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

arXiv:quant-ph/0201143 · Proceedings of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences

On the role of entanglement in quantum-computational speed-up

Richard Jozsa, Noah Linden

Published Aug 8, 2003• 839 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

For any quantum algorithm operating on pure states, we prove that the presence of multi‐partite entanglement, with a number of parties that increases unboundedly with input size, is necessary if the quantum algorithm is to offer an exponential speed‐up over classical computation. Furthermore, we prove that the algorithm can be efficiently simulated classically to within a prescribed tolerance η even if a suitably small amount of global entanglement is present. We explicitly identify the occurrence of increasing multi‐partite entanglement in Shor's algorithm. Our results do not apply to quantum algorithms operating on mixed states in general and we discuss the suggestion that an exponential computational speed‐up might be possible with mixed states in the total absence of entanglement. Finally, despite the essential role of entanglement for pure‐state algorithms, we argue that it is nevertheless misleading to view entanglement as a key resource for quantum‐computational power.

DOI
10.1098/rspa.2002.1097

Related papers

Efficient Classical Simulation of Slightly Entangled Quantum Computations

Guifré Vidal

We present a classical protocol to efficiently simulate any pure-state quantum computation that involves only a restricted amount of entanglement. More generally, we show how to classically simulate pure-state quantum computations on n qubits by using computational resources that grow linearly in n and exponentially in the amount of entanglement in the quantum computer. Our results imply that a necessary condition for an exponential computational speedup (with respect to classical computations) is that the amount of entanglement increases with the size n of the computation, and provide an explicit lower bound on the required growth.

arXiv:quant-ph/0301063•Physical Review Letters•Oct 1, 2003•2,368 citations

Entanglement guides quantum computation

Arun Kumar Pati

Origin of the speed‐up in quantum algorithms is not yet fully understood. But there are indications that entanglement does play an important role in quantum computation. Algorithms that do not involve entanglement can be efficiently simulated on a classical computer. Here I make a simple observation. I show that infinitesimal change in multi‐particle pure product state always gives rise to an entangled state. During quantum computation even though at each time instant the state is not entangled, it does pass through entangled states at infinitesimal time steps. This applies to multi‐particle pure, pseudo‐pure and general mixed states as well. This suggests that even though unitary operators do not produce any entanglement, quantum entanglement guides the process of quantum computation.

AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2006•1 citation

Role of entanglement and correlations in mixed-state quantum computation

Animesh Datta, Guifré Vidal

In a quantum computation with pure states, the generation of large amounts of entanglement is known to be necessary for a speedup with respect to classical computations. However, examples of quantum computations with mixed states are known, such as the deterministic computation with one quantum qubit (DQC1) model [Knill and Laflamme, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 5672 (1998)], in which entanglement is at most marginally present, and yet a computational speedup is believed to occur. Correlations, and not entanglement, have been identified as a necessary ingredient for mixed-state quantum computation speedups. Here we show that correlations, as measured through the operator Schmidt rank, are indeed present in large amounts in the DQC1 circuit. This provides evidence for the preclusion of efficient classical simulation of DQC1 by means of a whole class of classical simulation algorithms, thereby reinforcing the conjecture that DQC1 leads to a genuine quantum computational speedup.

arXiv:quant-ph/0611157•Physical Review A•Apr 11, 2007•259 citations

Entanglement simulations of Shor's algorithm

S. Parker, Martin Bodo Plenio

We demonstrate that, in the case of Shor's algorithm for factoring, highly mixed states will allow efficient quantum computation, indeed factorization can be achieved efficiently with just one initial pure qubit and a supply of initially maximally mixed qubits (Parker, S. and Plenio, M. B., 2000, Phys. Rev. Lett., 85, 3049). This leads us to ask how this affects the entanglement in the algorithm. We thus investigate the behaviour of entanglement in Shor's algorithm for small numbers of qubits by classical computer simulation of the quantum computer at different stages of the algorithm. We find that entanglement is an intrinsic part of the algorithm and that the entanglement through the algorithm appears to be closely related to the amount of mixing. Furthermore, if the computer is in a highly mixed state any attempt to remove entanglement by further mixing of the algorithm results in a significant decrease in its efficiency.

arXiv:quant-ph/0102136•Journal of Modern Optics•Jul 1, 2002•25 citations

Entanglement Simulations of Shor's Algorithm

Parker, S, Martin Bodo Plenio

We demonstrate that, in the case of Shor's algorithm for factoring, highly mixed states will allow efficient quantum computation, indeed factorization can be achieved efficiently with just one initial pure qubit and a supply of initally maximally mixed qubits (S. Parker and M. B. Plenio, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 3049 (2000)) . This leads us to ask how this affects the entanglement in the algorithm. We thus investigate the behaviour of entanglement in Shor's algorithm for small numbers of qubits by classical computer simulation of the quantum computer at different stages of the algorithm. We find that entanglement is an intrinsic part of the algorithm and that the entanglement through the algorithm appears to be closely related the amount of mixing. Furthermore, if the computer is in a highly mixed state any attempt to remove entanglement by further mixing of the algorithm results in a significant decrease in it's efficiency.

