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arXiv:2301.09218

An Exponential Separation Between Quantum Query Complexity and the Polynomial Degree

Andris Ambainis, Aleksandrs Belovs

Published Jan 22, 2023• 0 citations
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Abstract

While it is known that there is at most a polynomial separation between quantum query complexity and the polynomial degree for total functions, the precise relationship between the two is not clear for partial functions. In this paper, we demonstrate an exponential separation between exact polynomial degree and approximate quantum query complexity for a partial Boolean function. For an unbounded alphabet size, we have a constant versus polynomial separation.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2301.09218

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While it is known that there is at most a polynomial separation between quantum query complexity and the polynomial degree for total functions, the precise relationship between the two is not clear for partial functions. In this paper, we demonstrate an exponential separation between exact polynomial degree and approximate quantum query complexity for a partial Boolean function. For an unbounded alphabet size, we have a constant versus polynomial separation.
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Early in 1992, Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm computed a symmetric partial Boolean function with a single quantum query, and thus achieved the best separation between classical deterministic and exact quantum query complexity. Recently, it was clarified that all symmetric partial Boolean functions with a single quantum query can be computed exactly by Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm. For the general partial Boolean functions with a single quantum query, the latest characterizations is complex and not very satisfactory. Based on this, this paper proves and discovers three new results: (1) Under a new equivalence, each partial Boolean function with a single quantum query can be transformed to a simple partial Boolean function whose polynomial degree is just one; (2) For partial Boolean functions up to four bits, there are only 10 non-trivial partial Boolean functions with a single quantum query; (3) For each quantum 1-query algorithm with undefined measurement, there exists a constructive method for finding out all partial Boolean functions that can be computed exactly by the algorithm.
One of the main reasons for query model's prominence in quantum complexity is the presence of concrete lower bounding techniques: polynomial method and adversary method. There have been considerable efforts to not just give lower bounds using these methods but even to compare and relate them. We explore the value of these bounds on quantum query complexity for the class of symmetric functions, arguably one of the most natural and basic set of Boolean functions. We show (using the recently introduced spectral sensitivity) that both these bounds (positive adversary and approximate degree) give the same value for every total symmetric Boolean function. We also look at the quantum query complexity of Gap Majority, a partial symmetric function. It has gained importance recently in regard to understanding the composition of randomized query complexity. We characterize the quantum query complexity of Gap Majority and show a lower bound on noisy randomized query complexity (Ben-David and Blais, FOCS 2020) in terms of quantum query complexity. In addition, we study how large certificate complexity and block sensitivity can be as compared to sensitivity (even up to constant factors) for symmetric functions. We show tight separations, i.e., give upper bound on possible separations and construct functions achieving the same.
It is well known that quantum, randomized and deterministic (sequential) query complexities are polynomially related for total boolean functions. We find that significantly larger separations between the parallel generalizations of these measures are possible. In particular, 1) We employ the cheatsheet framework to obtain an unbounded parallel quantum query advantage over its randomized analogue for a total function, falsifying a conjecture of [https://arxiv.org/abs/1309.6116]. 2) We strengthen 1 by constructing a total function which exhibits an unbounded parallel quantum query advantage despite having no sequential advantage, suggesting that genuine quantum advantage could occur entirely due to parallelism. 3) We construct a total function that exhibits a polynomial separation between 2-round quantum and randomized query complexities, contrasting a result of [https://arxiv.org/abs/1001.0018] that there is at most a constant separation for 1-round (nonadaptive) algorithms. 4) We develop a new technique for deriving parallel quantum lower bounds from sequential upper bounds. We employ this technique to give lower bounds for Boolean symmetric functions and read-once formulas, ruling out large parallel query advantages for them. We also provide separations between randomized and deterministic parallel query complexities analogous to items 1-3.
It is well known that quantum, randomized and deterministic (sequential) query complexities are polynomially related for total boolean functions. We find that significantly larger separations between the parallel generalizations of these measures are possible. In particular, 1) We employ the cheatsheet framework to obtain an unbounded parallel quantum query advantage over its randomized analogue for a total function, falsifying a conjecture of [https://arxiv.org/abs/1309.6116]. 2) We strengthen 1 by constructing a total function which exhibits an unbounded parallel quantum query advantage despite having no sequential advantage, suggesting that genuine quantum advantage could occur entirely due to parallelism. 3) We construct a total function that exhibits a polynomial separation between 2-round quantum and randomized query complexities, contrasting a result of [https://arxiv.org/abs/1001.0018] that there is at most a constant separation for 1-round (nonadaptive) algorithms. 4) We develop a new technique for deriving parallel quantum lower bounds from sequential upper bounds. We employ this technique to give lower bounds for Boolean symmetric functions and read-once formulas, ruling out large parallel query advantages for them. We also provide separations between randomized and deterministic parallel query complexities analogous to items 1-3.