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arXiv:quant-ph/9903046

Quantum Circuits: Fanout, Parity, and Counting

Cristopher Moore

Published Mar 13, 1999• 31 citations
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Abstract

We propose definitions of QAC^0, the quantum analog of the classical class AC^0 of constant-depth circuits with AND and OR gates of arbitrary fan-in, and QACC^0[q], where n-ary Mod-q gates are also allowed. We show that it is possible to make a `cat' state on n qubits in constant depth if and only if we can construct a parity or Mod-2 gate in constant depth; therefore, any circuit class that can fan out a qubit to n copies in constant depth also includes QACC^0[2]. In addition, we prove the somewhat surprising result that parity or fanout allows us to construct Mod-q gates in constant depth for any q, so QACC^0[2] = QACC^0. Since ACC^0[p] != ACC^0[q] whenever p and q are mutually prime, QACC^0[2] is strictly more powerful than its classical counterpart, as is QAC^0 when fanout is allowed.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.quant-ph/9903046

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cs.CCCross-listedarXiv:2601.03243•Jan 7, 2026•0 citations
We propose definitions of QAC^0, the quantum analog of the classical class AC^0 of constant-depth circuits with AND and OR gates of arbitrary fan-in, and QACC^0[q], where n-ary Mod-q gates are also allowed. We show that it is possible to make a `cat' state on n qubits in constant depth if and only if we can construct a parity or Mod-2 gate in constant depth; therefore, any circuit class that can fan out a qubit to n copies in constant depth also includes QACC^0[2]. In addition, we prove the somewhat surprising result that parity or fanout allows us to construct Mod-q gates in constant depth for any q, so QACC^0[2] = QACC^0. Since ACC^0[p] != ACC^0[q] whenever p and q are mutually prime, QACC^0[2] is strictly more powerful than its classical counterpart, as is QAC^0 when fanout is allowed.
We propose definitions of QAC^0, the quantum analog of the classical class AC^0 of constant-depth circuits with AND and OR gates of arbitrary fan-in, and QACC[q], the analog of the class ACC[q] where Mod_q gates are also allowed. We prove that parity or fanout allows us to construct quantum MOD_q gates in constant depth for any q, so QACC[2] = QACC. More generally, we show that for any q,p > 1, MOD_q is equivalent to MOD_p (up to constant depth and polynomial size). This implies that QAC^0 with unbounded fanout gates, denoted QACwf^0, is the same as QACC[q] and QACC for all q. Since \ACC[p] \ne ACC[q] whenever p and q are distinct primes, QACC[q] is strictly more powerful than its classical counterpart, as is QAC^0 when fanout is allowed. This adds to the growing list of quantum complexity classes which are provably more powerful than their classical counterparts. We also develop techniques for proving upper bounds for QACC in terms of related language classes. We define classes of languages closely related to QACC[2] and show that restricted versions of them can be simulated by polynomial-size circuits. With further restrictions, language classes related to QACC[2] operators can be simulated by classical threshold circuits of polynomial size and constant depth.
We propose definitions of $\QAC^0$, the quantum analog of the classical class $\AC^0$ of constant-depth circuits with AND and OR gates of arbitrary fan-in, and $\QACC[q]$, the analog of the class $\ACC[q]$ where $\Mod_q$ gates are also allowed. We prove that parity or fanout allows us to construct quantum $\MOD_q$ gates in constant depth for any qqq, so $\QACC[2] = \QACC$. More generally, we show that for any q,p>1q,p > 1q,p>1, $\MOD_q$ is equivalent to $\MOD_p$ (up to constant depth). This implies that $\QAC^0$ with unbounded fanout gates, denoted $\QACwf^0$, is the same as $\QACC[q]$ and $\QACC$ for all qqq. Since $\ACC[p] \ne \ACC[q]$ whenever ppp and qqq are distinct primes, $\QACC[q]$ is strictly more powerful than its classical counterpart, as is $\QAC^0$ when fanout is allowed. This adds to the growing list of quantum complexity classes which are provably more powerful than their classical counterparts. We also develop techniques for proving upper bounds for $\QACC^0$ in terms of related language classes. We define classes of languages $\EQACC$, $\NQACC$ and $\BQACC_{\rats}$. We define a notion of log⁡\loglog-planar $\QACC$ operators and show the appropriately restricted versions of $\EQACC$ and $\NQACC$ are contained in $¶/\poly$. We also define a notion of log⁡\loglog-gate restricted $\QACC$ operators and show the appropriately restricted versions of $\EQACC$ and $\NQACC$ are contained in $\TC^0$.
We demonstrate that the unbounded fan-out gate is very powerful.Constantdepth polynomial-size quantum circuits with bounded fan-in and unbounded fan-out over a fixed basis (denoted by QNC 0 f ) can approximate with polynomially small error the following gates: parity, mod[q], And, Or, majority, threshold[t], exact[t], and Counting.Classically, we need logarithmic depth even if we can use unbounded fan-in gates.If we allow arbitrary one-qubit gates instead of a fixed basis, then these circuits can also be made exact in log-star depth.Sorting, arithmetic operations, phase estimation, and the quantum Fourier transform with arbitrary moduli can also be approximated in constant depth.
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