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:2101.04273 · Physical Review Research

Expressivity of quantum neural networks

Yadong Wu, Juan Yao, Pengfei Zhang, Hui Zhai

Published Aug 23, 2021• 49 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

In this work, we address the question whether a sufficiently deep quantum neural network can approximate a target function as accurate as possible. We start with simple but typical physical situations that the target functions are physical observables, and then we extend our discussion to situations that the learning targets are not directly physical observables, but can be expressed as physical observables in an enlarged Hilbert space with multiple replicas, such as the Loshimidt echo and the Renyi entropy. The main finding is that an accurate approximation is possible only when the input wave functions in the dataset do not exhaust the entire Hilbert space that the quantum circuit acts on, and more precisely, the Hilbert space dimension of the former has to be less than half of the Hilbert space dimension of the latter. In some cases, this requirement can be satisfied automatically because of the intrinsic properties of the dataset, for instance, when the input wave function has to be symmetric between different replicas. And if this requirement cannot be satisfied by the dataset, we show that the expressivity capabilities can be restored by adding one ancillary qubit where the wave function is always fixed at input. Our studies point toward establishing a quantum neural network analogy of the universal approximation theorem that lays the foundation for expressivity of classical neural networks.

DOI
10.1103/physrevresearch.3.l032049

Related papers

Randomness-Enhanced Expressivity of Quantum Neural Networks

Yadong Wu, Juan Yao, Pengfei Zhang +1 more

As a hybrid of artificial intelligence and quantum computing, quantum neural networks (QNNs) have gained significant attention as a promising application on near-term, noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices. Conventional QNNs are described by parametrized quantum circuits, which perform unitary operations and measurements on quantum states. In this Letter, we propose a novel approach to enhance the expressivity of QNNs by incorporating randomness into quantum circuits. Specifically, we introduce a random layer, which contains single-qubit gates sampled from a trainable ensemble pooling. The prediction of QNN is then represented by an ensemble average over a classical function of measurement outcomes. We prove that our approach can accurately approximate arbitrary target operators using Uhlmann's theorem for majorization, which enables observable learning. Our proposal is demonstrated with extensive numerical experiments, including observable learning, Rényi entropy measurement, and image recognition. We find the expressivity of QNNs is enhanced by introducing randomness for multiple learning tasks, which could have broad application in quantum machine learning.

arXiv:2308.04740•Physical Review Letters•Jan 5, 2024•16 citations

The expressivity of classical and quantum neural networks on entanglement entropy

Chih-Hung Wu, Ching-Che Yen

Abstract Analytically continuing the von Neumann entropy from Rényi entropies is a challenging task in quantum field theory. While the n -th Rényi entropy can be computed using the replica method in the path integral representation of quantum field theory, the analytic continuation can only be achieved for some simple systems on a case-by-case basis. In this work, we propose a general framework to tackle this problem using classical and quantum neural networks with supervised learning. We begin by studying several examples with known von Neumann entropy, where the input data is generated by representing $${\text {Tr}}\rho _A^n$$ Tr ρ A n with a generating function. We adopt KerasTuner to determine the optimal network architecture and hyperparameters with limited data. In addition, we frame a similar problem in terms of quantum machine learning models, where the expressivity of the quantum models for the entanglement entropy as a partial Fourier series is established. Our proposed methods can accurately predict the von Neumann and Rényi entropies numerically, highlighting the potential of deep learning techniques for solving problems in quantum information theory.

arXiv:2305.00997•The European Physical Journal C•Feb 26, 2024•4 citations

Universal Approximation Theorem and Error Bounds for Quantum Neural Networks and Quantum Reservoirs

Lukas Gonon, Antoine Jacquier

Universal approximation theorems are the foundations of classical neural networks, providing theoretical guarantees that the latter are able to approximate maps of interest. Recent results have shown that this can also be achieved in a quantum setting, whereby classical functions can be approximated by parameterized quantum circuits. We provide here precise error bounds for specific classes of functions and extend these results to the interesting new setup of randomized quantum circuits, mimicking classical reservoir neural networks. Our results show in particular that a quantum neural network with ${\mathcal {O}}(\varepsilon ^{-2})$ weights and ${\mathcal {O}} (\lceil \log _{2}(\varepsilon ^{-1})\rceil)$ qubits suffices to achieve approximation error $\varepsilon \gt 0$ when approximating functions with integrable Fourier transforms.

arXiv:2307.12904•IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems•Apr 9, 2025•9 citations

