An entanglement monotone derived from Grover's algorithm

This paper demonstrates that how well a state performs as an input to Grover's search algorithm depends critically upon the entanglement present in that state; the more entanglement, the less well the algorithm performs. More precisely, suppose we take a pure state input, and prior to running the algorithm apply local unitary operations to each qubit in order to maximize the probability P_max that the search algorithm succeeds. We prove that, for pure states, P_max is an entanglement monotone, in the sense that P_max can never be decreased by local operations and classical communication.Comment: 7 page

Implementation of quantum search algorithm using classical Fourier optics

We report on an experiment on Grover's quantum search algorithm showing that {\em classical waves} can search a $N$-item database as efficiently as quantum mechanics can. The transverse beam profile of a short laser pulse is processed iteratively as the pulse bounces back and forth between two mirrors. We directly observe the sought item being found in $\sim\sqrt{N}$ iterations, in the form of a growing intensity peak on this profile. Although the lack of quantum entanglement limits the {\em size} of our database, our results show that entanglement is neither necessary for the algorithm itself, nor for its efficiency.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; minor revisions plus extra referenc