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

The computational power of the square root of NOT

Steven Vandenbrande, Raphaël Van Laer, Alexis De Vos

Published Jan 1, 2012• 4 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

The quantum gates called`square root of NOT' and `controlled square root of NOT' can be applied to synthesize circuits, many more than all classical reversible circuits, but also many less than all quantum circuits. The circuits form an infinite but discrete group, i.e. a group with a countable infinity of elements. They are represented by unitary matrices. Classifying these matrices by `level' allows a detailed quantification of the computational power of the circuits.

Related papers

The Roots of the NOT Gate

Alexis De Vos, Stijn De Baerdemacker

The quantum gates called 'k th root of NOT' and 'controlled k th root of NOT' can be applied to synthesize circuits, both classical reversible circuits and quantum circuits. Such circuits, acting on w qubits, fill a (2w-1)2-dimensional subspace of the (2w)2-dimensional space U(2w) of the 2w× 2wunitary matrices and thus describe computers situated between classical reversible computers and full quantum computers.

IEEE International Symposium on Multiple-Valued Logic (ISMVL)•May 1, 2012•5 citations

The NEGATOR as a Basic Building Block for Quantum Circuits

Alexis De Vos, Stijn De Baerdemacker

Between (classical) reversible computation and quantum computation there exists an intermediate computational world, represented by unitary matrices that have all line sums equal to 1. All of these quantum circuits can be synthesized with the help of merely two building blocks: the NEGATOR and the singly controlled square root of NOT.

Open Systems & Information Dynamics•Mar 1, 2013•17 citations

Computing with the Square Root of NOT

Alexis De Vos, Jan De Beule, Leo Storme

To the two classical reversible 1-bit logic gates, i.e. the identity gate (a.k.a. the follower) and the NOT gate (a.k.a. the inverter), we add an extra gate, the square root of NOT. Similarly, we add to the 24 classical reversible 2-bit circuits, both the square root of NOT and the controlled square root of NOT. This leads to a new kind of calculus, situated between classical reversible computing and quantum computing.

Serdica Journal of Computing•Jan 11, 2010•10 citations

On two subgroups of U(n), useful for quantum computing

Alexis De Vos, Stijn De Baerdemacker

As two basic building blocks for any quantum circuit, we consider the 1-qubit PHASOR circuit ϕ( θ ) and the 1-qubit NEGATOR circuit N ( θ ). Both are roots of the IDENTITY circuit. Indeed: both ϕ(0) and N (0) equal the 2 × 2 unit matrix. Additionally, the NEGATOR is a root of the classical NOT gate. Quantum circuits (acting on w qubits) consisting of controlled PHASORs are represented by matrices from ZU(2 w ); quantum circuits consisting of controlled NEGATORs are represented by matrices from XU(2 w ). Here, ZU( n ) and XU( n ) are subgroups of the unitary group U( n ): the group XU( n ) consists of all n × n unitary matrices with all 2 n line sums (i.e. all n row sums and all n column sums) equal to 1 and the group ZU( n ) consists of all n × n unitary diagonal matrices with first entry equal to 1. Any U( n ) matrix can be decomposed into four parts: U = exp( iα ) Z 1 XZ 2 , where both Z 1 and Z 2 are ZU( n ) matrices and X is an XU( n ) matrix. We give an algorithm to find the decomposition. For n = 2 w it leads to a four-block synthesis of an arbitrary quantum computer.

Journal of Physics Conference Series•Apr 13, 2015•9 citations

The synthesis of a quantum circuit

Alexis De Vos, Stijn De Baerdemacker

As two basic building blocks for any quantum circuit, we consider the 1-qubit NEGATOR(θ) circuit and the 1-qubit PHASOR(θ) circuit, extensions of the NOT gate and PHASE gate, respectively: NEGATOR(π) = NOT and PHASOR(π) = PHASE.Quantum circuits (acting on w qubits) consisting of controlled NEGATORs are represented by matrices from XU(2 w ); quantum circuits (acting on w qubits) consisting of controlled PHASORs are represented by matrices from ZU(2 w ).Here, XU(n) and ZU(n) are subgroups of the unitary group U(n): the group XU(n) consists of all n × n unitary matrices with all line sums equal to 1 and the group ZU(n) consists of all n × n unitary diagonal matrices with first entry equal to 1.We conjecture that any U(n) matrix can be decomposed into four parts: U = e iα Z1XZ2, where both Z1 and Z2 are ZU(n) matrices and X is an XU(n) matrix.For n = 2 w , this leads to a decomposition of a quantum computer into simpler blocks.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Jan 1, 2014•4 citations

Unitary and anti-unitary quantum description of the classical not gate

Gianpiero Cattaneo, G. Conte, Roberto Leporini

We consider the unitary and the anti--unitary operator realizations of two important genuine quantum gates that transform elements of the computational basis of into superpositions: the square root of the identity and the square root of the negation.

arXiv:1409.4263•Sep 12, 2014•0 citations
The quantum gates calledsquare root of NOT' and controlled square root of NOT' can be applied to synthesize circuits, many more than all classical reversible circuits, but also many less than all quantum circuits. The circuits form an infinite but discrete group, i.e. a group with a countable infinity of elements. They are represented by unitary matrices. Classifying these matrices by `level' allows a detailed quantification of the computational power of the circuits.
As two basic building blocks for any quantum circuit, we consider the 1-qubit PHASOR circuit ϕ( θ ) and the 1-qubit NEGATOR circuit N ( θ ). Both are roots of the IDENTITY circuit. Indeed: both ϕ(0) and N (0) equal the 2 × 2 unit matrix. Additionally, the NEGATOR is a root of the classical NOT gate. Quantum circuits (acting on w qubits) consisting of controlled PHASORs are represented by matrices from ZU(2 w ); quantum circuits consisting of controlled NEGATORs are represented by matrices from XU(2 w ). Here, ZU( n ) and XU( n ) are subgroups of the unitary group U( n ): the group XU( n ) consists of all n × n unitary matrices with all 2 n line sums (i.e. all n row sums and all n column sums) equal to 1 and the group ZU( n ) consists of all n × n unitary diagonal matrices with first entry equal to 1. Any U( n ) matrix can be decomposed into four parts: U = exp( iα ) Z 1 XZ 2 , where both Z 1 and Z 2 are ZU( n ) matrices and X is an XU( n ) matrix. We give an algorithm to find the decomposition. For n = 2 w it leads to a four-block synthesis of an arbitrary quantum computer.
As two basic building blocks for any quantum circuit, we consider the 1-qubit NEGATOR(θ) circuit and the 1-qubit PHASOR(θ) circuit, extensions of the NOT gate and PHASE gate, respectively: NEGATOR(π) = NOT and PHASOR(π) = PHASE.Quantum circuits (acting on w qubits) consisting of controlled NEGATORs are represented by matrices from XU(2 w ); quantum circuits (acting on w qubits) consisting of controlled PHASORs are represented by matrices from ZU(2 w ).Here, XU(n) and ZU(n) are subgroups of the unitary group U(n): the group XU(n) consists of all n × n unitary matrices with all line sums equal to 1 and the group ZU(n) consists of all n × n unitary diagonal matrices with first entry equal to 1.We conjecture that any U(n) matrix can be decomposed into four parts: U = e iα Z1XZ2, where both Z1 and Z2 are ZU(n) matrices and X is an XU(n) matrix.For n = 2 w , this leads to a decomposition of a quantum computer into simpler blocks.