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IEEE Conference on Computational Complexity (CCC)

QMA/qpoly \subseteq PSPACE/poly: De-Merlinizing Quantum Protocols

Scott Aaronson

Published Aug 8, 2006• 18 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This paper introduces a new technique for removing existential quantifiers over quantum states. Using this technique, we show that there is no way to pack an exponential number of bits into a polynomial-size quantum state, in such a way that the value of any one of those bits can later be proven with the help of a polynomial-size quantum witness. We also show that any problem in QMA with polynomial-size quantum advice, is also in PSPACE with polynomial-size classical advice. This builds on our earlier result that BQP/qpoly sube PP/poly, and offers an intriguing counterpoint to the recent discovery of Raz that QIP/qpoly = ALL. Finally, we show that QCMA/qpoly sube PP/poly and that QMA/rpoly = QMA/poly

DOI
10.1109/ccc.2006.36

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QMA/qpoly ⊆ PSPACE/poly: De-Merlinizing Quantum Protocols

Scott Aaronson

This paper introduces a new technique for removing existential quantifiers over quantum states. Using this technique, we show that there is no way to pack an exponential number of bits into a polynomial-size quantum state, in such a way that the value of any one of those bits can later be proven with the help of a polynomial-size quantum witness. We also show that any problem in QMA with polynomial-size quantum advice, is also in PSPACE with polynomial-size classical advice. This builds on our earlier result that BQP/qpoly ⊆ PP/poly, and offers an intriguing counterpoint to the recent discovery of Raz that QIP/qpoly = ALL. Finally, we show that QCMA/qpoly ⊆ PP/poly and that QMA/rpoly = QMA/poly. 1

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This paper introduces a new technique for removing existential quantifiers over quantum states. Using this technique, we show that there is no way to pack an exponential number of bits into a polynomial-size quantum state, in such a way that the value of any one of those bits can later be proven with the help of a polynomial-size quantum witness. We also show that any problem in QMA with polynomial-size quantum advice, is also in PSPACE with polynomial-size classical advice. This builds on our earlier result that BQP/qpoly is contained in PP/poly, and offers an intriguing counterpoint to the recent discovery of Raz that QIP/qpoly = ALL. Finally, we show that QCMA/qpoly is contained in PP/poly and that QMA/rpoly = QMA/poly.

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A full characterization of quantum advice

Scott Aaronson, Andrew Drucker

We prove the following surprising result: given any quantum state rho on n qubits, there exists a local Hamiltonian H on poly(n) qubits (e.g., a sum of two-qubit interactions), such that any ground state of H can be used to simulate rho on all quantum circuits of fixed polynomial size. In terms of complexity classes, this implies that BQP/qpoly is contained in QMA/poly, which supersedes the previous result of Aaronson that BQP/qpoly is contained in PP/poly. Indeed, we can exactly characterize quantum advice, as equivalent in power to untrusted quantum advice combined with trusted classical advice.

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Quantum Information and the PCP Theorem

Ran Raz

Our main result is that the membership x ∈ SAT (for x of length n) can be proved by a logarithmic-size quantum state |Ψ〉, together with a polynomial-size classical proof consisting of blocks of length polylog(n) bits each, such that after measuring the state |Ψ 〉 the verifier only needs to read one block of the classical proof. This shows that if a short quantum witness is available then a (classical) PCP with only one query is possible. Our second result is that the class QIP/qpoly contains all languages. That is, for any language L (even non-recursive), the membership x ∈ L (for x of length n) can be proved by a polynomial-size quantum interactive proof, where the verifier is a polynomial-size quantum circuit with working space initiated with some quantum state |ΨL,n 〉 (depending only on L and n). Moreover, the interactive proof that we give is of only one round, and the messages communicated are classical. The advice |ΨL,n 〉 given to the verifier can also be replaced by a classical probabilistic advice, as long as this advice is kept as a secret from the prover. Our result can hence be interpreted as: the class IP/rpoly contains all languages. For the proof of the second result, we introduce the quantum low-degree-extension of a string of bits. The main result requires an additional machinery of quantum lowdegree-test.

•Apr 10, 2005•0 citations

Quantum Information and the PCP Theorem

Ran Raz

Our main result is that the membership x /spl epsi/ SAT (for x of length n) can be proved by a logarithmic-size quantum state |/spl Psi/>, together with a polynomial-size classical proof consisting of blocks of length polylog(n) bits each, such that after measuring the state |/spl Psi/> the verifier only needs to read one block of the classical proof. This shows that if a short quantum witness is available then a (classical) PCP with only one query is possible. Our second result is that the class QIP/qpoly contains all languages. That is, for any language L (even non-recursive), the membership x /spl epsi/ L (for x of length n) can be proved by a polynomial-size quantum interactive proof, where the verifier is a polynomial-size quantum circuit with working space initiated with some quantum state |/spl Psi//sub L,n/> (depending only on L and n). Moreover, the interactive proof that we give is of only one round, and the messages communicated are classical. The advice |/spl Psi//sub L,n/> given to the verifier can also be replaced by a classical probabilistic advice, as long as this advice is kept as a secret from the proven Our result can hence be interpreted as: the class IP/rpoly contains all languages. For the proof of the second result, we introduce the quantum low-degree-extension of a string of bits. The main result requires an additional machinery of quantum low-degree-test.

Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science•Nov 15, 2005•22 citations

No Size-Preserving Amplification with Quantum Advice

Shih-Han Hung, Han-Hsuan Lin

Marriott and Watrous showed that quantum Merlin--Arthur games admit generic error reduction without increasing witness size [Computational Complexity, 2005]. In this work, we show that this state-size-preserving amplification property does not hold for polynomial-time quantum computation with quantum advice. In particular, we present decision problems for which even a vanishing additive error reduction requires longer advice. More precisely, for every polynomially bounded advice length $m(n)=ω(1)$ and every error bound $\varepsilon(n)$ that stays below $1/2$ by at least an inverse polynomial, there is a positive function $δ$ with $δ(n)=O\bigl(\min\{(\log m/m)^{1/4},\ \sqrt{\log m/m}\,/(1/2-\varepsilon(n))\}\bigr)$ such that $\mathsf{BQP}_{\varepsilon}/\mathsf{q}m \subsetneq \mathsf{BQP}_{\varepsilon + δ}/\mathsf{q}m$; for constant $\varepsilon$ the gap is $O(\sqrt{\log m/m})$. Here, $\mathsf{BQP}_\varepsilon/\mathsf{q}m$ is the class of languages recognizable with error at most $\varepsilon(n)$ by a polynomial-time quantum algorithm with an $m(n)$-qubit advice state that only depends on the input length $n$. We show this by proving a stronger separation $\mathsf{P}_{\varepsilon+δ}/\mathsf{r} m \not\subset \mathsf{BQP}_{\varepsilon}/\mathsf{q} m$, where $\mathsf{P}_{\varepsilon}/\mathsf{r}m$ is the class of languages recognizable with error at most $\varepsilon(n)$ by a deterministic polynomial-time algorithm with an $m(n)$-bit advice string sampled from a distribution that depends only on $n$.

