arXiv subjects

Pablo Arnault

Publications and source records attributed to Pablo Arnault.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Fermion-doubling problem in Chiral discretizations of Quantum field theory: Definitive proof, Fixing, and Computation of two-point correlation function

We give the definitive proof that the Dirac Quantum Cellular Automaton (QCA) used for both quantum simulation and algorithmic foundations of Quantum Field Theory (QFT), and especially of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED), as put forward in References https://doi.org/10.1007/s11128-019-2555-4 and https://doi.org/10.22331/q-2023-11-08-1179, does exhibit Fermion Doubling (FD), albeit thrice as less severe as discrete-time standard Lattice Gauge Theories (LGTs) [arXiv:2505.0790], which are naive regarding the spacetime discretization of differential operators acting on fermionic fields. The proof is done for the (1 + 1)D Dirac-QCA model. We show that the (one-time-step) two-point correlation function, also called Green's function (GF), of the Dirac QCA, is of astonishing simplicity, which is in contrast with the GF of the Dirac equation. We also compare, both qualitatively and quantitatively, this Dirac QCA to the continuous-time-LGT spatial discretization of Dirac fermions regarding how well these two lattice models approximate their naive continuum limit$\unicode{x2014}$which is nothing but the Dirac equation$\unicode{x2014}$even when far away from that limit, a situation which must be considered because of experimental limitations in quantum simulation: the Dirac QCA is better for ultrarelativistic regimes, whereas continuous-time LGT is better for non-relativistic regimes. Then, we compute the GF of the FD-fixed model put forward in the last cited reference, called Flavored Dirac QCA (FDQCA)$\unicode{x2014}$which staggers an extra, artificial flavor $only$, on a diamond spacetime lattice, and does not stagger chirality as staggered fermions in usual LGT. The structure of this FDQCA two-point correlation function is of extreme simplicity, and can be expressed in a very simple manner in terms of the four chiral components of the FD-suffering, original-model GF.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2025

Fermion Doubling in Quantum Cellular Automata

A Quantum Cellular Automaton (QCA) is essentially an operator driving the evolution of particles on a lattice, through local unitaries. Because $\Delta_t=\Delta_x = \epsilon$, QCAs constitute a privileged framework to cast the digital quantum simulation of relativistic quantum particles and their interactions with gauge fields, e.g., $(3+1)$D Quantum Electrodynamics (QED). But before they can be adopted, simulation schemes for high-energy physics need prove themselves against specific numerical issues, of which the most infamous is Fermion Doubling (FD). FD is well understood in particular in the real-time, discrete-space \emph{but} continuous-time settings of Hamiltonian Lattice Gauge Theories (LGTs), as the appearance of spurious solutions for all $\Delta_x=\epsilon\neq 0$. We rigorously extend this analysis to the real-time, discrete-space \emph{and} discrete-time schemes that QCAs are. We demonstrate the existence of FD issues in QCAs for $\Delta_t =\Delta_x = \epsilon \neq 0$. By applying a covering map on the Brillouin zone, we provide a flavor-staggering-only way of fixing FD that does not break the chiral symmetry of the massless scheme. We explain how this method coexists with the Nielsen-Ninomiya no-go theorem, and give an example of neutrino-like QCA showing that our model allows to put chiral fermions interacting via the weak interaction on a spacetime lattice, without running into any FD problem.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Canonical quantization of the complex scalar field without making use of its real and imaginary parts

We proceed to the canonical quantization of the complex scalar field without making use of its real and imaginary parts. Our motivation is to formally connect, as tightly as possible, the quantum-field notions of particle and antiparticle$\unicode{x2014}$most prominently represented, formally, by creation and annihilation operators$\unicode{x2014}$to the initial classical field theory$\unicode{x2014}$whose main formal object is the field amplitude at a given spacetime point. Our point of view is that doing this via the use of the real and imaginary parts of the field is not satisfying. The derivation demands to consider, just before quantization, the field and its complex conjugate as independent fields, which yields a system of two copies of independent complex scalar fields. One then proceeds to quantization with these two copies, which leads to the introduction of two families of creation and annihilation operators, corresponding to particles for the creation operators, and to antiparticles for the annihilation operators. One realizes that having two such families is the only hope for being able to "invert" the definitions of the creation and annihilation in terms of the Fourier quantized fields, so as to finally obtain an expression of the direct-space fields in terms of these creation and annihilation operators, because the real-field condition used in the case of a real scalar field does not hold for a complex scalar field. This final goal is then met by introducing the complex-conjugate constraint at the quantum level, that is, that the second independent field copy is actually the complex conjugate of the first. All derivations are led in a rigorous, and in particular purely deductive way, and all standard results are recovered that way. While we reckon our derivation exists in the literature, we have not found it.

