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

Measurement-Based Quantum State Preparation and Ground State Search

Alcalde Puente, Daniel

Published Jan 1, 2025• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

This thesis introduces and systematically analyzes novel measurement-based quantum state preparation protocols in one dimension, leveraging non-unitary dynamics, quantum measurements, and adaptive feedback mechanisms. Additionally, a stochastic sampling-based approach for ground state search using Projected Entangled Pair States (PEPS) in two dimensions is investigated, further expanding the computational toolkit for simulating complex quantum states. A central contribution is the development of a protocol that employs periodic measurement and resetting of ancilla systems, explicitly applied to the preparation of the one-dimensional Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki (AKLT) state. We identify an optimal reset interval, balancing entanglement generation and convergence speed, and demonstrate robustness against realistic experimental noise such as dephasing. Furthermore, this thesis introduces a self-learning adaptive measurement-feedback framework within variational quantum circuits (VQCs). The proposed framework autonomously discovers efficient, constant-depth strategies for deterministic preparation of specific AKLT edge states, outperforming existing analytical protocols. This analysis uncovers and mitigates previously unknown optimization challenges unique to measurement-feedback-based variational quantum circuits. The thesis also advances two-dimensional ground state search by investigating a sampling-based optimization approach for finite PEPS. It demonstrates that PEPS representing physically realistic states are computationally tractable within this sampling framework, in contrast to random states, whose complexity makes them prohibitively difficult to contract. To quantitatively distinguish between computationally easy and hard-to-contract states, a novel diagnostic measure is introduced. The developed methodology is successfully applied to physically significant states, including chiral spin liquids and Rydberg atom arrays with long-range interactions, highlighting its effectiveness in simulating complex states relevant to state-of-the-art cold atom experiments. Overall, the thesis provides methodological and conceptual insights into measurement-based quantum state preparation, optimization landscapes, and tensor network simulations.

Related papers

Learning Feedback Mechanisms for Measurement-Based Variational Quantum State Preparation

Daniel Alcalde Puente, Matteo Rizzi

This work introduces a self-learning protocol that incorporates measurement and feedback into variational quantum circuits for efficient quantum state preparation. By combining projective measurements with conditional feedback, the protocol learns state preparation strategies that extend beyond unitary-only methods, leveraging measurement-based shortcuts to reduce circuit depth. Using the spin-1 Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki state as a benchmark, the protocol learns high-fidelity state preparation by overcoming a family of measurement induced local minima through adjustments of parameter update frequencies and ancilla regularization. Despite these efforts, optimization remains challenging due to the highly non-convex landscapes inherent to variational circuits. The approach is extended to larger systems using translationally invariant ansätze and recurrent neural networks for feedback, demonstrating scalability. Additionally, the successful preparation of a specific AKLT state with desired edge modes highlights the potential to discover new state preparation protocols where none currently exist. These results indicate that integrating measurement and feedback into variational quantum algorithms provides a promising framework for quantum state preparation.

arXiv:2411.19914•Quantum•Jul 11, 2025•0 citations

Constant-Depth Preparation of Matrix Product States with Adaptive Quantum Circuits

Kevin C. Smith, Abid Khan, Bryan K. Clark +2 more

Adaptive quantum circuits, which combine local unitary gates, midcircuit measurements, and feedforward operations, have recently emerged as a promising avenue for efficient state preparation, particularly on near-term quantum devices limited to shallow-depth circuits. Matrix product states (MPS) comprise a significant class of many-body entangled states, efficiently describing the ground states of one-dimensional gapped local Hamiltonians and finding applications in a number of recent quantum algorithms. Recently, it has been shown that the Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki state—a paradigmatic example of an MPS—can be exactly prepared with an adaptive quantum circuit of constant depth, an impossible feat with local unitary gates alone due to its nonzero correlation length [Smith , PRX Quantum 4, 020315 (2023)]. In this work, we broaden the scope of this approach and demonstrate that a diverse class of MPS can be exactly prepared using constant-depth adaptive quantum circuits, outperforming theoretically optimal preparation with unitary circuits. We show that this class includes short- and long-ranged entangled MPS, symmetry-protected topological (SPT) and symmetry-broken states, MPS with finite Abelian, non-Abelian, and continuous symmetries, resource states for MBQC, and families of states with tunable correlation length. Moreover, we illustrate the utility of our framework for designing constant-depth sampling protocols, such as for random MPS or for generating MPS in a particular SPT phase. We present sufficient conditions for particular MPS to be preparable in constant time, with global on-site symmetry playing a pivotal role. Altogether, this work demonstrates the immense promise of adaptive quantum circuits for efficiently preparing many-body entangled states and provides explicit algorithms that outperform known protocols to prepare an essential class of states. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

arXiv:2404.16083•PRX Quantum•Sep 4, 2024•51 citations

Efficient preparation of the AKLT State with Measurement-based Imaginary Time Evolution

