Phases of Matrix Product States with Symmetric Quantum Circuits and Symmetric Measurements with Feedforward

Abstract

Two matrix product states (MPS) are in the same phase in the presence of symmetries if they can be transformed into one another via symmetric short-depth circuits. We consider how symmetry-preserving measurements with feedforward alter the phase classification of MPS in the presence of global on-site symmetries. We demonstrate that, for all finite abelian symmetries, any two symmetric MPS belong to the same phase. We give an explicit protocol that achieves a transformation between any two phases and that uses only a depth-two symmetric circuit, two rounds of symmetric measurements, and a constant number of auxiliary systems per site. In the case of non-abelian symmetries, symmetry protection prevents one from deterministically transforming symmetry-protected topological (SPT) states to product states directly via measurements, thereby complicating the analysis. Nonetheless, we provide protocols that allow for asymptotically deterministic transformations between the trivial phase and certain SPT phases.