physics.gen-ph↗

arXiv2024

A typology of quantum algorithms

We draw the current landscape of quantum algorithms, by classifying about 130 quantum algorithms, according to the fundamental mathematical problems they solve, their real-world applications, the main subroutines they employ, and several other relevant criteria. The primary objectives include revealing trends of algorithms, identifying promising fields for implementations in the NISQ era, and identifying the key algorithmic primitives that power quantum advantage.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Adjustable-depth quantum circuit for position-dependent coin operators of discrete-time quantum walks

Discrete-time quantum walks with position-dependent coin operators have numerous applications. For a position dependence that is sufficiently smooth, it has been provided in Ref. [1] an approximate quantum-circuit implementation of the coin operator that is efficient. If we want the quantum-circuit implementation to be exact (e.g., either, in the case of a smooth position dependence, to have a perfect precision, or in order to treat a non-smooth position dependence), but the depth of the circuit not to scale exponentially, then we can use the linear-depth circuit of Ref. [1], which achieves a depth that is linear at the cost of introducing an exponential number of ancillas. In this paper, we provide an adjustable-depth quantum circuit for the exact implementation of the position-dependent coin operator. This adjustable-depth circuit consists in (i) applying in parallel, with a linear-depth circuit, only certain packs of coin operators (rather than all of them as in the original linear-depth circuit [1]), each pack contributing linearly to the depth, and in (ii) applying sequentially these packs, which contributes exponentially to the depth.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Quantum circuits for discrete-time quantum walks with position-dependent coin operator

The aim of this paper is to build quantum circuits that implement discrete-time quantum walks having an arbitrary position-dependent coin operator. The position of the walker is encoded in base 2: with $n$ wires, each corresponding to one qubit, we encode $2^n$ position states. The data necessary to define an arbitrary position-dependent coin operator is therefore exponential in $n$. We first propose a circuit implementing the position-dependent coin operator, that is naive, in the sense that it has exponential depth and implements sequentially all appropriate position-dependent coin operators. We then propose a circuit that "transfers" all the depth into ancillae, yielding a final depth that is linear in $n$ at the cost of an exponential number of ancillae. The main idea of this linear-depth circuit is to implement in parallel all coin operators at the different positions. Finally, we extend the result of Ref. [2] from position-dependent unitaries which are diagonal in the position basis to position-dependent $2 \times 2$-block-diagonal unitaries: indeed, we show that for a position dependence of the coin operator (the block-diagonal unitary) which is smooth enough, one can find an efficient quantum-circuit implementation approximating the coin operator up to an error $\epsilon$ (in terms of the spectral norm), the depth and size of which scale as $O(1/\epsilon)$. A typical application of the efficient implementation would be the quantum simulation of a relativistic spin-1/2 particle on a lattice, coupled to a smooth external gauge field; notice that recently, quantum spatial-search schemes have been developed which use gauge fields as the oracle, to mark the vertex to be found [3, 4]. A typical application of the linear-depth circuit would be when there is spatial noise on the coin operator (and hence a non-smooth dependence in the position).

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Quantum spatial search with electric potential : long-time dynamics and robustness to noise

We present various results on the scheme introduced , which is a quantum spatial-search algorithm on a two-dimensional (2D) square spatial grid, realized with a 2D Dirac discrete-time quantum walk (DQW) coupled to a Coulomb electric field centered on the marked node. In such a walk, the electric term acts as the oracle of the algorithm, and the free walk (i.e., without electric term) acts as the "diffusion" part, as it is called in Grover's algorithm. The results are the following. First, we run simulations of this electric Dirac DQW during longer times than explored in Ref.\ \cite{ZD21}, and observe that there is a second localization peak around the node marked by the oracle, reached in a time $O(\sqrt{N})$, where $N$ is the number of nodes of the 2D grid, with a localization probability scaling as $O(1/\ln N)$. This matches the state-of-the-art 2D DQW search algorithms before amplitude amplification. We then study the effect of adding noise on the Coulomb potential, and observe that the walk, especially the second localization peak, is highly robust to spatial noise, more modestly robust to spatiotemporal noise, and that the first localization peak is even highly robust to spatiotemporal noise.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

A single-particle framework for unitary lattice gauge theory in discrete time

We construct a real-time lattice-gauge-theory-type action for a spin-1/2 matter field of a single particle on a (1+1)-dimensional spacetime lattice. The framework is based on a discrete-time quantum walk, and is hence inherently unitary and strictly local, i.e., transition amplitudes exactly vanish outside of a lightcone on the lattice. We then provide a lattice Noether's theorem for internal symmetries of this action. We further couple this action to an electromagnetic field by a minimal substitution on the lattice. Finally, we suggest a real-time lattice-gauge-theory-type action for the electromagnetic field in arbitrary spacetime dimensions, and derive its classical equations of motion, which are lattice versions of Maxwell's equations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Discrete-time quantum walks and gauge theories

