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

New Journal of Physics

Controlled information transfer in continuous-time chiral quantum walks

Aeysha Khalique, A. Sett, Jingbo B. Wang, Jason Twamley

Published Jul 16, 2021• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract In this paper we investigate properties of continuous time chiral quantum walks, which possess complex valued edge weights in the underlying graph structure, together with an initial Gaussian wavefunction spread over a number of vertices. We demonstrate that, for certain graph topology and phase matching conditions, we are able to direct the flow of probability amplitudes in a specific direction inside the graph network. We design a quantum walk graph analogue of an optical circulator which is a combination of a cycle and semi-infinite chain graphs. Excitations input into the circulator from a semi-infinite chain are routed in a directionally biased fashion to output to a different semi-infinite chain. We examine in detail a two port circulator graph which spatially separates excitations flowing back in forth between the two semi-finite chains to directionally occupy the top or bottom half of the cycle portion of the circulator. This setup can be used, for example, to detect non-Markovian processes, which leads to information and energy back-flow from the bath back into the system.

DOI
10.1088/1367-2630/ac1551

Related papers

Quantum routing of information using chiral quantum walks

Alberto Bottarelli, Massimo Frigerio, Matteo G. A. Paris

We address routing of classical and quantum information over quantum network and show how to exploit chirality (directionality) to achieve nearly optimal and robust transport. In particular, we prove how continuous-time chiral quantum walks over a minimal graph are able to model directional transfer of information over a network. At first, we show how classical information, encoded onto an excitation localized at one vertex of a simple graph, may be sent to any other chosen location with nearly unit fidelity by tuning a single phase. Then, we prove that high-fidelity transport is also possible for coherent superpositions of states, i.e., for routing of quantum information. Furthermore, we show that by tuning the phase parameter, one obtains universal quantum routing, i.e., independent on the input state. In our scheme, chirality is governed by a single phase, and the routing probability is robust against fluctuations of this parameter. Finally, we address characterization of quantum routers and show how to exploit the self-energies of the graph to achieve high precision in estimating the phase parameter.

arXiv:2302.08472•AVS Quantum Science•Apr 27, 2023•18 citations

Supervised graph classification for chiral quantum walks

Artem Kryukov, Roman Abramov, Leonid Evgenevich Fedichkin +2 more

Particle transport in quantum systems, which can be modeled by quantum walks on graphs, demonstrates a faster propagation advantage over the corresponding transport in classical systems. As known from several graph examples, achieving further advantages is possible by adding directional control in quantum walks. One way to introduce directional bias is via time-reversal symmetry breaking that can be achieved with chiral quantum walks, where complex phases are added to the edge weights. However, it is not known for which complex phases values and on which graphs quantum transport can be enhanced. Therefore, the classification of graph properties remains an open problem. Here we tackle this graph classification problem with a graph convolutional neural network trained on a set of simulated examples. We find that chiral quantum-walk dynamics leads to almost always faster transport on hypercubes compared to nonchiral dynamics. We connect our paper to physical implementations of quantum walks in superconducting qubits and optical waveguides. Our results open the possibility and flexibility of experimental implementations in demonstrating quantum-walk advantage.

Physical Review A•Feb 14, 2022•9 citations

Enhanced quantum transport in chiral quantum walks

Emilio Annoni, Massimo Frigerio, Matteo G. A. Paris

Abstract Quantum transport across discrete structures is a relevant topic that can be suitably studied in the context of continuous-time quantum walks. The addition of phase degrees of freedom, leading to chiral quantum walks, can also account for directional transport on graphs with loops. We discuss criteria for quantum transport and study the enhancement that can be achieved with chiral quantum walks on chain-like graphs, exploring different topologies for the chain units and optimizing over the phases. We select three candidate structures with optimal performances and we investigate their transport behaviour with Krylov reduction. While one of them can be reduced to a weighted line with minor couplings modulation, the other two are truly chiral quantum walks, with enhanced transport probability over long chain structures.

