arXiv subjects

Hao-Kai Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Hao-Kai Zhang.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Absence of poor local minima in matrix product states

Quantum circuits suffer from severe trainability issues: even shallow circuits are swamped with poor local minima. Yet matrix product states (MPS), which can be prepared by sequential circuits, are remarkably trainable in practice -- as demonstrated by decades of successful density matrix renormalization group calculations. In this work, we resolve this apparent paradox by proving that the energy landscapes of MPS are free from poor local minima, under the same setting where brickwork circuits are not. The key insight is that the gauge freedom of MPS creates an effective local overparametrization that causes local minima to concentrate near the global minimum, analogous to overparametrized classical neural networks. We rigorously prove that the local minimum distribution is invariant under moves of the orthogonality center of MPS representations. Numerical experiments further confirm that the optimization of sequential circuits converges to near-optimal solutions even for random Hamiltonians, in stark contrast to brickwork circuits. Our findings establish a theoretical understanding of the trainability of MPS, providing a valuable guide for designing variational quantum circuits and algorithms with better trainability in the future.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Nonstabilizerness Mpemba Effects

Quantum state preparation can be strikingly counterintuitive: the fastest route to a target state need not start from the apparently closest initial condition. We uncover such a quantum Mpemba effect in the dynamical generation of quantum magic (nonstabilizerness), quantified by the stabilizer Rényi entropy, in $\mathrm{U(1)}$-symmetric random circuits initialized from tilted product states. States with lower initial magic can generate magic faster than states with higher initial magic. The acceleration is not determined solely by the conserved-charge distribution. Two initial-state families with identical initial magic and identical charge distribution exhibit qualitatively different magic-growth dynamics, depending also on the spatial structure of the initial state within each charge sector. Analogous magic Mpemba effects in $\mathrm{SU(2)}$-symmetric circuits and under nonintegrable Hamiltonian dynamics further show that the phenomenon is tied neither to Abelian symmetry nor to random-circuit dynamics, establishing quantum magic as a distinct arena for Mpemba physics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Quantum-interference-induced pairing in bosonic doped antiferromagnets

The pairing mechanism in doped antiferromagnets is essential for understanding high-temperature superconductivity. In this work, we investigate the pairing mechanism in bosonic doped antiferromagnets via large-scale density matrix renormalization group calculations of the bosonic $t$-$J$ model. We discover a pair density wave (PDW) coexists with the antiferromagnetic (AFM) order forming a ``supersolid'' at small doping. The pairing is attributed to a hidden many-body Berry phase that introduces the sole ``sign problem'' into this bosonic model and imposes quantum phase frustration to the spin-charge interference pattern. Only via tightly pairing of doped holes, can such frustration be most effectively erased in an AFM background. By contrast, the pairing vanishes as the Berry phase is trivialized in the ferromagnetic condensate at larger doping or switched off into the Bose-Hubbard model at large $U$. The present pairing mechanism -- distinct from the conventional mechanisms based on Fermi surface instabilities -- may provide a different perspective and new insights for understanding the complex nature of doped Mott insulators and is promising to be probed on qudit-based quantum simulators such as ultracold Rydberg atom arrays.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Symmetry restoration and quantum Mpemba effect in many-body localization systems

Non-equilibrium dynamics of quantum many-body systems has attracted increasing attention owing to a variety of intriguing phenomena absent in equilibrium physics. A prominent example is the quantum Mpemba effect, where subsystem symmetry is restored more rapidly under a symmetric quench from a more asymmetric initial state. In this work, we investigate symmetry restoration and the quantum Mpemba effect in many-body localized systems for a range of initial states. We show that symmetry can still be restored in the many-body localization regime without approaching thermal equilibrium. Moreover, we demonstrate that the quantum Mpemba effect emerges universally for any tilted product state, in contrast to chaotic systems where its occurrence depends sensitively on the choice of the initial state. We further provide a theoretical analysis of symmetry restoration and the quantum Mpemba effect using an effective model for many-body localization. Overall, this paper fills an important gap in establishing a unified understanding of symmetry restoration and the quantum Mpemba effect in generic many-body systems, and it advances our understanding of many-body localization.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2025

