arXiv subjects

Christino Tamon

Publications and source records attributed to Christino Tamon.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Laziness of Quantum Walks on Graphs

The trace of the average mixing matrix of a quantum walk measures the "laziness" of the walk: the higher the trace, the more likely that the walker returns home in the long run. In this paper, we develop tools to study this graph invariant arising from Laplacian quantum walks. It is known that the complete graph $K_n$ is the laziest connected graph on $n$ vertices. Using our machinery, we show that the star $S_n$ is the second laziest connected graph on $n$ vertices (and hence the laziest tree on $n$ vertices), the complete multipartite graph $K_{n-2,1,1}$ is the third laziest connected graph on $n$ vertices, and the double star $DS(n-3,1)$ is the second laziest tree on $n$ vertices. We also show that on the same number of vertices, more unbalanced double stars are lazier.

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arXiv2026

Uniform Mixing in Chiral Quantum Walks

This paper studies uniform mixing in continuous-time quantum walks. We show that for some unitary signing $\sigma$, the complete graph $K^\sigma_n$ has probabilistic uniform mixing. In contrast, Ahmadi \etal (2003) proved that no complete graph has uniform mixing except for $K_2$, $K_3$, and $K_4$. Our technique is based on a stopping rule for quantum walks which reduces global to local uniform mixing. As a corollary, we found an orientation of $H(n,4)$ that mixes to uniform faster than any other Hamming graphs, which improves a result of Godsil and Zhan (2019). We also show that there are infinite families of oriented circulants with average uniform mixing. This is a chiral violation of a No-Go theorem due to Godsil (2013) which states that no graph has average uniform mixing except for $K_2$.

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arXiv2025

The strength of weak coupling

A paradoxical idea in quantum transport is that attaching weakly-coupled edges to a large base graph creates high-fidelity quantum state transfer. We provide a mathematical treatment that rigorously prove this folklore idea. Our proofs are elementary and build upon the Feshbach-Schur method from perturbation theory. We also show the idea is effective in circumventing Anderson localization in spin chains and finding speedups in hitting times useful for quantum search.

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arXiv2025

Matrix Inversion by Quantum Walk

The HHL algorithm for matrix inversion is a landmark algorithm in quantum computation. Its ability to produce a state $|x\rangle$ that is the solution of $Ax=b$, given the input state $|b\rangle$, is envisaged to have diverse applications. In this paper, we substantially simplify the algorithm, originally formed of a complex sequence of phase estimations, amplitude amplifications and Hamiltonian simulations, by replacing the phase estimations with a continuous time quantum walk. The key technique is the use of weak couplings to access the matrix inversion embedded in perturbation theory.

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arXiv2025

Optimising Perfect Quantum State Transfer for Timing Insensitivity

When studying the perfect transfer of a quantum state from one site to another, it is typically assumed that one can receive the arriving state at a specific instant in time, with perfect accuracy. Here, we study how sensitive perfect state transfer is to that timing. We design engineered spin chains which reduce their sensitivity, proving that this construction is asymptotically optimal. The same construction is applied to the task of creating superpositions, also known as fractional revival.

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arXiv2023

No Infinite Tail Beats Optimal Spatial Search

Farhi and Gutmann (Physical Review A, 57(4):2403, 1998) proved that a continuous-time analogue of Grover search (also called spatial search) is optimal on the complete graphs. We extend this result by showing that spatial search remains optimal in a complete graph even in the presence of an infinitely long path (or tail). If we view the latter as an external quantum system that has a limited but nontrivial interaction with our finite quantum system, this suggests that spatial search is robust against a coherent infinite one-dimensional probe. Moreover, we show that the search algorithm is oblivious in that it does not need to know whether the tail is present or not, and if so, where it is attached to.

