain the two unary functions pinning inputs to values 0 or 1. The complexity classification of Holant problems usually takes the form of dichotomy theorems, showing that for any set of functions in the family, the problem is either #P-hard or it can be solved in polynomial time. Previous such results include a dichotomy for real-valued Holant^c and one for Holant^c with complex symmetric functions. Here, we derive a dichotomy theorem for Holant^c with complex-valued, not necessarily symmetric functions. The tractable cases are the complex-valued generalisations of the tractable cases of the real-valued Holant^c dichotomy. The proof uses results from quantum information theory, particularly about entanglement.