Scalable Quantum Architecture Search via Landscape Analysis

Balancing trainability and expressibility is a central challenge in variational quantum computing, and quantum architecture search (QAS) plays a pivotal role by automatically designing problem-specific parameterized circuits that address this trade-off. In this work, we introduce a scalable, training-free QAS framework that efficiently explores and evaluates quantum circuits through landscape fluctuation analysis. This analysis captures key characteristics of the cost function landscape, enabling accurate prediction of circuit learnability without costly training. By combining this metric with a streamlined two-level search strategy, our approach identifies high-performance, large-scale circuits with higher accuracy and fewer gates. We further demonstrate the practicality and scalability of our method, achieving significantly lower classical resource consumption compared to prior work. Notably, our framework attains robust performance on a challenging 50-qubit quantum many-body simulation, highlighting its potential for addressing complex quantum problems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Predicting quantum learnability from landscape fluctuation

The conflict between trainability and expressibility is a key challenge in variational quantum computing and quantum machine learning. Resolving this conflict necessitates designing specific quantum neural networks (QNN) tailored for specific problems, which urgently needs a general and efficient method to predict the learnability of QNNs without costly training. In this work, we demonstrate a simple and efficient metric for learnability by comparing the fluctuations of the given training landscape with standard learnable landscapes. This metric shows surprising effectiveness in predicting learnability as it unifies the effects of insufficient expressibility, barren plateaus, bad local minima, and overparametrization. Importantly, it can be estimated efficiently on classical computers via Clifford sampling without actual training on quantum devices. We conduct extensive numerical experiments to validate its effectiveness regarding physical and random Hamiltonians. We also prove a compact lower bound for the metric in locally scrambled circuits as analytical guidance. Our findings enable efficient predictions of learnability, allowing fast selection of suitable QNN architectures for a given problem without training, which can greatly improve the efficiency especially when access to quantum devices is limited.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Symmetry restoration and quantum Mpemba effect in symmetric random circuits

Entanglement asymmetry, which serves as a diagnostic tool for symmetry breaking and a proxy for thermalization, has recently been proposed and studied in the context of symmetry restoration for quantum many-body systems undergoing a quench. In this Letter, we investigate symmetry restoration in various symmetric random quantum circuits, particularly focusing on the U(1) symmetry case. In contrast to non-symmetric random circuits where the U(1) symmetry of a small subsystem can always be restored at late times, we reveal that symmetry restoration can fail in U(1)-symmetric circuits for certain weak symmetry-broken initial states in finite-size systems. In the early-time dynamics, we observe an intriguing quantum Mpemba effect implying that symmetry is restored faster when the initial state is more asymmetric. Furthermore, we also investigate the entanglement asymmetry dynamics for SU(2) and $Z_{2}$ symmetric circuits and identify the presence and absence of the quantum Mpemba effect for the corresponding symmetries, respectively. A unified understanding of these results is provided through the lens of quantum thermalization with conserved charges.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Strong Pairing Originated from an Emergent $\mathbb{Z}_2$ Berry Phase in La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$

The recent discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ offers a fresh platform for exploring unconventional pairing mechanisms. Starting with the basic argument that the electrons in $d_{z^2}$ orbitals nearly form local moments, we examine the effect of the Hubbard interaction $U$ on the binding strength of Cooper pairs based on a single-orbital bilayer model with intralayer hopping $t_{\|}$ and interlayer super-exchange $J_{\perp}$. By extensive density matrix renormalization group calculations, we observe a remarkable enhancement in binding energy as much as $10$-$20$ times larger with $U/t_\|$ increasing from $0$ to $12$ at $J_{\perp}/t_\|\sim 1$. We demonstrate that such a substantial enhancement stems from a kinetic-energy-driven mechanism. Specifically, a $\mathbb{Z}_2$ Berry phase will emerge at large $U$ due to the Hilbert space restriction (Mottness), which strongly suppresses the mobility of single particle propagation as compared to $U=0$. However, the kinetic energy of the electrons (holes) can be greatly restored by forming an interlayer spin-singlet pairing, which naturally results in a superconducting state even for relatively small $J_\perp$. An effective hard-core bosonic model is further proposed to estimate the superconducting transition temperature at the mean-field level.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Absence of barren plateaus in finite local-depth circuits with long-range entanglement