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arXiv2023

State Transfer in Complex Quantum Walks

Given a graph with Hermitian adjacency matrix $H$, perfect state transfer occurs from vertex $a$ to vertex $b$ if the $(b,a)$-entry of the unitary matrix $\exp(-iHt)$ has unit magnitude for some time $t$. This phenomenon is relevant for information transmission in quantum spin networks and is known to be monogamous under real symmetric matrices. We prove the following results: 1. For oriented graphs (whose nonzero weights are $\pm i$), the oriented $3$-cycle and the oriented edge are the only graphs where perfect state transfer occurs between every pair of vertices. This settles a conjecture of Cameron et al. On the other hand, we construct an infinite family of oriented graphs with perfect state transfer between any pair of vertices on a subset of size four. 2. There are infinite families of Hermitian graphs with one-way perfect state transfer, where perfect state transfer occurs without periodicity. In contrast, perfect state transfer implies periodicity whenever the adjacency matrix has algebraic entries (as shown by Godsil). 3. There are infinite families with non-monogamous pretty good state transfer in rooted graph products. In particular, we generalize known results on double stars (due to Fan and Godsil) and on paths with loops (due to Kempton, Lippner and Yau). The latter extends the experimental observation of quantum transport (made by Zimbor\'{a}s et al.) and shows non-monogamous pretty good state transfer can occur amongst distant vertices.

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arXiv2022

Quantum State Transfer in Graphs with Tails

We consider quantum state transfer on finite graphs which are attached to infinite paths. The finite graph represents an operational quantum system for performing useful quantum information tasks. In contrast, the infinite paths represent external infinite-dimensional systems which have limited (but nontrivial) interaction with the finite quantum system. We show that {\em perfect} state transfer can surprisingly still occur on the finite graph even in the presence of the infinite tails. Our techniques are based on a decoupling theorem for eventually-free Jacobi matrices, equitable partitions, and standard Lie theoretic arguments. Through these methods, we rehabilitate the notion of a dark subspace which had been so far viewed in an unflattering light.

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arXiv2022

A Note on the Speed of Perfect State Transfer

In Phys. Rev. A 74, 030303 (2006), Yung showed that for a one-dimensional spin chain of length $N$ and maximum coupling strength $J_{\max}$, the time $t_0$ for a quantum state to transfer from one end of the chain to another is bounded by $J_{\max} t_0\geqπN/4$ (even $N$) and $J_{\max} t_0\geqπ\sqrt{N^2-1}/4$ (odd $N$). The proof for even $N$ was elegant, but the proof for odd $N$ was less so. This note provides a proof for the odd $N$ case that is simpler, and more in keeping with the proof for the even case.

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arXiv2022

Breaking the Speed Limit for Perfect Quantum State Transfer

We describe a protocol for perfectly transferring a quantum state from one party to another under the dynamics of a fixed, engineered Hamiltonian. Our protocol combines the concepts of fractional revival, dual rail encoding, and a rare glimpse of the anti-Zeno effect. Remarkably, the transfer happens faster than the speed limit for perfect quantum state transfer [1, 2].

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arXiv2022

Of Shadows and Gaps in Spatial Search

Spatial search occurs in a connected graph if a continuous-time quantum walk on the adjacency matrix of the graph, suitably scaled, plus a rank-one perturbation induced by any vertex will unitarily map the principal eigenvector of the graph to the characteristic vector of the vertex. This phenomenon is a natural continuous-time analogue of Grover search. The spatial search is said to be optimal if it occurs with constant fidelity and in time inversely proportional to the shadow of the target vertex on the principal eigenvector. Extending a result of Chakraborty et al. (Physical Review A, 102:032214, 2020), we prove a simpler characterization of optimal spatial search. Based on this characterization, we observe that some families of distance-regular graphs, such as Hamming and Grassmann graphs, have optimal spatial search. We also show a matching lower bound on time for spatial search with constant fidelity, which extends a bound due to Farhi and Gutmann for perfect fidelity. Our elementary proofs employ standard tools, such as Weyl inequalities and Cauchy determinant formula.