arXiv:2308.14747•Quantum Information Processing•Mar 23, 2024•6 citations

Controlled transport in chiral quantum walks on graphs

Yi-Cong Yu, Xiaoming Cai

Abstract We investigate novel transport properties of chiral continuous-time quantum walks (CTQWs) on graphs. By employing a gauge transformation, we demonstrate that CTQWs on chiral chains are equivalent to those on non-chiral chains, but with additional momenta from initial wave packets. This explains the novel transport phenomenon numerically studied in (Khalique et al 2021 New J. Phys. 23 083005). Building on this, we delve deeper into the analysis of chiral CTQWs on the Y-junction graph, introducing phases to account for the chirality. The phase plays a key role in controlling both asymmetric transport and directed complete transport among the chains in the Y-junction graph. We systematically analyze these features through a comprehensive examination of the chiral CTQW on a Y-junction graph. Our analysis shows that the CTQW on Y-junction graph can be modeled as a combination of three wave functions, each of which evolves independently on three effective open chains. By constructing a lattice scattering theory, we calculate the phase shift of a wave packet after it interacts with the potential-shifted boundary. Our results demonstrate that the interplay of these phase shifts leads to the observed enhancement and suppression of quantum transport. The explicit condition for directed complete transport or 100 % efficiency is analytically derived. Our theory has applications in building quantum versions of binary tree search algorithms.

arXiv:2308.12516•New Journal of Physics•Aug 1, 2023•1 citation

Continuous-time quantum walks on directed bipartite graphs

Beat Tödtli, Monika Laner, Jouri Semenov +3 more

This paper investigates continuous-time quantum walks on directed bipartite graphs based on a graph's adjacency matrix. We prove that on bipartite graphs, probability transport between the two node partitions can be completely suppressed by tuning a model parameter $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. We provide analytic solutions to the quantum walks for the star and circulant graph classes that are valid for an arbitrary value of the number of nodes $N$, time $t$, and the model parameter $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. We discuss quantitative and qualitative aspects of quantum walks based on directed graphs and their undirected counterparts. Numerical simulations of quantum walks on circulant graphs show complex interference phenomena and how complete suppression of transport is achieved near $\ensuremath{\alpha}=\ensuremath{\pi}/2$. By proving two mirror symmetries around $\ensuremath{\alpha}=0$ and $\ensuremath{\pi}/2$ we show that these quantum walks have a period of $\ensuremath{\pi}$ in $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. We show that undirected edges lose their effect on the quantum walk at $\ensuremath{\alpha}=\ensuremath{\pi}/2$ and present non-bipartite graphs that exhibit suppression of transport. Finally, we analytically compute the Hamiltonians of quantum walks on the directed ring graph.

arXiv:1606.00992•Physical Review A•Nov 30, 2016•9 citations

Perfect chiral quantum routing

Simone Cavazzoni, Giovanni Ragazzi, Paolo Bordone +1 more

Routing classical and quantum information is a fundamental task for quantum information technologies and processes. Here, we consider information encoded in the position of a quantum walker on a graph, and we design an optimal structure to achieve perfect quantum routing, exploiting chirality and weighting of the edges. The topology, termed the lily graph, enables perfect (i.e., with fidelity one) and robust routing of classical (localized) or quantum (superposition) states of the walker to $n$ different, orthogonal, spatial regions of the graph, corresponding to the $n$ possible outputs of the device. The routing time is independent of the input signal and the number of outputs, making our scheme a robust and scalable solution for all quantum networks.