Ground state preparation is classically intractable for general Hamiltonians. On quantum devices, shallow parameterized circuits can be effectively trained to obtain short-range entangled states under the paradigm of variational quantum eigensolver, while deep circuits are generally untrainable due to the barren plateau phenomenon. In this Letter, we give a general lower bound on the variance of circuit gradients for arbitrary quantum circuits composed of local 2-designs. Based on our unified framework, we prove the absence of barren plateaus in training finite local-depth circuits (FLDC) for the ground states of local Hamiltonians. FLDCs are allowed to be deep in the conventional circuit depth to generate long-range entangled ground states, such as topologically ordered states, but their local depths are finite, i.e., there is only a finite number of gates acting on individual qubits. This characteristic sets FLDC apart from shallow circuits: FLDC in general cannot be classically simulated to estimate local observables efficiently by existing tensor network methods in two and higher dimensions. We validate our analytical results with extensive numerical simulations and demonstrate the effectiveness of variational training using the generalized toric code model.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Pair density wave characterized by a hidden string order parameter

A composite pairing structure of superconducting state is revealed by density matrix renormalization group study in a two-leg $t$-$J$ model. The pairing order parameter is composed of a pairing amplitude and a phase factor, in which the latter explicitly depends on the spin background with an analytic form identified in the anisotropic limit as the interchain hopping integral $t_{\perp}\rightarrow 0$. Such a string-like phase factor is responsible for a pair density wave (PDW) induced by spin polarization with a wavevector $Q_{\mathrm {PDW}}=2πm$ ($m$ the magnetization). By contrast, the pairing amplitude remains smooth, unchanged by the PDW. In particular, a local spin polarization can give rise to a sign change of the order parameter across the local defect. Unlike in an Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state, the nonlocal phase factor here plays a role as the new order parameter characterizing the PDW, whose origin can be traced back to the essential sign structure of the doped Mott insulator.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Fundamental limitations on optimization in variational quantum algorithms

Exploring quantum applications of near-term quantum devices is a rapidly growing field of quantum information science with both theoretical and practical interests. A leading paradigm to establish such near-term quantum applications is variational quantum algorithms (VQAs). These algorithms use a classical optimizer to train a parameterized quantum circuit to accomplish certain tasks, where the circuits are usually randomly initialized. In this work, we prove that for a broad class of such random circuits, the variation range of the cost function via adjusting any local quantum gate within the circuit vanishes exponentially in the number of qubits with a high probability. This result can unify the restrictions on gradient-based and gradient-free optimizations in a natural manner and reveal extra harsh constraints on the training landscapes of VQAs. Hence a fundamental limitation on the trainability of VQAs is unraveled, indicating the essential mechanism of the optimization hardness in the Hilbert space with exponential dimension. We further showcase the validity of our results with numerical simulations of representative VQAs. We believe that these results would deepen our understanding of the scalability of VQAs and shed light on the search for near-term quantum applications with advantages.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Mitigating barren plateaus of variational quantum eigensolvers

Variational quantum algorithms (VQAs) are expected to establish valuable applications on near-term quantum computers. However, recent works have pointed out that the performance of VQAs greatly relies on the expressibility of the ansatzes and is seriously limited by optimization issues such as barren plateaus (i.e., vanishing gradients). This work proposes the state efficient ansatz (SEA) for accurate ground state preparation with improved trainability. We show that the SEA can generate an arbitrary pure state with much fewer parameters than a universal ansatz, making it efficient for tasks like ground state estimation. Then, we prove that barren plateaus can be efficiently mitigated by the SEA and the trainability can be further improved most quadratically by flexibly adjusting the entangling capability of the SEA. Finally, we investigate a plethora of examples in ground state estimation where we obtain significant improvements in the magnitude of cost gradient and the convergence speed.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Two-Hole Ground State: Dichotomy in Pairing Symmetry

