3 research outputs found
Recurrence of biased quantum walks on a line
The Polya number of a classical random walk on a regular lattice is known to
depend solely on the dimension of the lattice. For one and two dimensions it
equals one, meaning unit probability to return to the origin. This result is
extremely sensitive to the directional symmetry, any deviation from the equal
probability to travel in each direction results in a change of the character of
the walk from recurrent to transient. Applying our definition of the Polya
number to quantum walks on a line we show that the recurrence character of
quantum walks is more stable against bias. We determine the range of parameters
for which biased quantum walks remain recurrent. We find that there exist
genuine biased quantum walks which are recurrent.Comment: Journal reference added, minor corrections in the tex
Almost uniform sampling via quantum walks
Many classical randomized algorithms (e.g., approximation algorithms for
#P-complete problems) utilize the following random walk algorithm for {\em
almost uniform sampling} from a state space of cardinality : run a
symmetric ergodic Markov chain on for long enough to obtain a random
state from within total variation distance of the uniform
distribution over . The running time of this algorithm, the so-called {\em
mixing time} of , is , where
is the spectral gap of .
We present a natural quantum version of this algorithm based on repeated
measurements of the {\em quantum walk} . We show that it
samples almost uniformly from with logarithmic dependence on
just as the classical walk does; previously, no such
quantum walk algorithm was known. We then outline a framework for analyzing its
running time and formulate two plausible conjectures which together would imply
that it runs in time when is
the standard transition matrix of a constant-degree graph. We prove each
conjecture for a subclass of Cayley graphs.Comment: 13 pages; v2 added NSF grant info; v3 incorporated feedbac
Pseudo-Hermitian continuous-time quantum walks
In this paper we present a model exhibiting a new type of continuous-time
quantum walk (as a quantum mechanical transport process) on networks, which is
described by a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian possessing a real spectrum. We call it
pseudo-Hermitian continuous-time quantum walk. We introduce a method to obtain
the probability distribution of walk on any vertex and then study a specific
system. We observe that the probability distribution on certain vertices
increases compared to that of the Hermitian case. This formalism makes the
transport process faster and can be useful for search algorithms.Comment: 13 page, 7 figure