Quantum Physics Letters
Journal license

Journal

Quantum Physics Letters


Volume
& Issue

Volume 11, Issue 2


Published
on

August 1, 2022


Pages

31-35


DOI

Article

An Efficient Quantum Solution for NP-Complete Problems using n Partial Measurements

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Authors

Dhananjay P. Mehendale* Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Savitribai Phule University of Pune, Pune, India-411007


Abstract

We choose the $k$-SAT problem, $k \ge 3$, involving $n$ variables, defined by the Boolean function $\Phi$, having unique correct assignment, $x = t$, such that $\Phi(t) = 1$ and $\Phi(x) = 0$ for all $x \neq t$. We prepare sufficiently many copies of quantum register, $|\Psi\rangle$, containing superposition of all computational basis states representing different possible assignments. We will find the correct assignment $t$ as a quantum state $|t\rangle = |t_1 t_2 t_3 t_4 \cdots t_{n-1} t_n\rangle$ through $n$ partial measurements. We perform $n$ partial measurements of the state, $|\Psi_1\rangle = U_\Phi |\Psi\rangle$, where $U_\Phi$ is the unitary operator corresponding to the Boolean function $\Phi$. The action of this unitary operator, $U_\Phi$, on $|\Psi\rangle$ inverts the phase of the solution state $|t\rangle$ and the quantum register $|\Psi\rangle = (\prod_{i=1}^n H|0\rangle)$, where $H$ stands for the Hadamard gate, becomes $|\Psi_1\rangle = U_\Phi |\Psi\rangle = (\prod_{i=1}^n H|0\rangle) - \frac{2}{\sqrt{2^n}} |t_1 t_2 t_3 t_4 \cdots t_{n-1} t_n\rangle$. Performing the partial measurement on $|\Psi_1\rangle$ we measure its first qubit and record this result. If this result will not be equal to $|t_1\rangle$ then $|\Psi_1\rangle$ will change to state $|\Psi_2\rangle = (\prod_{i=1}^{n-1} H|0\rangle)$, a completely separable state with $(n-1)$ linear factors, $\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}(|0\rangle+|1\rangle)$ and if this result will be equal to $|t_1\rangle$ then $|\Psi_1\rangle$ will change to state $|\Psi_3\rangle = (\prod_{i=1}^{n-1} H|0\rangle) - \frac{2}{\sqrt{2^{n-1}}} |t_2 t_3 t_4 \cdots t_{n-1} t_n\rangle$, a completely entangled state with no factors. Thus, using together (i) the knowledge about the result of the partial measurement of the first qubit, and (ii) the knowledge about which state between the experimentally distinguishable states $|\Psi_2\rangle$ and $|\Psi_3\rangle$ has arrived as a result of this partial measurement, we will know $|t_1\rangle$. By repeating the same procedure from the beginning for the remaining qubits we will know $|t_2\rangle, |t_3\rangle, \cdots, |t_n\rangle$ etc. and thus in total $n$ such partial measurements we will know the solution state, $|t\rangle$ through performing $n$ partial measurements.


Keywords

Inner Product, Partial Measurements, Distinguishable Quantum States


Citation

Mehendale, D. P. (2022). An efficient quantum solution for np-complete problems using n partial measurements. Quantum Physics Letters, 11(2), 31–35. https://doi.org/10.18576/qpl/110203

Published by: Engineering Journals

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