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arXiv2020

Fundamentals of fractional revival in graphs

We develop a general spectral framework to analyze quantum fractional revival in quantum spin networks. In particular, we introduce generalizations of the notions of cospectral and strongly cospectral vertices to arbitrary subsets of vertices, and give various examples. This work resolves two open questions of Chan et.~al. ["Quantum Fractional Revival on graphs". Discrete Applied Math, 269:86-98, 2019.]

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arXiv2019

A Note on Quantum Markov Models

The study of Markov models is central to control theory and machine learning. A quantum analogue of partially observable Markov decision process was studied in (Barry, Barry, and Aaronson, Phys. Rev. A, 90, 2014). It was proved that goal-state reachability is undecidable in the quantum setting, whereas it is decidable classically. In contrast to this classical-to-quantum transition from decidable to undecidable, we observe that the problem of approximating the optimal policy which maximizes the average discounted reward over an infinite horizon remains decidable in the quantum setting. Given that most relevant problems related to Markov decision process are undecidable classically (which immediately implies undecidability in the quantum case), this provides one of the few examples where the quantum problem is tractable.

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arXiv2019

Fractional Revival and Association Schemes

Fractional revival occurs between two vertices in a graph if a continuous-time quantum walk unitarily maps the characteristic vector of one vertex to a superposition of the characteristic vectors of the two vertices. This phenomenon is relevant in quantum information in particular for entanglement generation in spin networks. We study fractional revival in graphs whose adjacency matrices belong to the Bose-Mesner algebra of association schemes. A specific focus is a characterization of balanced fractional revival (which corresponds to maximal entanglement) in graphs that belong to the Hamming scheme. Our proofs exploit the intimate connections between algebraic combinatorics and orthogonal polynomials.

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arXiv2018

Quantum Fractional Revival on Graphs

Fractional revival is a quantum transport phenomenon important for entanglement generation in spin networks. This takes place whenever a continuous-time quantum walk maps the characteristic vector of a vertex to a superposition of the characteristic vectors of a subset of vertices containing the initial vertex. A main focus will be on the case when the subset has two vertices. We explore necessary and sufficient spectral conditions for graphs to exhibit fractional revival. This provides a characterization of fractional revival in paths and cycles. Our work builds upon the algebraic machinery developed for related quantum transport phenomena such as state transfer and mixing, and it reveals a fundamental connection between them.

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arXiv2017

A graph with fractional revival

An example of a graph that admits balanced fractional revival between antipodes is presented. It is obtained by establishing the correspondence between the quantum walk on a hypercube where the opposite vertices across the diagonals of each face are connected and, the coherent transport of single excitations in the extension of the Krawtchouk spin chain with next-to-nearest neighbour interactions.

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arXiv2017

Universality in perfect state transfer

A continuous-time quantum walk on a graph is a matrix-valued function $\exp(-\mathtt{i} At)$ over the reals, where $A$ is the adjacency matrix of the graph. Such a quantum walk has universal perfect state transfer if for all vertices $u,v$, there is a time where the $(v,u)$ entry of the matrix exponential has unit magnitude. We prove new characterizations of graphs with universal perfect state transfer. This extends results of Cameron et al. (Linear Algebra and Its Applications, 455:115-142, 2014). Also, we construct non-circulant families of graphs with universal perfect state transfer. All prior known constructions were circulants. Moreover, we prove that if a circulant, whose order is prime, prime squared, or a power of two, has universal perfect state transfer then its underlying graph must be complete. This is nearly tight since there are universal perfect state transfer circulants with non-prime-power order where some edges are missing.

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arXiv2016

Quantum State Transfer on Coronas

We study state transfer in quantum walk on graphs relative to the adjacency matrix. Our motivation is to understand how the addition of pendant subgraphs affect state transfer. For two graphs $G$ and $H$, the Frucht-Harary corona product $G \circ H$ is obtained by taking $|G|$ copies of the cone $K_{1} + H$ and by connecting the conical vertices according to $G$. Our work explores conditions under which the corona $G \circ H$ exhibits state transfer. We also describe new families of graphs with state transfer based on the corona product. Some of these constructions provide a generalization of related known results.

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