arXiv:2406.11834•Physical Review A•Mar 31, 2025•6 citations
Abstract In this paper we investigate properties of continuous time chiral quantum walks, which possess complex valued edge weights in the underlying graph structure, together with an initial Gaussian wavefunction spread over a number of vertices. We demonstrate that, for certain graph topology and phase matching conditions, we are able to direct the flow of probability amplitudes in a specific direction inside the graph network. We design a quantum walk graph analogue of an optical circulator which is a combination of a cycle and semi-infinite chain graphs. Excitations input into the circulator from a semi-infinite chain are routed in a directionally biased fashion to output to a different semi-infinite chain. We examine in detail a two port circulator graph which spatially separates excitations flowing back in forth between the two semi-finite chains to directionally occupy the top or bottom half of the cycle portion of the circulator. This setup can be used, for example, to detect non-Markovian processes, which leads to information and energy back-flow from the bath back into the system.
We address routing of classical and quantum information over quantum network and show how to exploit chirality (directionality) to achieve nearly optimal and robust transport. In particular, we prove how continuous-time chiral quantum walks over a minimal graph are able to model directional transfer of information over a network. At first, we show how classical information, encoded onto an excitation localized at one vertex of a simple graph, may be sent to any other chosen location with nearly unit fidelity by tuning a single phase. Then, we prove that high-fidelity transport is also possible for coherent superpositions of states, i.e., for routing of quantum information. Furthermore, we show that by tuning the phase parameter, one obtains universal quantum routing, i.e., independent on the input state. In our scheme, chirality is governed by a single phase, and the routing probability is robust against fluctuations of this parameter. Finally, we address characterization of quantum routers and show how to exploit the self-energies of the graph to achieve high precision in estimating the phase parameter.
Particle transport in quantum systems, which can be modeled by quantum walks on graphs, demonstrates a faster propagation advantage over the corresponding transport in classical systems. As known from several graph examples, achieving further advantages is possible by adding directional control in quantum walks. One way to introduce directional bias is via time-reversal symmetry breaking that can be achieved with chiral quantum walks, where complex phases are added to the edge weights. However, it is not known for which complex phases values and on which graphs quantum transport can be enhanced. Therefore, the classification of graph properties remains an open problem. Here we tackle this graph classification problem with a graph convolutional neural network trained on a set of simulated examples. We find that chiral quantum-walk dynamics leads to almost always faster transport on hypercubes compared to nonchiral dynamics. We connect our paper to physical implementations of quantum walks in superconducting qubits and optical waveguides. Our results open the possibility and flexibility of experimental implementations in demonstrating quantum-walk advantage.
Abstract Quantum transport across discrete structures is a relevant topic that can be suitably studied in the context of continuous-time quantum walks. The addition of phase degrees of freedom, leading to chiral quantum walks, can also account for directional transport on graphs with loops. We discuss criteria for quantum transport and study the enhancement that can be achieved with chiral quantum walks on chain-like graphs, exploring different topologies for the chain units and optimizing over the phases. We select three candidate structures with optimal performances and we investigate their transport behaviour with Krylov reduction. While one of them can be reduced to a weighted line with minor couplings modulation, the other two are truly chiral quantum walks, with enhanced transport probability over long chain structures.
Abstract We investigate novel transport properties of chiral continuous-time quantum walks (CTQWs) on graphs. By employing a gauge transformation, we demonstrate that CTQWs on chiral chains are equivalent to those on non-chiral chains, but with additional momenta from initial wave packets. This explains the novel transport phenomenon numerically studied in (Khalique et al 2021 New J. Phys. 23 083005). Building on this, we delve deeper into the analysis of chiral CTQWs on the Y-junction graph, introducing phases to account for the chirality. The phase plays a key role in controlling both asymmetric transport and directed complete transport among the chains in the Y-junction graph. We systematically analyze these features through a comprehensive examination of the chiral CTQW on a Y-junction graph. Our analysis shows that the CTQW on Y-junction graph can be modeled as a combination of three wave functions, each of which evolves independently on three effective open chains. By constructing a lattice scattering theory, we calculate the phase shift of a wave packet after it interacts with the potential-shifted boundary. Our results demonstrate that the interplay of these phase shifts leads to the observed enhancement and suppression of quantum transport. The explicit condition for directed complete transport or 100 % efficiency is analytically derived. Our theory has applications in building quantum versions of binary tree search algorithms.
This paper investigates continuous-time quantum walks on directed bipartite graphs based on a graph's adjacency matrix. We prove that on bipartite graphs, probability transport between the two node partitions can be completely suppressed by tuning a model parameter $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. We provide analytic solutions to the quantum walks for the star and circulant graph classes that are valid for an arbitrary value of the number of nodes NNN, time ttt, and the model parameter $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. We discuss quantitative and qualitative aspects of quantum walks based on directed graphs and their undirected counterparts. Numerical simulations of quantum walks on circulant graphs show complex interference phenomena and how complete suppression of transport is achieved near $\ensuremath{\alpha}=\ensuremath{\pi}/2$. By proving two mirror symmetries around $\ensuremath{\alpha}=0$ and $\ensuremath{\pi}/2$ we show that these quantum walks have a period of $\ensuremath{\pi}$ in $\ensuremath{\alpha}$. We show that undirected edges lose their effect on the quantum walk at $\ensuremath{\alpha}=\ensuremath{\pi}/2$ and present non-bipartite graphs that exhibit suppression of transport. Finally, we analytically compute the Hamiltonians of quantum walks on the directed ring graph.
Routing classical and quantum information is a fundamental task for quantum information technologies and processes. Here, we consider information encoded in the position of a quantum walker on a graph, and we design an optimal structure to achieve perfect quantum routing, exploiting chirality and weighting of the edges. The topology, termed the lily graph, enables perfect (i.e., with fidelity one) and robust routing of classical (localized) or quantum (superposition) states of the walker to nnn different, orthogonal, spatial regions of the graph, corresponding to the nnn possible outputs of the device. The routing time is independent of the input signal and the number of outputs, making our scheme a robust and scalable solution for all quantum networks.