Power and Limitations of Single-Qubit Native Quantum Neural Networks

Zhan Yu, Hongshun Yao, Mujin Li +1 more

Quantum neural networks (QNNs) have emerged as a leading strategy to establish applications in machine learning, chemistry, and optimization. While the applications of QNN have been widely investigated, its theoretical foundation remains less understood. In this paper, we formulate a theoretical framework for the expressive ability of data re-uploading quantum neural networks that consist of interleaved encoding circuit blocks and trainable circuit blocks. First, we prove that single-qubit quantum neural networks can approximate any univariate function by mapping the model to a partial Fourier series. We in particular establish the exact correlations between the parameters of the trainable gates and the Fourier coefficients, resolving an open problem on the universal approximation property of QNN. Second, we discuss the limitations of single-qubit native QNNs on approximating multivariate functions by analyzing the frequency spectrum and the flexibility of Fourier coefficients. We further demonstrate the expressivity and limitations of single-qubit native QNNs via numerical experiments. We believe these results would improve our understanding of QNNs and provide a helpful guideline for designing powerful QNNs for machine learning tasks.

arXiv:2205.07848•neural information processing systems•Jan 1, 2022•20 citations

Expressibility-Enhancing Strategies for Quantum Neural Networks

Yalin Liao, Junpeng Zhan

Quantum neural networks (QNNs), represented by parameterized quantum circuits, can be trained in the paradigm of supervised learning to map input data to predictions. Much work has focused on theoretically analyzing the expressive power of QNNs. However, in almost all literature, QNNs' expressive power is numerically validated using only simple univariate functions. We surprisingly discover that state-of-the-art QNNs with strong expressive power can have poor performance in approximating even just a simple sinusoidal function. To fill the gap, we propose four expressibility-enhancing strategies for QNNs: Sinusoidal-friendly embedding, redundant measurement, post-measurement function, and random training data. We analyze the effectiveness of these strategies via mathematical analysis and/or numerical studies including learning complex sinusoidal-based functions. Our results from comparative experiments validate that the four strategies can significantly increase the QNNs' performance in approximating complex multivariable functions and reduce the quantum circuit depth and qubits required.

arXiv:2211.12670•Nov 23, 2022•3 citations

Non-asymptotic Approximation Error Bounds of Parameterized Quantum Circuits

Zhan Yu, Qiuhao Chen, Yuling Jiao +4 more

Parameterized quantum circuits (PQCs) have emerged as a promising approach for quantum neural networks. However, understanding their expressive power in accomplishing machine learning tasks remains a crucial question. This paper investigates the expressivity of PQCs for approximating general multivariate function classes. Unlike previous Universal Approximation Theorems for PQCs, which are either nonconstructive or rely on parameterized classical data processing, we explicitly construct data re-uploading PQCs for approximating multivariate polynomials and smooth functions. We establish the first non-asymptotic approximation error bounds for these functions in terms of the number of qubits, quantum circuit depth, and number of trainable parameters. Notably, we demonstrate that for approximating functions that satisfy specific smoothness criteria, the quantum circuit size and number of trainable parameters of our proposed PQCs can be smaller than those of deep ReLU neural networks. We further validate the approximation capability of PQCs through numerical experiments. Our results provide a theoretical foundation for designing practical PQCs and quantum neural networks for machine learning tasks that can be implemented on near-term quantum devices, paving the way for the advancement of quantum machine learning.