A quantum computer, i.e. utilizing the resources of quantum physics, superposition of states and entanglement, could furnish an exponential gain in computing time. A simulation using such resources is called a quantum simulation. The advantage of quantum simulations over classical ones is well established at the theoretical, i.e. software level. Their practical benefit requires their implementation on a quantum hardware. The quantum computer, i.e. the universal one (see below), has not seen the light of day yet, but the efforts in this direction are both growing and diverse. Also, quantum simulation has already been illustrated by numerous experimental proofs of principle, thanks too small-size and specific-task quantum computers or simulators. Quantum walks are particularly-studied quantum-simulation schemes, being elementary bricks to conceive any quantum algorithm, i.e. to achieve so-called universal quantum computation. The present thesis is a step more towards a simulation of quantum field theories based on discrete-time quantum walks (DTQWs). Indeed, it is shown, in certain cases, how DTQWs can simulate, in the continuum, the action of Yang-Mills gauge fields on fermionic matter, and the retroaction of the latter on the gauge-field dynamics. The suggested schemes preserve gauge invariance on the spacetime lattice, i.e. not only in the continuum. In the (1+2)-dimensional Abelian case, consistent lattice equivalents to both Maxwell's equations and the current conservation are suggested. In the (1+1)-dimensional non-Abelian case, a lattice version of the non-Abelian field strength is suggested. Moreover, it is shown how this fermionic matter based on DTQWs can be coupled to relativistic gravitational fields of the continuum, i.e. to curved spacetimes, in 1+2 dimensions.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Clifford algebra from quantum automata and unitary Wilson fermions

We introduce a spacetime discretization of the Dirac equation that has the form of a quantum automaton and that is invariant upon changing the representation of the Clifford algebra, as the Dirac equation itself. Our derivation follows Dirac's original one: We required that the square of the discrete Dirac scheme be what we define as an acceptable discretization of the Klein-Gordon equation. Contrary to standard lattice gauge theory in discrete time, in which unitarity needs to be proven, we show that the quantum automaton delivers naturally unitary Wilson fermions for any choice of Wilson's parameter.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Dirac quantum walks with conserved angular momentum

A Quantum Walk (QW) simulating the flat $(1 + 2)$D Dirac Eq.\ on a spatial polar grid is constructed. Because fermions are represented by spinors, which do not constitute a representation of the rotation group, but rather of its double cover, the QW can only be defined globally on an extended spacetime where the polar angle extends from $0$ to $4 π$. The coupling of the QW with arbitrary electromagnetic fields is also presented. Finally, the cylindrical relativistic Landau levels of the Dirac Eq.\ are computed explicitly and simulated by the QW.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Quantum walks in weak electric fields and Bloch oscillations

Bloch oscillations appear when an electric field is superimposed on a quantum particle that evolves on a lattice with a tight-binding Hamiltonian (TBH), i.e., evolves via what we will call an electric TBH; this phenomenon will be referred to as TBH Bloch oscillations. A similar phenomenon is known to show up in so-called electric discrete-time quantum walks (DQWs); this phenomenon will be referred to as DQW Bloch oscillations. This similarity is particularly salient when the electric field of the DQW is weak. For a wide, i.e., spatially extended initial condition, one numerically observes semi-classical oscillations, i.e., oscillations of a localized particle, both for the electric TBH and the electric DQW. More precisely: The numerical simulations strongly suggest that the semi-classical DQW Bloch oscillations correspond to two counter-propagating semi-classical TBH Bloch oscillations. In this work it is shown that, under certain assumptions, the solution of the electric DQW for a weak electric field and a wide initial condition is well approximated by the superposition of two continuous-time expressions, which are counter-propagating solutions of an electric TBH whose hopping amplitude is the cosine of the arbitrary coin-operator mixing angle. In contrast, if one wishes the continuous-time approximation to hold for spatially localized initial conditions, one needs at least the DQW to be lazy, as suggested by numerical simulations and by the fact that this has been proven in the case of a vanishing electric field.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Quantum simulation of quantum relativistic diffusion via quantum walks

