arXiv subjects

Harry Buhrman

Publications and source records attributed to Harry Buhrman.

79 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv1998

Lower Bounds for Quantum Search and Derandomization

We prove lower bounds on the error probability of a quantum algorithm for searching through an unordered list of N items, as a function of the number T of queries it makes. In particular, if T=O(sqrt{N}) then the error is lower bounded by a constant. If we want error <1/2^N then we need T=Omega(N) queries. We apply this to show that a quantum computer cannot do much better than a classical computer when amplifying the success probability of an RP-machine. A classical computer can achieve error <=1/2^k using k applications of the RP-machine, a quantum computer still needs at least ck applications for this (when treating the machine as a black-box), where c>0 is a constant independent of k. Furthermore, we prove a lower bound of Omega(sqrt{log N}/loglog N) queries for quantum bounded-error search of an ordered list of N items.

quant-ph↗

arXiv1998

Quantum Lower Bounds by Polynomials

We examine the number T of queries that a quantum network requires to compute several Boolean functions on {0,1}^N in the black-box model. We show that, in the black-box model, the exponential quantum speed-up obtained for partial functions (i.e. problems involving a promise on the input) by Deutsch and Jozsa and by Simon cannot be obtained for any total function: if a quantum algorithm computes some total Boolean function f with bounded-error using T black-box queries then there is a classical deterministic algorithm that computes f exactly with O(T^6) queries. We also give asymptotically tight characterizations of T for all symmetric f in the exact, zero-error, and bounded-error settings. Finally, we give new precise bounds for AND, OR, and PARITY. Our results are a quantum extension of the so-called polynomial method, which has been successfully applied in classical complexity theory, and also a quantum extension of results by Nisan about a polynomial relationship between randomized and deterministic decision tree complexity.

quant-ph↗

arXiv1998

New Applications of the Incompressibility Method: Part II

The incompressibility method is an elementary yet powerful proof technique. It has been used successfully in many areas. To further demonstrate its power and elegance we exhibit new simple proofs using the incompressibility method.

cs.CC↗

arXiv1998

Separating complexity classes using autoreducibility

A set is autoreducible if it can be reduced to itself by a Turing machine that does not ask its own input to the oracle. We use autoreducibility to separate the polynomial-time hierarchy from polynomial space by showing that all Turing-complete sets for certain levels of the exponential-time hierarchy are autoreducible but there exists some Turing-complete set for doubly exponential space that is not. Although we already knew how to separate these classes using diagonalization, our proofs separate classes solely by showing they have different structural properties, thus applying Post's Program to complexity theory. We feel such techniques may prove unknown separations in the future. In particular, if we could settle the question as to whether all Turing-complete sets for doubly exponential time are autoreducible, we would separate either polynomial time from polynomial space, and nondeterministic logarithmic space from nondeterministic polynomial time, or else the polynomial-time hierarchy from exponential time. We also look at the autoreducibility of complete sets under nonadaptive, bounded query, probabilistic and nonuniform reductions. We show how settling some of these autoreducibility questions will also read to new complexity class separations.

math.LO↗

arXiv1998

Quantum vs. Classical Communication and Computation

We present a simple and general simulation technique that transforms any black-box quantum algorithm (a la Grover's database search algorithm) to a quantum communication protocol for a related problem, in a way that fully exploits the quantum parallelism. This allows us to obtain new positive and negative results. The positive results are novel quantum communication protocols that are built from nontrivial quantum algorithms via this simulation. These protocols, combined with (old and new) classical lower bounds, are shown to provide the first asymptotic separation results between the quantum and classical (probabilistic) two-party communication complexity models. In particular, we obtain a quadratic separation for the bounded-error model, and an exponential separation for the zero-error model. The negative results transform known quantum communication lower bounds to computational lower bounds in the black-box model. In particular, we show that the quadratic speed-up achieved by Grover for the OR function is impossible for the PARITY function or the MAJORITY function in the bounded-error model, nor is it possible for the OR function itself in the exact case. This dichotomy naturally suggests a study of bounded-depth predicates (i.e. those in the polynomial hierarchy) between OR and MAJORITY. We present black-box algorithms that achieve near quadratic speed up for all such predicates.

quant-ph↗

arXiv1997

Quantum Entanglement and Communication Complexity

We consider a variation of the multi-party communication complexity scenario where the parties are supplied with an extra resource: particles in an entangled quantum state. We show that, although a prior quantum entanglement cannot be used to simulate a communication channel, it can reduce the communication complexity of functions in some cases. Specifically, we show that, for a particular function among three parties (each of which possesses part of the function's input), a prior quantum entanglement enables them to learn the value of the function with only three bits of communication occurring among the parties, whereas, without quantum entanglement, four bits of communication are necessary. We also show that, for a particular two-party probabilistic communication complexity problem, quantum entanglement results in less communication than is required with only classical random correlations (instead of quantum entanglement). These results are a noteworthy contrast to the well-known fact that quantum entanglement cannot be used to actually simulate communication among remote parties.

quant-ph↗

arXiv1997

Substituting Quantum Entanglement for Communication

We show that quantum entanglement can be used as a substitute for communication when the goal is to compute a function whose input data is distributed among remote parties. Specifically, we show that, for a particular function among three parties (each of which possesses part of the function's input), a prior quantum entanglement enables one of them to learn the value of the function with only two bits of communication occurring among the parties, whereas, without quantum entanglement, three bits of communication are necessary. This result contrasts the well-known fact that quantum entanglement cannot be used to simulate communication among remote parties.

quant-ph↗