•Feb 27, 2001•17 citations

The one clean qubit model without entanglement is classically simulable

Mithuna Yoganathan, Chris Cade

Entanglement has been shown to be necessary for pure state quantum computation to have an advantage over classical computation. However, it remains open whether entanglement is necessary for quantum computers that use mixed states to also have an advantage. The one clean qubit model is a form of quantum computer in which the input is the maximally mixed state plus one pure qubit. Previous work has shown that there is a limited amount of entanglement present in these computations, despite the fact that they can efficiently solve some problems that are seemingly hard to solve classically. This casts doubt on the notion that entanglement is necessary for quantum speedups. In this work we show that entanglement is indeed crucial for efficient computation in this model, because without it the one clean qubit model is efficiently classically simulable.

arXiv:1907.08224•Jul 18, 2019•4 citations
For any quantum algorithm operating on pure states, we prove that the presence of multi‐partite entanglement, with a number of parties that increases unboundedly with input size, is necessary if the quantum algorithm is to offer an exponential speed‐up over classical computation. Furthermore, we prove that the algorithm can be efficiently simulated classically to within a prescribed tolerance η even if a suitably small amount of global entanglement is present. We explicitly identify the occurrence of increasing multi‐partite entanglement in Shor's algorithm. Our results do not apply to quantum algorithms operating on mixed states in general and we discuss the suggestion that an exponential computational speed‐up might be possible with mixed states in the total absence of entanglement. Finally, despite the essential role of entanglement for pure‐state algorithms, we argue that it is nevertheless misleading to view entanglement as a key resource for quantum‐computational power.
We present a classical protocol to efficiently simulate any pure-state quantum computation that involves only a restricted amount of entanglement. More generally, we show how to classically simulate pure-state quantum computations on n qubits by using computational resources that grow linearly in n and exponentially in the amount of entanglement in the quantum computer. Our results imply that a necessary condition for an exponential computational speedup (with respect to classical computations) is that the amount of entanglement increases with the size n of the computation, and provide an explicit lower bound on the required growth.
Origin of the speed‐up in quantum algorithms is not yet fully understood. But there are indications that entanglement does play an important role in quantum computation. Algorithms that do not involve entanglement can be efficiently simulated on a classical computer. Here I make a simple observation. I show that infinitesimal change in multi‐particle pure product state always gives rise to an entangled state. During quantum computation even though at each time instant the state is not entangled, it does pass through entangled states at infinitesimal time steps. This applies to multi‐particle pure, pseudo‐pure and general mixed states as well. This suggests that even though unitary operators do not produce any entanglement, quantum entanglement guides the process of quantum computation.
In a quantum computation with pure states, the generation of large amounts of entanglement is known to be necessary for a speedup with respect to classical computations. However, examples of quantum computations with mixed states are known, such as the deterministic computation with one quantum qubit (DQC1) model [Knill and Laflamme, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 5672 (1998)], in which entanglement is at most marginally present, and yet a computational speedup is believed to occur. Correlations, and not entanglement, have been identified as a necessary ingredient for mixed-state quantum computation speedups. Here we show that correlations, as measured through the operator Schmidt rank, are indeed present in large amounts in the DQC1 circuit. This provides evidence for the preclusion of efficient classical simulation of DQC1 by means of a whole class of classical simulation algorithms, thereby reinforcing the conjecture that DQC1 leads to a genuine quantum computational speedup.
We demonstrate that, in the case of Shor's algorithm for factoring, highly mixed states will allow efficient quantum computation, indeed factorization can be achieved efficiently with just one initial pure qubit and a supply of initially maximally mixed qubits (Parker, S. and Plenio, M. B., 2000, Phys. Rev. Lett., 85, 3049). This leads us to ask how this affects the entanglement in the algorithm. We thus investigate the behaviour of entanglement in Shor's algorithm for small numbers of qubits by classical computer simulation of the quantum computer at different stages of the algorithm. We find that entanglement is an intrinsic part of the algorithm and that the entanglement through the algorithm appears to be closely related to the amount of mixing. Furthermore, if the computer is in a highly mixed state any attempt to remove entanglement by further mixing of the algorithm results in a significant decrease in its efficiency.
We demonstrate that, in the case of Shor's algorithm for factoring, highly mixed states will allow efficient quantum computation, indeed factorization can be achieved efficiently with just one initial pure qubit and a supply of initally maximally mixed qubits (S. Parker and M. B. Plenio, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 3049 (2000)) . This leads us to ask how this affects the entanglement in the algorithm. We thus investigate the behaviour of entanglement in Shor's algorithm for small numbers of qubits by classical computer simulation of the quantum computer at different stages of the algorithm. We find that entanglement is an intrinsic part of the algorithm and that the entanglement through the algorithm appears to be closely related the amount of mixing. Furthermore, if the computer is in a highly mixed state any attempt to remove entanglement by further mixing of the algorithm results in a significant decrease in it's efficiency.
Entanglement has been shown to be necessary for pure state quantum computation to have an advantage over classical computation. However, it remains open whether entanglement is necessary for quantum computers that use mixed states to also have an advantage. The one clean qubit model is a form of quantum computer in which the input is the maximally mixed state plus one pure qubit. Previous work has shown that there is a limited amount of entanglement present in these computations, despite the fact that they can efficiently solve some problems that are seemingly hard to solve classically. This casts doubt on the notion that entanglement is necessary for quantum speedups. In this work we show that entanglement is indeed crucial for efficient computation in this model, because without it the one clean qubit model is efficiently classically simulable.