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arXiv:2208.11762

Braids, Motions and Topological Quantum Computing

Eric C. Rowell

Published Aug 24, 2022• 1 citation
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The topological model for quantum computation is an inherently fault-tolerant model built on anyons in topological phases of matter. A key role is played by the braid group, and in this survey we focus on a selection of ways that the mathematical study of braids is crucial for the theory. We provide some brief historical context as well, emphasizing ways that braiding appears in physical contexts. We also briefly discuss the 3-dimensional generalization of braiding: motions of knots.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2208.11762

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The topological model for quantum computation is an inherently fault-tolerant model built on anyons in topological phases of matter. A key role is played by the braid group, and in this survey we focus on a selection of ways that the mathematical study of braids is crucial for the theory. We provide some brief historical context as well, emphasizing ways that braiding appears in physical contexts. We also briefly discuss the 3-dimensional generalization of braiding: motions of knots.
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Topological quantum computers promise a fault tolerant means to perform quantum computation. Topological quantum computers use particles with exotic exchange statistics called non-Abelian anyons, and the simplest anyon model which allows for universal quantum computation by particle exchange or braiding alone is the Fibonacci anyon model. One classically hard problem that can be solved efficiently using quantum computation is finding the value of the Jones polynomial of knots at roots of unity. We aim to provide a pedagogical, self-contained, review of topological quantum computation with Fibonacci anyons, from the braiding statistics and matrices to the layout of such a computer and the compiling of braids to perform specific operations. Then we use a simulation of a topological quantum computer to explicitly demonstrate a quantum computation using Fibonacci anyons, evaluating the Jones polynomial of a selection of simple knots.
I will discuss the revolutionary new concept of topological quantum computation, which is fault-tolerant at the hardware level with no need, in principle, of any quantum error correction protocols. Errors simply do not occur since the physical qubits and the computation steps are protected against decoherence by non-local topological correlations in the underlying physical system. The key idea is non-Abelian statistics of the quasiparticles (called 'anyons' as opposed to fermions or bosons), where the space-time braiding of the anyons around each other, i.e. quantum 'knots', form topologically protected quantum gate operations. I will describe in detail the theoretical principles guiding the experimental search for the appropriate topological phases of matter where such non-Abelian anyons, which are low-dimensional solid state versions of the elusive and exotic Majorana fermions hypothesized seventy-five years ago, may exist. I will critically discuss the recent experimental claims of observing the Majorana modes in semiconductor nanowire structures following earlier theoretical proposals, outlining the future developments which would be necessary to eventually build a topological quantum computer.
Abstract Topological quantum computers promise a fault tolerant means to perform quantum computation. Topological quantum computers use particles with exotic exchange statistics called non-Abelian anyons, and the simplest anyon model which allows for universal quantum computation by particle exchange or braiding alone is the Fibonacci anyon model. One classically hard problem that can be solved efficiently using quantum computation is finding the value of the Jones polynomial of knots at roots of unity. We aim to provide a pedagogical, self-contained, review of topological quantum computation with Fibonacci anyons, from the braiding statistics and matrices to the layout of such a computer and the compiling of braids to perform specific operations. Then we use a simulation of a topological quantum computer to explicitly demonstrate a quantum computation using Fibonacci anyons, evaluating the Jones polynomial of a selection of simple knots. In addition to simulating a modular circuit-style quantum algorithm, we also show how the magnitude of the Jones polynomial at specific points could be obtained exactly using Fibonacci or Ising anyons. Such an exact algorithm seems ideally suited for a proof of concept demonstration of a topological quantum computer.
In this paper, we will present some ideas to use 3D topology for quantum computing. Topological quantum computing in the usual sense works with an encoding of information as knotted quantum states of topological phases of matter, thus being locked into topology to prevent decay. Today, the basic structure is a 2D system to realize anyons with braiding operations. From the topological point of view, we have to deal with surface topology. However, usual materials are 3D objects. Possible topologies for these objects can be more complex than surfaces. From the topological point of view, Thurston’s geometrization theorem gives the main description of 3-dimensional manifolds. Here, complements of knots do play a prominent role and are in principle the main parts to understand 3-manifold topology. For that purpose, we will construct a quantum system on the complements of a knot in the 3-sphere. The whole system depends strongly on the topology of this complement, which is determined by non-contractible, closed curves. Every curve gives a contribution to the quantum states by a phase (Berry phase). Therefore, the quantum states can be manipulated by using the knot group (fundamental group of the knot complement). The universality of these operations was already showed by M. Planat et al.
Topological quantum computation aims to encode quantum information in the nonlocal degrees of freedom of non-Abelian anyons and manipulate it through braiding and fusion operations, offering a promising pathway to fault-tolerant quantum computation. Non-Abelian anyons, with their nontrivial braiding statistics and intrinsic topological fault tolerance, are regarded as a key building block for realizing scalable and decoherence-resistant quantum computing. This review systematically surveys the key developments in anyon physics over the past four decades, from the early theoretical prediction of fractional statistics to direct experimental verification of anyon braiding in fractional quantum Hall states. The physical principles and key findings of essential experimental schemes, including Fabry-Pérot interferometers, Mach-Zehnder interferometers, and anyon colliders, are comprehensively covered. Based on these foundations, the characterization of topological order in even-denominator fractional quantum Hall states, exemplified by the ν=5/2 state, and transport and interferometric probes of non-Abelian statistics are discussed in detail. Furthermore, recent advances in topological quantum states in novel material platforms, including graphene and twisted transition metal dichalcogenides, are reviewed, together with artificial quantum platforms that simulate non-Abelian braiding using superconducting quantum processors. Finally, the key challenges and future directions on the path from anyon physics to scalable topological quantum computing prototype devices are outlined.