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arXiv:quant-ph/0207157 · Quantum Information and Computation

Optimal realizations of controlled unitary gates

Guang Song, Andreas Klappenecker

Published Mar 1, 2003• 28 citations
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Abstract

The controlled-not gate and the single qubit gates are considered elementary gates in quantum computing. It is natural to ask how many such elementary gates are needed to implement more elaborate gates or circuits. Recall that a controlled-U gate can be realized with two controlled-not gates and four single qubit gates. We prove that this implementation is optimal if and only if the matrix U satisfies the conditions trU\neq 0, tr(UX)\neq 0, and detU\neq 1. We also derive optimal implementations in the remaining non-generic cases. realizations of controlled unitary gates (pp139-155) G. Song and A. Klappenecker The controlled-not gate and the single qubit gates are considered elementary gates in quantum computing. It is natural to ask how many such elementary gates are needed to implement more elaborate gates or circuits. Recall that a controlled-U gate can be realized with two controlled-not gates and four single qubit gates. We prove that this implementation is optimal if and only if the matrix U satisfies the conditions trU\neq 0, tr(UX)\neq 0, and detU\neq 1. We also derive optimal implementations in the remaining non-generic cases.

DOI
10.26421/qic3.2-5

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The controlled-not gate and the single qubit gates are considered elementary gates in quantum computing. It is natural to ask how many such elementary gates are needed to implement more elaborate gates or circuits. Recall that a controlled-U gate can be realized with two controlled-not gates and four single qubit gates. We prove that this implementation is optimal if and only if the matrix U satisfies the conditions trU\neq 0, tr(UX)\neq 0, and detU\neq 1. We also derive optimal implementations in the remaining non-generic cases. realizations of controlled unitary gates (pp139-155) G. Song and A. Klappenecker The controlled-not gate and the single qubit gates are considered elementary gates in quantum computing. It is natural to ask how many such elementary gates are needed to implement more elaborate gates or circuits. Recall that a controlled-U gate can be realized with two controlled-not gates and four single qubit gates. We prove that this implementation is optimal if and only if the matrix U satisfies the conditions trU\neq 0, tr(UX)\neq 0, and detU\neq 1. We also derive optimal implementations in the remaining non-generic cases.
Unitary operations are expressed in the quantum circuit model as a finite sequence of elementary gates, such as controlled-not gates and single qubit gates. We prove that the simplified Toffoli gate by Margolus, which coincides with the Toffoli gate up to a single change of sign, cannot be realized with less than three controlled-not gates. If the circuit is implemented with three controlled-not gates, then at least four additional single qubit gates are necessary. This proves that the implementation suggested by Margolus is optimal.
In order to demonstrate nontrivial quantum computations experimentally, such as the synthesis of arbitrary entangled states, it will be useful to understand how to decompose a desired quantum computation into the shortest possible sequence of one-qubit and two-qubit gates. We contribute to this effort by providing a method to construct an optimal quantum circuit for a general two-qubit gate that requires at most 3 controlled-NOT (CNOT) gates and 15 elementary one-qubit gates. Moreover, if the desired two-qubit gate corresponds to a purely real unitary transformation, we provide a construction that requries at most 2 CNOT and 12 one-qubit gates. We then prove that these constructions are optimal with respect to the family of CNOT, yyy-rotation, zzz-rotation, and phase gates.
Optimal implementation of quantum gates is crucial for designing a quantum computer. We consider the matrix representation of an arbitrary multiqubit gate. By ordering the basis vectors using the Gray code, we construct the quantum circuit which is optimal in the sense of fully controlled single-qubit gates and yet is equivalent with the multiqubit gate. In the second step of the optimization, superfluous control bits are eliminated, which eventually results in a smaller total number of the elementary gates. In our scheme the number of controlled NOT gates is O(4(n)) which coincides with the theoretical lower bound.
Quantum circuits currently constitute a dominant model for quantum computation according to M. Nielsen and I. Chuang (2000). Our work addresses the problem of constructing quantum circuits to implement an arbitrary given quantum computation, in the special case of two qubits. We pursue circuits without ancilla qubits and a small number of elementary quantum gates by A. Barenco et al. (1995) and G. Song and A. Klappenecker (2003) as possible. Our lower bound for worst-case optimal two-qubit circuits calls for at least 17 gates: 15 one-qubit rotations and 2 CNOTs. To this end, we constructively prove a worst-case upper bound to 23 elementary gates, of which at most 4 (CNOTs) entail multi-qubit interactions. Our analysis shows that previous known synthesis algorithms, although more general, entail much larger quantum circuits than ours in the special case of two qubits. One such algorithm according to G. Cybenko (2001) has a worst case of 61 gates of which 18 may be CNOTs. Our technique rely on the KAK decomposition from Lie theory as well as the polar and spectral (symmetric Shur) matrix decompositions from numerical analysis. They are related to the canonical decomposition of two-qubit gate with respect to the "magic basis" of phase-shifted Bell states by N. Khaneja et al. (2001) and M. Lewenstein et al. (2001). We extend this decomposition in terms of elementary gates for quantum computation.
Optimal implementation of quantum gates is crucial for designing a quantum computer. The necessary condition for optimal construction of a two-qubit unitary operation is obtained. It can be proved that the BBB gate is the unique gate that can construct a two-qubit universal circuit with only two applications, i.e., this condition is also sufficient in the case of two applications of the elementary two-qubit gate. It is also shown that many perfect entanglers cannot simulate an arbitrary two-qubit gate with only three applications. We show how a two-qubit gate's construction power is related to the construction power of its mirror gate, and introduce a specific kind of two-qubit entangling gate, i.e., a super controlled gate, which can construct an arbitrary two-qubit gate by three applications.
We address the problem of constructing quantum circuits to implement an arbitrary two-qubit quantum computation. We pursue circuits without ancilla qubits and as small a number of elementary quantum gates as possible. Our lower bound for worst-case optimal two-qubit circuits calls for at least 171717 gates: 151515 one-qubit rotations and 222 controlled-NOT (CNOT) gates. We also constructively prove a worst-case upper bound of 232323 elementary gates, of which at most four (CNOT gates) entail multiqubit interactions. Our analysis shows that synthesis algorithms suggested in previous work, although more general, entail larger quantum circuits than ours in the special case of two qubits. One such algorithm has a worst case of 616161 gates, of which 181818 may be CNOT gates.