A single-hole ground state Ansatz for the two-dimensional t-J model has been recently studied by the variational Monte Carlo (VMC) method. Such a doped hole behaves like a "twisted" non-Landau quasiparticle characterized by an emergent quantum number in agreement with exact numerics. In this work, we further investigate the ground state of two holes by VMC. It is found that the two holes strongly attract each other to form a pairing state with a new quantum number the same as obtained by the numerical exact diagonalization and density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) calculations. A unique feature of this pairing state is a dichotomy in the pairing symmetry, i.e., a d-wave in terms of the electron c operators and an s-wave in terms of the new quasiparticles, as explicitly illustrated in the ground state wave function. A similar VMC study of a two-hole wave function for the t-J two-leg ladder also yields a good agreement with the DMRG result. We demonstrate that the pairing mechanism responsible for the strong binding here is not due to the long-range antiferromagnetic order nor the resonating-valence-bound pairing in the spin background but is the consequence of the quantum phase-strings created by the hopping of holes. The resulting spin-current pattern mediating the pairing force is explicitly illustrated in the VMC calculation. Physical implications to superconductivity at finite doping are also discussed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Identification of Magnetic Interactions and High-field Quantum Spin Liquid in $α$-RuCl$_3$

The frustrated magnet $α$-RuCl$_3$ constitutes a fascinating quantum material platform that harbors the intriguing Kitaev physics. However, a consensus on its intricate spin interactions and field-induced quantum phases has not been reached yet. Here we exploit multiple state-of-the-art many-body methods and determine the microscopic spin model that quantitatively explains major observations in $α$-RuCl$_3$, including the zigzag order, double-peak specific heat, magnetic anisotropy, and the characteristic M-star dynamical spin structure, etc. According to our model simulations, the in-plane field drives the system into the polarized phase at about 7 T and a thermal fractionalization occurs at finite temperature, reconciling observations in different experiments. Under out-of-plane fields, the zigzag order is suppressed at 35 T, above which, and below a polarization field of 100 T level, there emerges a field-induced quantum spin liquid. The fractional entropy and algebraic low-temperature specific heat unveil the nature of a gapless spin liquid, which can be explored in high-field measurements on $α$-RuCl$_3$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Universal Thermodynamics in the Kitaev Fractional Liquid

In the Kitaev honeycomb model, the quantum spin fractionalizes into itinerant Majorana and gauge flux spontaneously upon cooling, leading to rich experimental ramifications at finite temperature and an upsurge of research interest. In this work, we employ the exponential tensor renormalization group approach to explore the Kitaev model under various perturbations, including the external fields, Heisenberg, and the off-diagonal couplings that are common in the Kitaev materials. Through large-scale manybody calculations, we find a Kitaev fractional liquid at intermediate temperature that is robust against perturbations. The fractional liquid exhibits universal thermodynamic behaviors, including the fractional thermal entropy, metallic specific heat, and an intermediate-temperature Curie law of magnetic susceptibility. The emergent universal susceptibility behavior, with a modified Curie constant, can be ascribed to the strongly fluctuating $\mathbb{Z}_2$ fluxes as well as the extremely short-ranged and bond-directional spin correlations. With this insight, we revisit the susceptibility measurements of Na$_2$IrO$_3$ and $α$-RuCl$_3$, and find evident signatures of finite-temperature fractionalization and ferromagnetic Kitaev couplings. Moreover, the peculiar spin correlation in the fractional liquid corresponds to a stripy structure factor which rotates in the extended Brillouin zone as the spin component changes. Therefore, our findings encourage future experimental exploration of fractional liquid in the Kitaev materials by thermodynamic measurements and spin-resolved structure factor probes.

cond-mat.str-el↗