Depth-first search for tensor rank and border rank over finite fields

Abstract

We present an $O^*\left(|\mathbb{F}|^{(R-n_*)\left(\sum_d n_d\right)+n_*}\right)$-time algorithm for determining whether a tensor of shape $n_0\times\dots\times n_{D-1}$ over a finite field $\mathbb{F}$ has rank $\le R$, where $n_*:=\max_d n_d$; we assume without loss of generality that $\forall d:n_d\le R$. We also extend this problem to its border rank analog, i.e., determining tensor rank over rings of the form $\mathbb{F}[x]/(x^H)$, and give an $O^*\left(|\mathbb{F}|^{H\sum_{1\le r\le R} \sum_d \min(r,n_d)}\right)$-time algorithm. Both of our algorithms use polynomial space.