Tianqi Chen, Tim Byrnes

Abstract Quantum state preparation plays a crucial role in several areas of quantum information science, in applications such as quantum simulation, quantum metrology and quantum computing. However, typically state preparation requires resources that scale exponentially with the problem size, due to their probabilistic nature or otherwise, making studying such models challenging. In this article, we propose a method to prepare the ground state of the Affleck-Lieb-Kennedy-Tasaki (AKLT) model deterministically using an measurement-based imaginary time evolution (MITE) approach. By taking advantage of the special properties of the AKLT state, we show that it can be prepared efficiently using the MITE approach. Estimates based on the convergence of a sequence of local projections, as well as direct evolution of the MITE algorithm suggest a constant scaling with respect to the number of AKLT sites, which is an exponential improvement over the naive estimate for convergence. We show that the procedure is compatible with qubit-based simulators, and show that using a variational quantum algorithm for circuit recompilation, the measurement operator required for MITE can be well approximated by a circuit with a much shallower circuit depth compared with the one obtained using the default Qiskit method.

arXiv:2310.06031•Quantum•Dec 10, 2024•4 citations

Experiment-compatible measurement--feedback quantum state preparation with reinforcement learning

Xiaotian Nie, Tao Zhang, Linghui Chen

Ground-state preparation is a critical task in quantum simulation and quantum computing, as it enables the study of correlated phases and the generation of entangled resource states. While measurement--feedback control has emerged as a promising route to state preparation, existing schemes either rely on handcrafted, task-specific policies or are designed using full quantum-state information that is unavailable in real experiments and becomes impractical for large many-body systems. Here we develop an adaptive measurement--feedback protocol based on reinforcement learning under partial observability. The controller uses only the history of experimentally accessible measurement outcomes to choose both the measurement operator and the feedback action in real time. To make training compatible with experiments, we introduce a stochastic terminal reward built from one-shot measurements of randomly sampled Hamiltonian components, avoiding unphysical full-state reconstruction while remaining an unbiased estimator of the target energy. We demonstrate the method by preparing ground states of the Bose--Hubbard model and by generating GHZ states, establishing a scalable and hardware-compatible route to quantum state preparation.

quant-pharXiv:2606.13005•Chinese Physics Letters•Jun 12, 2026•0 citations

Learning properties of parametrized quantum states: Practical algorithms with theoretical guarantees

Marc Constantin Wanner

The analysis of quantum state properties is of fundamental importance in quantum physics and serves as a primary motivation for the development of quantum computing. In particular, low-temperature and ground states are of significant interest, as they most prominently exhibit phenomena unique to quantum mechanics. However, extracting such properties typically requires costly numerical simulations or laboratory experiments, while simulation on quantum hardware remains limited by the capabilities of current devices. This thesis proposes two complementary approaches to address these challenges.The first contribution presents an algorithm for predicting ground-state properties across an entire family of quantum states within the same phase of matter, based on training data. Under slightly stronger assumptions, we improve upon the sample complexity of existing methods, prove the same rigorous guarantees for a deep neural network-based approach, and demonstrate its practical advantages through extensive numerical experiments.The second contribution addresses the challenge of preparing quantum states of interest using Variational Quantum Algorithms (VQAs), a framework based on the classical optimization of parametrized quantum circuits. We introduce multi-armed stochastic bandits into this setting, propose an instance-optimal algorithm for continuous single-parameter optimization, and and motivate further exploration of the framework we introduced with an array of experiments.

