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arXiv:2602.13686 · Discrete Mathematics

A group structure arising from Grover walks on complete graphs with self-loops and its application

Tatsuya Tsurii, Naoharu Ito

quant-phcs.DMmath-phmath.GRSubmitted Feb 14, 2026• Announced Feb 17, 2026• 0 citations
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Abstract

This paper introduces a group-theoretic framework to analyze the algebraic structure of the Grover walk on a complete graph with self-loops. We construct a group generated by the Grover matrix and a diagonal matrix whose entries are powers of a complex root of unity. We then characterize the resulting quotient group, which is defined using a subgroup formed by commutators involving these matrices. We show that this quotient group is isomorphic to a finite cyclic group whose structure depends on the parity of the number of vertices. This group-theoretic characterization reveals underlying symmetries in the time evolution of the Grover walk and provides an algebraic framework for understanding its periodic behavior.

Journal reference
Discrete Mathematics, Volume 349(7), 2026
DOI
10.1016/j.disc.2026.115036
Comments
13 pages

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This paper introduces a group-theoretic framework to analyze the algebraic structure of the Grover walk on a complete graph with self-loops. We construct a group generated by the Grover matrix and a diagonal matrix whose entries are powers of a complex root of unity. We then characterize the resulting quotient group, which is defined using a subgroup formed by commutators involving these matrices. We show that this quotient group is isomorphic to a finite cyclic group whose structure depends on the parity of the number of vertices. This group-theoretic characterization reveals underlying symmetries in the time evolution of the Grover walk and provides an algebraic framework for understanding its periodic behavior.
A discrete-time quantum walk on a graph $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ is the repeated application of a unitary evolution operator to a Hilbert space corresponding to the graph. If this unitary evolution operator has an associated group of symmetries, then for certain initial states the walk will be confined to a subspace of the original Hilbert space. Symmetries of the original graph, given by its automorphism group, can be inherited by the evolution operator. We show that a quantum walk confined to the subspace corresponding to this symmetry group can be seen as a different quantum walk on a smaller quotient graph. We give an explicit construction of the quotient graph for any subgroup HHH of the automorphism group and illustrate it with examples. The automorphisms of the quotient graph which are inherited from the original graph are the original automorphism group modulo the subgroup HHH used to construct it. The quotient graph is constructed by removing the symmetries of the subgroup HHH from the original graph. We then analyze the behavior of hitting times on quotient graphs. Hitting time is the average time it takes a walk to reach a given final vertex from a given initial vertex. It has been shown in earlier work [Phys. Rev. A 74, 042334 (2006)] that the hitting time for certain initial states of a quantum walks can be infinite, in contrast to classical random walks. We give a condition which determines whether the quotient graph has infinite hitting times given that they exist in the original graph. We apply this condition for the examples discussed and determine which quotient graphs have infinite hitting times. All known examples of quantum walks with hitting times which are short compared to classical random walks correspond to systems with quotient graphs much smaller than the original graph; we conjecture that the existence of a small quotient graph with finite hitting times is necessary for a walk to exhibit a quantum speedup.
Abstract In this paper we study a class of discrete quantum walks, known as bipartite walks. These include the well-known Grover’s walks. A discrete quantum walk is given by the powers of a unitary matrix U indexed by arcs or edges of the underlying graph. The walk is periodic if U k = I for some positive integer k. Kubota has given a characterization of periodicity of Grover’s walk when the walk is defined on a regular bipartite graph with at most five eigenvalues. We extend Kubota’s results—if a biregular graph G has eigenvalues whose squares are algebraic integers with degree at most two, we characterize periodicity of the bipartite walk over G in terms of its spectrum. We apply periodicity results of bipartite walks to get a characterization of periodicity of Grover’s walk on regular graphs.
We study the effect of magnetic vector potentials on periodic Grover walks on finite graphs. The magnetic vector potential is introduced through the framework of quantum graphs, which induces the Grover walk as a special case. We regard the magnetic vector potential as a perturbation of a periodic Grover walk and investigate the robustness of its periodicity. Our analysis reveals that the response to such perturbations depends on the spectral structure of the underlying graph. In particular, when the graph possesses at least one non-simple eigenvalue, we derive a Hermitian matrix that characterizes the robustness of its periodicity. As a consequence, for initial states orthogonal to the eigenspaces of the unperturbed Grover walk corresponding to the eigenvalues ±1\pm1±1, we show that the perturbed dynamics is asymptotically described by a continuous-time quantum walk generated by this Hermitian matrix.
Spectral characterization of the uniform theta graph Θ(t,2)Θ(t,2)Θ(t,2) and classification of 6-periodic Grover walks
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Quantum walks, the quantum counterpart of classical random walks, are extensively studied for their applications in mathematics, quantum physics, and quantum information science. This study explores the periods and absolute zeta functions of Grover walks on cycle graphs. Specifically, we investigate Grover walks with an odd number of states and determine their periods for cycles with any number of vertices greater than or equal to two. In addition, we compute the absolute zeta functions of M-type Grover walks with finite periods. These results advance the understanding of the properties of Grover walks and their connection to absolute zeta functions.
Quantum walks determined by the coin operator on graphs have been intensively studied. The typical examples of coin operator are the Grover and Fourier matrices. The periodicity of the Grover walk is well investigated. However, the corresponding result on the Fourier walk is not known. In this paper, we present a necessary condition for the Fourier walk on regular graphs to have the finite period. As an application of our result, we show that the Fourier walks do not have any finite period for some classes of regular graphs such as complete graphs, cycle graphs with selfloops, and hypercubes.