quant-pharXiv:2610.03377•Oct 5, 2026•0 citations
This paper introduces a new technique for removing existential quantifiers over quantum states. Using this technique, we show that there is no way to pack an exponential number of bits into a polynomial-size quantum state, in such a way that the value of any one of those bits can later be proven with the help of a polynomial-size quantum witness. We also show that any problem in QMA with polynomial-size quantum advice, is also in PSPACE with polynomial-size classical advice. This builds on our earlier result that BQP/qpoly sube PP/poly, and offers an intriguing counterpoint to the recent discovery of Raz that QIP/qpoly = ALL. Finally, we show that QCMA/qpoly sube PP/poly and that QMA/rpoly = QMA/poly
This paper introduces a new technique for removing existential quantifiers over quantum states. Using this technique, we show that there is no way to pack an exponential number of bits into a polynomial-size quantum state, in such a way that the value of any one of those bits can later be proven with the help of a polynomial-size quantum witness. We also show that any problem in QMA with polynomial-size quantum advice, is also in PSPACE with polynomial-size classical advice. This builds on our earlier result that BQP/qpoly ⊆ PP/poly, and offers an intriguing counterpoint to the recent discovery of Raz that QIP/qpoly = ALL. Finally, we show that QCMA/qpoly ⊆ PP/poly and that QMA/rpoly = QMA/poly. 1
This paper introduces a new technique for removing existential quantifiers over quantum states. Using this technique, we show that there is no way to pack an exponential number of bits into a polynomial-size quantum state, in such a way that the value of any one of those bits can later be proven with the help of a polynomial-size quantum witness. We also show that any problem in QMA with polynomial-size quantum advice, is also in PSPACE with polynomial-size classical advice. This builds on our earlier result that BQP/qpoly is contained in PP/poly, and offers an intriguing counterpoint to the recent discovery of Raz that QIP/qpoly = ALL. Finally, we show that QCMA/qpoly is contained in PP/poly and that QMA/rpoly = QMA/poly.
We prove the following surprising result: given any quantum state rho on n qubits, there exists a local Hamiltonian H on poly(n) qubits (e.g., a sum of two-qubit interactions), such that any ground state of H can be used to simulate rho on all quantum circuits of fixed polynomial size. In terms of complexity classes, this implies that BQP/qpoly is contained in QMA/poly, which supersedes the previous result of Aaronson that BQP/qpoly is contained in PP/poly. Indeed, we can exactly characterize quantum advice, as equivalent in power to untrusted quantum advice combined with trusted classical advice.
Our main result is that the membership x ∈ SAT (for x of length n) can be proved by a logarithmic-size quantum state |Ψ〉, together with a polynomial-size classical proof consisting of blocks of length polylog(n) bits each, such that after measuring the state |Ψ 〉 the verifier only needs to read one block of the classical proof. This shows that if a short quantum witness is available then a (classical) PCP with only one query is possible. Our second result is that the class QIP/qpoly contains all languages. That is, for any language L (even non-recursive), the membership x ∈ L (for x of length n) can be proved by a polynomial-size quantum interactive proof, where the verifier is a polynomial-size quantum circuit with working space initiated with some quantum state |ΨL,n 〉 (depending only on L and n). Moreover, the interactive proof that we give is of only one round, and the messages communicated are classical. The advice |ΨL,n 〉 given to the verifier can also be replaced by a classical probabilistic advice, as long as this advice is kept as a secret from the prover. Our result can hence be interpreted as: the class IP/rpoly contains all languages. For the proof of the second result, we introduce the quantum low-degree-extension of a string of bits. The main result requires an additional machinery of quantum lowdegree-test.
Our main result is that the membership x /spl epsi/ SAT (for x of length n) can be proved by a logarithmic-size quantum state |/spl Psi/>, together with a polynomial-size classical proof consisting of blocks of length polylog(n) bits each, such that after measuring the state |/spl Psi/> the verifier only needs to read one block of the classical proof. This shows that if a short quantum witness is available then a (classical) PCP with only one query is possible. Our second result is that the class QIP/qpoly contains all languages. That is, for any language L (even non-recursive), the membership x /spl epsi/ L (for x of length n) can be proved by a polynomial-size quantum interactive proof, where the verifier is a polynomial-size quantum circuit with working space initiated with some quantum state |/spl Psi//sub L,n/> (depending only on L and n). Moreover, the interactive proof that we give is of only one round, and the messages communicated are classical. The advice |/spl Psi//sub L,n/> given to the verifier can also be replaced by a classical probabilistic advice, as long as this advice is kept as a secret from the proven Our result can hence be interpreted as: the class IP/rpoly contains all languages. For the proof of the second result, we introduce the quantum low-degree-extension of a string of bits. The main result requires an additional machinery of quantum low-degree-test.
Marriott and Watrous showed that quantum Merlin--Arthur games admit generic error reduction without increasing witness size [Computational Complexity, 2005]. In this work, we show that this state-size-preserving amplification property does not hold for polynomial-time quantum computation with quantum advice. In particular, we present decision problems for which even a vanishing additive error reduction requires longer advice. More precisely, for every polynomially bounded advice length m(n)=ω(1)m(n)=ω(1)m(n)=ω(1) and every error bound ε(n)\varepsilon(n)ε(n) that stays below 1/21/21/2 by at least an inverse polynomial, there is a positive function δδδ with δ(n)=O(min⁡{(log⁡m/m)1/4, log⁡m/m /(1/2−ε(n))})δ(n)=O\bigl(\min\{(\log m/m)^{1/4},\ \sqrt{\log m/m}\,/(1/2-\varepsilon(n))\}\bigr)δ(n)=O(min{(logm/m)1/4, logm/m​/(1/2−ε(n))}) such that BQPε/qm⊊BQPε+δ/qm\mathsf{BQP}_{\varepsilon}/\mathsf{q}m \subsetneq \mathsf{BQP}_{\varepsilon + δ}/\mathsf{q}mBQPε​/qm⊊BQPε+δ​/qm; for constant ε\varepsilonε the gap is O(log⁡m/m)O(\sqrt{\log m/m})O(logm/m​). Here, BQPε/qm\mathsf{BQP}_\varepsilon/\mathsf{q}mBQPε​/qm is the class of languages recognizable with error at most ε(n)\varepsilon(n)ε(n) by a polynomial-time quantum algorithm with an m(n)m(n)m(n)-qubit advice state that only depends on the input length nnn. We show this by proving a stronger separation Pε+δ/rm⊄BQPε/qm\mathsf{P}_{\varepsilon+δ}/\mathsf{r} m \not\subset \mathsf{BQP}_{\varepsilon}/\mathsf{q} mPε+δ​/rm⊂BQPε​/qm, where Pε/rm\mathsf{P}_{\varepsilon}/\mathsf{r}mPε​/rm is the class of languages recognizable with error at most ε(n)\varepsilon(n)ε(n) by a deterministic polynomial-time algorithm with an m(n)m(n)m(n)-bit advice string sampled from a distribution that depends only on nnn.