•Jan 1, 2026•0 citations

Feedback-based quantum algorithms for ground state preparation

James B. Larsen, Matthew Grace, Andrew Baczewski +1 more

The ground state properties of quantum many-body systems are a subject of interest across chemistry, materials science, and physics. Thus, algorithms for finding ground states can have broad impacts. Variational quantum algorithms are one class of ground state algorithms that has received significant attention in recent years. These algorithms utilize a hybrid quantum-classical computing framework to prepare ground states on quantum computers. However, this requires solving a classical optimization problem that can become prohibitively expensive in high dimensions. Here, we develop formulations of feedback-based quantum algorithms for ground state preparation that can be used to address this challenge for two broad classes of Hamiltonians: Fermi-Hubbard Hamiltonians, and molecular Hamiltonians represented in second quantization. Feedback-based quantum algorithms are optimization-free; in place of classical optimization, quantum circuit parameters are set according to a deterministic feedback law derived from quantum Lyapunov control principles. This feedback law guarantees a monotonic improvement in solution quality with respect to the depth of the quantum circuit. A variety of numerical illustrations are provided that analyze the convergence and robustness of feedback-based quantum algorithms for these problem classes. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

arXiv:2303.02917•Physical Review Research•Sep 25, 2024•18 citations
This thesis introduces and systematically analyzes novel measurement-based quantum state preparation protocols in one dimension, leveraging non-unitary dynamics, quantum measurements, and adaptive feedback mechanisms. Additionally, a stochastic sampling-based approach for ground state search using Projected Entangled Pair States (PEPS) in two dimensions is investigated, further expanding the computational toolkit for simulating complex quantum states. A central contribution is the development of a protocol that employs periodic measurement and resetting of ancilla systems, explicitly applied to the preparation of the one-dimensional Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki (AKLT) state. We identify an optimal reset interval, balancing entanglement generation and convergence speed, and demonstrate robustness against realistic experimental noise such as dephasing. Furthermore, this thesis introduces a self-learning adaptive measurement-feedback framework within variational quantum circuits (VQCs). The proposed framework autonomously discovers efficient, constant-depth strategies for deterministic preparation of specific AKLT edge states, outperforming existing analytical protocols. This analysis uncovers and mitigates previously unknown optimization challenges unique to measurement-feedback-based variational quantum circuits. The thesis also advances two-dimensional ground state search by investigating a sampling-based optimization approach for finite PEPS. It demonstrates that PEPS representing physically realistic states are computationally tractable within this sampling framework, in contrast to random states, whose complexity makes them prohibitively difficult to contract. To quantitatively distinguish between computationally easy and hard-to-contract states, a novel diagnostic measure is introduced. The developed methodology is successfully applied to physically significant states, including chiral spin liquids and Rydberg atom arrays with long-range interactions, highlighting its effectiveness in simulating complex states relevant to state-of-the-art cold atom experiments. Overall, the thesis provides methodological and conceptual insights into measurement-based quantum state preparation, optimization landscapes, and tensor network simulations.
This work introduces a self-learning protocol that incorporates measurement and feedback into variational quantum circuits for efficient quantum state preparation. By combining projective measurements with conditional feedback, the protocol learns state preparation strategies that extend beyond unitary-only methods, leveraging measurement-based shortcuts to reduce circuit depth. Using the spin-1 Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki state as a benchmark, the protocol learns high-fidelity state preparation by overcoming a family of measurement induced local minima through adjustments of parameter update frequencies and ancilla regularization. Despite these efforts, optimization remains challenging due to the highly non-convex landscapes inherent to variational circuits. The approach is extended to larger systems using translationally invariant ansätze and recurrent neural networks for feedback, demonstrating scalability. Additionally, the successful preparation of a specific AKLT state with desired edge modes highlights the potential to discover new state preparation protocols where none currently exist. These results indicate that integrating measurement and feedback into variational quantum algorithms provides a promising framework for quantum state preparation.
Adaptive quantum circuits, which combine local unitary gates, midcircuit measurements, and feedforward operations, have recently emerged as a promising avenue for efficient state preparation, particularly on near-term quantum devices limited to shallow-depth circuits. Matrix product states (MPS) comprise a significant class of many-body entangled states, efficiently describing the ground states of one-dimensional gapped local Hamiltonians and finding applications in a number of recent quantum algorithms. Recently, it has been shown that the Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki state—a paradigmatic example of an MPS—can be exactly prepared with an adaptive quantum circuit of constant depth, an impossible feat with local unitary gates alone due to its nonzero correlation length [Smith , PRX Quantum 4, 020315 (2023)]. In this work, we broaden the scope of this approach and demonstrate that a diverse class of MPS can be exactly prepared using constant-depth adaptive quantum circuits, outperforming theoretically optimal preparation with unitary circuits. We show that this class includes short- and long-ranged entangled MPS, symmetry-protected topological (SPT) and symmetry-broken states, MPS with finite Abelian, non-Abelian, and continuous symmetries, resource states for MBQC, and families of states with tunable correlation length. Moreover, we illustrate the utility of our framework for designing constant-depth sampling protocols, such as for random MPS or for generating MPS in a particular SPT phase. We present sufficient conditions for particular MPS to be preparable in constant time, with global on-site symmetry playing a pivotal role. Altogether, this work demonstrates the immense promise of adaptive quantum circuits for efficiently preparing many-body entangled states and provides explicit algorithms that outperform known protocols to prepare an essential class of states. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Abstract Quantum state preparation plays a crucial role in several areas of quantum information science, in applications such as quantum simulation, quantum metrology and quantum computing. However, typically state preparation requires resources that scale exponentially with the problem size, due to their probabilistic nature or otherwise, making studying such models challenging. In this article, we propose a method to prepare the ground state of the Affleck-Lieb-Kennedy-Tasaki (AKLT) model deterministically using an measurement-based imaginary time evolution (MITE) approach. By taking advantage of the special properties of the AKLT state, we show that it can be prepared efficiently using the MITE approach. Estimates based on the convergence of a sequence of local projections, as well as direct evolution of the MITE algorithm suggest a constant scaling with respect to the number of AKLT sites, which is an exponential improvement over the naive estimate for convergence. We show that the procedure is compatible with qubit-based simulators, and show that using a variational quantum algorithm for circuit recompilation, the measurement operator required for MITE can be well approximated by a circuit with a much shallower circuit depth compared with the one obtained using the default Qiskit method.
Ground-state preparation is a critical task in quantum simulation and quantum computing, as it enables the study of correlated phases and the generation of entangled resource states. While measurement--feedback control has emerged as a promising route to state preparation, existing schemes either rely on handcrafted, task-specific policies or are designed using full quantum-state information that is unavailable in real experiments and becomes impractical for large many-body systems. Here we develop an adaptive measurement--feedback protocol based on reinforcement learning under partial observability. The controller uses only the history of experimentally accessible measurement outcomes to choose both the measurement operator and the feedback action in real time. To make training compatible with experiments, we introduce a stochastic terminal reward built from one-shot measurements of randomly sampled Hamiltonian components, avoiding unphysical full-state reconstruction while remaining an unbiased estimator of the target energy. We demonstrate the method by preparing ground states of the Bose--Hubbard model and by generating GHZ states, establishing a scalable and hardware-compatible route to quantum state preparation.
The analysis of quantum state properties is of fundamental importance in quantum physics and serves as a primary motivation for the development of quantum computing. In particular, low-temperature and ground states are of significant interest, as they most prominently exhibit phenomena unique to quantum mechanics. However, extracting such properties typically requires costly numerical simulations or laboratory experiments, while simulation on quantum hardware remains limited by the capabilities of current devices. This thesis proposes two complementary approaches to address these challenges.The first contribution presents an algorithm for predicting ground-state properties across an entire family of quantum states within the same phase of matter, based on training data. Under slightly stronger assumptions, we improve upon the sample complexity of existing methods, prove the same rigorous guarantees for a deep neural network-based approach, and demonstrate its practical advantages through extensive numerical experiments.The second contribution addresses the challenge of preparing quantum states of interest using Variational Quantum Algorithms (VQAs), a framework based on the classical optimization of parametrized quantum circuits. We introduce multi-armed stochastic bandits into this setting, propose an instance-optimal algorithm for continuous single-parameter optimization, and and motivate further exploration of the framework we introduced with an array of experiments.
The ground state properties of quantum many-body systems are a subject of interest across chemistry, materials science, and physics. Thus, algorithms for finding ground states can have broad impacts. Variational quantum algorithms are one class of ground state algorithms that has received significant attention in recent years. These algorithms utilize a hybrid quantum-classical computing framework to prepare ground states on quantum computers. However, this requires solving a classical optimization problem that can become prohibitively expensive in high dimensions. Here, we develop formulations of feedback-based quantum algorithms for ground state preparation that can be used to address this challenge for two broad classes of Hamiltonians: Fermi-Hubbard Hamiltonians, and molecular Hamiltonians represented in second quantization. Feedback-based quantum algorithms are optimization-free; in place of classical optimization, quantum circuit parameters are set according to a deterministic feedback law derived from quantum Lyapunov control principles. This feedback law guarantees a monotonic improvement in solution quality with respect to the depth of the quantum circuit. A variety of numerical illustrations are provided that analyze the convergence and robustness of feedback-based quantum algorithms for these problem classes. Published by the American Physical Society 2024