arXiv:2310.07528•neural information processing systems•Jan 1, 2024•4 citations
In this work, we address the question whether a sufficiently deep quantum neural network can approximate a target function as accurate as possible. We start with simple but typical physical situations that the target functions are physical observables, and then we extend our discussion to situations that the learning targets are not directly physical observables, but can be expressed as physical observables in an enlarged Hilbert space with multiple replicas, such as the Loshimidt echo and the Renyi entropy. The main finding is that an accurate approximation is possible only when the input wave functions in the dataset do not exhaust the entire Hilbert space that the quantum circuit acts on, and more precisely, the Hilbert space dimension of the former has to be less than half of the Hilbert space dimension of the latter. In some cases, this requirement can be satisfied automatically because of the intrinsic properties of the dataset, for instance, when the input wave function has to be symmetric between different replicas. And if this requirement cannot be satisfied by the dataset, we show that the expressivity capabilities can be restored by adding one ancillary qubit where the wave function is always fixed at input. Our studies point toward establishing a quantum neural network analogy of the universal approximation theorem that lays the foundation for expressivity of classical neural networks.
As a hybrid of artificial intelligence and quantum computing, quantum neural networks (QNNs) have gained significant attention as a promising application on near-term, noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices. Conventional QNNs are described by parametrized quantum circuits, which perform unitary operations and measurements on quantum states. In this Letter, we propose a novel approach to enhance the expressivity of QNNs by incorporating randomness into quantum circuits. Specifically, we introduce a random layer, which contains single-qubit gates sampled from a trainable ensemble pooling. The prediction of QNN is then represented by an ensemble average over a classical function of measurement outcomes. We prove that our approach can accurately approximate arbitrary target operators using Uhlmann's theorem for majorization, which enables observable learning. Our proposal is demonstrated with extensive numerical experiments, including observable learning, Rényi entropy measurement, and image recognition. We find the expressivity of QNNs is enhanced by introducing randomness for multiple learning tasks, which could have broad application in quantum machine learning.
Abstract Analytically continuing the von Neumann entropy from Rényi entropies is a challenging task in quantum field theory. While the n -th Rényi entropy can be computed using the replica method in the path integral representation of quantum field theory, the analytic continuation can only be achieved for some simple systems on a case-by-case basis. In this work, we propose a general framework to tackle this problem using classical and quantum neural networks with supervised learning. We begin by studying several examples with known von Neumann entropy, where the input data is generated by representing TrρAn{\text {Tr}}\rho _A^nTrρAn​ Tr ρ A n with a generating function. We adopt KerasTuner to determine the optimal network architecture and hyperparameters with limited data. In addition, we frame a similar problem in terms of quantum machine learning models, where the expressivity of the quantum models for the entanglement entropy as a partial Fourier series is established. Our proposed methods can accurately predict the von Neumann and Rényi entropies numerically, highlighting the potential of deep learning techniques for solving problems in quantum information theory.
Universal approximation theorems are the foundations of classical neural networks, providing theoretical guarantees that the latter are able to approximate maps of interest. Recent results have shown that this can also be achieved in a quantum setting, whereby classical functions can be approximated by parameterized quantum circuits. We provide here precise error bounds for specific classes of functions and extend these results to the interesting new setup of randomized quantum circuits, mimicking classical reservoir neural networks. Our results show in particular that a quantum neural network with O(ε−2){\mathcal {O}}(\varepsilon ^{-2})O(ε−2) weights and O(⌈log⁡2(ε−1)⌉){\mathcal {O}} (\lceil \log _{2}(\varepsilon ^{-1})\rceil)O(⌈log2​(ε−1)⌉) qubits suffices to achieve approximation error ε>0\varepsilon \gt 0ε>0 when approximating functions with integrable Fourier transforms.
Quantum neural networks (QNNs) have emerged as a leading strategy to establish applications in machine learning, chemistry, and optimization. While the applications of QNN have been widely investigated, its theoretical foundation remains less understood. In this paper, we formulate a theoretical framework for the expressive ability of data re-uploading quantum neural networks that consist of interleaved encoding circuit blocks and trainable circuit blocks. First, we prove that single-qubit quantum neural networks can approximate any univariate function by mapping the model to a partial Fourier series. We in particular establish the exact correlations between the parameters of the trainable gates and the Fourier coefficients, resolving an open problem on the universal approximation property of QNN. Second, we discuss the limitations of single-qubit native QNNs on approximating multivariate functions by analyzing the frequency spectrum and the flexibility of Fourier coefficients. We further demonstrate the expressivity and limitations of single-qubit native QNNs via numerical experiments. We believe these results would improve our understanding of QNNs and provide a helpful guideline for designing powerful QNNs for machine learning tasks.
Quantum neural networks (QNNs), represented by parameterized quantum circuits, can be trained in the paradigm of supervised learning to map input data to predictions. Much work has focused on theoretically analyzing the expressive power of QNNs. However, in almost all literature, QNNs' expressive power is numerically validated using only simple univariate functions. We surprisingly discover that state-of-the-art QNNs with strong expressive power can have poor performance in approximating even just a simple sinusoidal function. To fill the gap, we propose four expressibility-enhancing strategies for QNNs: Sinusoidal-friendly embedding, redundant measurement, post-measurement function, and random training data. We analyze the effectiveness of these strategies via mathematical analysis and/or numerical studies including learning complex sinusoidal-based functions. Our results from comparative experiments validate that the four strategies can significantly increase the QNNs' performance in approximating complex multivariable functions and reduce the quantum circuit depth and qubits required.
Parameterized quantum circuits (PQCs) have emerged as a promising approach for quantum neural networks. However, understanding their expressive power in accomplishing machine learning tasks remains a crucial question. This paper investigates the expressivity of PQCs for approximating general multivariate function classes. Unlike previous Universal Approximation Theorems for PQCs, which are either nonconstructive or rely on parameterized classical data processing, we explicitly construct data re-uploading PQCs for approximating multivariate polynomials and smooth functions. We establish the first non-asymptotic approximation error bounds for these functions in terms of the number of qubits, quantum circuit depth, and number of trainable parameters. Notably, we demonstrate that for approximating functions that satisfy specific smoothness criteria, the quantum circuit size and number of trainable parameters of our proposed PQCs can be smaller than those of deep ReLU neural networks. We further validate the approximation capability of PQCs through numerical experiments. Our results provide a theoretical foundation for designing practical PQCs and quantum neural networks for machine learning tasks that can be implemented on near-term quantum devices, paving the way for the advancement of quantum machine learning.