On the state complexity of semi-quantum finite automata

Some of the most interesting and important results concerning quantum finite automata are those showing that they can recognize certain languages with (much) less resources than corresponding classical finite automata \cite{Amb98,Amb09,AmYa11,Ber05,Fre09,Mer00,Mer01,Mer02,Yak10,ZhgQiu112,Zhg12}. This paper shows three results of such a type that are stronger in some sense than other ones because (a) they deal with models of quantum automata with very little quantumness (so-called semi-quantum one- and two-way automata with one qubit memory only); (b) differences, even comparing with probabilistic classical automata, are bigger than expected; (c) a trade-off between the number of classical and quantum basis states needed is demonstrated in one case and (d) languages (or the promise problem) used to show main results are very simple and often explored ones in automata theory or in communication complexity, with seemingly little structure that could be utilized.Comment: 19 pages. We improve (make stronger) the results in section

Finite state verifiers with constant randomness

We give a new characterization of $\mathsf{NL}$ as the class of languages whose members have certificates that can be verified with small error in polynomial time by finite state machines that use a constant number of random bits, as opposed to its conventional description in terms of deterministic logarithmic-space verifiers. It turns out that allowing two-way interaction with the prover does not change the class of verifiable languages, and that no polynomially bounded amount of randomness is useful for constant-memory computers when used as language recognizers, or public-coin verifiers. A corollary of our main result is that the class of outcome problems corresponding to O(log n)-space bounded games of incomplete information where the universal player is allowed a constant number of moves equals NL.Comment: 17 pages. An improved versio

Quantum counter automata

The question of whether quantum real-time one-counter automata (rtQ1CAs) can outperform their probabilistic counterparts has been open for more than a decade. We provide an affirmative answer to this question, by demonstrating a non-context-free language that can be recognized with perfect soundness by a rtQ1CA. This is the first demonstration of the superiority of a quantum model to the corresponding classical one in the real-time case with an error bound less than 1. We also introduce a generalization of the rtQ1CA, the quantum one-way one-counter automaton (1Q1CA), and show that they too are superior to the corresponding family of probabilistic machines. For this purpose, we provide general definitions of these models that reflect the modern approach to the definition of quantum finite automata, and point out some problems with previous results. We identify several remaining open problems.Comment: A revised version. 16 pages. A preliminary version of this paper appeared as A. C. Cem Say, Abuzer Yakary{\i}lmaz, and \c{S}efika Y\"{u}zsever. Quantum one-way one-counter automata. In R\={u}si\c{n}\v{s} Freivalds, editor, Randomized and quantum computation, pages 25--34, 2010 (Satellite workshop of MFCS and CSL 2010

Generalizations of the distributed Deutsch-Jozsa promise problem

In the {\em distributed Deutsch-Jozsa promise problem}, two parties are to determine whether their respective strings $x,y\in\{0,1\}^n$ are at the {\em Hamming distance} $H(x,y)=0$ or $H(x,y)=\frac{n}{2}$. Buhrman et al. (STOC' 98) proved that the exact {\em quantum communication complexity} of this problem is ${\bf O}(\log {n})$ while the {\em deterministic communication complexity} is ${\bf \Omega}(n)$. This was the first impressive (exponential) gap between quantum and classical communication complexity. In this paper, we generalize the above distributed Deutsch-Jozsa promise problem to determine, for any fixed $\frac{n}{2}\leq k\leq n$, whether $H(x,y)=0$ or $H(x,y)= k$, and show that an exponential gap between exact quantum and deterministic communication complexity still holds if $k$ is an even such that $\frac{1}{2}n\leq k<(1-\lambda) n$, where $0< \lambda<\frac{1}{2}$ is given. We also deal with a promise version of the well-known {\em disjointness} problem and show also that for this promise problem there exists an exponential gap between quantum (and also probabilistic) communication complexity and deterministic communication complexity of the promise version of such a disjointness problem. Finally, some applications to quantum, probabilistic and deterministic finite automata of the results obtained are demonstrated.Comment: we correct some errors of and improve the presentation the previous version. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1309.773

From Quantum Query Complexity to State Complexity

State complexity of quantum finite automata is one of the interesting topics in studying the power of quantum finite automata. It is therefore of importance to develop general methods how to show state succinctness results for quantum finite automata. One such method is presented and demonstrated in this paper. In particular, we show that state succinctness results can be derived out of query complexity results.Comment: Some typos in references were fixed. To appear in Gruska Festschrift (2014). Comments are welcome. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1402.7254, arXiv:1309.773

Computation in Finitary Stochastic and Quantum Processes

We introduce stochastic and quantum finite-state transducers as computation-theoretic models of classical stochastic and quantum finitary processes. Formal process languages, representing the distribution over a process's behaviors, are recognized and generated by suitable specializations. We characterize and compare deterministic and nondeterministic versions, summarizing their relative computational power in a hierarchy of finitary process languages. Quantum finite-state transducers and generators are a first step toward a computation-theoretic analysis of individual, repeatedly measured quantum dynamical systems. They are explored via several physical systems, including an iterated beam splitter, an atom in a magnetic field, and atoms in an ion trap--a special case of which implements the Deutsch quantum algorithm. We show that these systems' behaviors, and so their information processing capacity, depends sensitively on the measurement protocol.Comment: 25 pages, 16 figures, 1 table; http://cse.ucdavis.edu/~cmg; numerous corrections and update

On the Complexity of the Equivalence Problem for Probabilistic Automata

Checking two probabilistic automata for equivalence has been shown to be a key problem for efficiently establishing various behavioural and anonymity properties of probabilistic systems. In recent experiments a randomised equivalence test based on polynomial identity testing outperformed deterministic algorithms. In this paper we show that polynomial identity testing yields efficient algorithms for various generalisations of the equivalence problem. First, we provide a randomized NC procedure that also outputs a counterexample trace in case of inequivalence. Second, we show how to check for equivalence two probabilistic automata with (cumulative) rewards. Our algorithm runs in deterministic polynomial time, if the number of reward counters is fixed. Finally we show that the equivalence problem for probabilistic visibly pushdown automata is logspace equivalent to the Arithmetic Circuit Identity Testing problem, which is to decide whether a polynomial represented by an arithmetic circuit is identically zero.Comment: technical report for a FoSSaCS'12 pape