Two models are first presented, of one-dimensional discrete-time quantum walk (DTQW) with temporal noise on the internal degree of freedom (i.e., the coin): (i) a model with both a coin-flip and a phase-flip channel, and (ii) a model with random coin unitaries. It is then shown that both these models admit a common limit in the spacetime continuum, namely, a Lindblad equation with Dirac-fermion Hamiltonian part and, as Lindblad jumps, a chirality flip and a chirality-dependent phase flip, which are two of the three standard error channels for a two-level quantum system. This, as one may call it, Dirac Lindblad equation, provides a model of quantum relativistic spatial diffusion, which is evidenced both analytically and numerically. This model of spatial diffusion has the intriguing specificity of making sense only with original unitary models which are relativistic in the sense that they have chirality, on which the noise is introduced: The diffusion arises via the by-construction (quantum) coupling of chirality to the position. For a particle with vanishing mass, the model of quantum relativistic diffusion introduced in the present work, reduces to the well-known telegraph equation, which yields propagation at short times, diffusion at long times, and exhibits no quantumness. Finally, the results are extended to temporal noises which depend smoothly on position.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2018

Electromagnetic lattice gauge invariance in two-dimensional discrete-time quantum walks

Gauge invariance is one of the more important concepts in physics. We discuss this concept in connection with the unitary evolution of discrete-time quantum walks in one and two spatial dimensions, when they include the interaction with synthetic, external electromagnetic fields. One introduces this interaction as additional phases that play the role of gauge fields. Here, we present a way to incorporate those phases, which differs from previous works. Our proposal allows the discrete derivatives, that appear under a gauge transformation, to treat time and space on the same footing, in a way which is similar to standard lattice gauge theories. By considering two steps of the evolution, we define a density current which is gauge invariant and conserved. In the continuum limit, the dynamics of the particle, under a suitable choice of the parameters, becomes the Dirac equation, and the conserved current satisfies the corresponding conservation equation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2018

Discrete-time quantum walks as fermions of lattice gauge theory

It is shown that discrete-time quantum walks can be used to digitize, i.e., to time discretize fermionic models of continuous-time lattice gauge theory. The resulting discrete-time dynamics is thus not only manifestly unitary, but also ultralocal, i.e. the particle's speed is upper bounded, as in standard relativistic quantum field theories. The lattice chiral symmetry of staggered fermions, which corresponds to a translational invariance, is lost after the requirement of ultralocality of the evolution; this fact is an instance of Meyer's 1996 no-go lemma stating that no non-trivial one-dimensional scalar quantum cellular automaton can be translationally invariant [1]. All results are presented in a single-particle framework and for a (1+1)-dimensional spacetime.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2016

Quantum walks and gravitational waves

A new family of discrete-time quantum walks (DTQWs) propagating on a regular $(1+2)$D spacetime lattice is introduced. The continuous limit of these DTQWs is shown to coincide with the dynamics of a Dirac fermion interacting with an arbitrary relativistic gravitational field. This family is used to model the influence of arbitrary linear gravitational waves (GWs) on DTQWs. Pure shear GWs are studied in detail. On large spatial scales, pure shear GWs do not modify the polarizations of the fermion eigen-modes, but rescale all energies by a common factor. On smaller scales typically comparable to two or three lattice steps, both polarizations and energies are modified in a non-trivial way. This effect is particularly salient on interference patterns between the fermion eigen-modes.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2016

Quantum walks and non-Abelian discrete gauge theory

A new family of discrete-time quantum walks (DTQWs) on the line with an exact discrete $U(N)$ gauge invariance is introduced. It is shown that the continuous limit of these DTQWs, when it exists, coincides with the dynamics of a Dirac fermion coupled to usual $U(N)$ gauge fields in $2D$ spacetime. A discrete generalization of the usual $U(N)$ curvature is also constructed. An alternate interpretation of these results in terms of superimposed $U(1)$ Maxwell fields and $SU(N)$ gauge fields is discussed in the Appendix. Numerical simulations are also presented, which explore the convergence of the DTQWs towards their continuous limit and which also compare the DTQWs with classical (i.e. non-quantum) motions in classical $SU(2)$ fields. The results presented in this article constitute a first step towards quantum simulations of generic Yang-Mills gauge theories through DTQWs.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2015

Quantum Walks and discrete Gauge Theories

A particular example is produced to prove that quantum walks can be used to simulate full-fledged discrete gauge theories. A new family of $2D$ walks is introduced and its continuous limit is shown to coincide with the dynamics of a Dirac fermion coupled to arbitrary electromagnetic fields. The electromagnetic interpretation is extended beyond the continuous limit by proving that these DTQWs exhibit an exact discrete local $U(1)$ gauge invariance and possess a discrete gauge-invariant conserved current. A discrete gauge-invariant electromagnetic field is also constructed and that field is coupled to the conserved current by a discrete generalization of Maxwell equations. The dynamics of the DTQWs under crossed electric and magnetic fields is finally explored outside the continuous limit by numerical simulations. Bloch oscillations and the so-called ${\bf E} \times {\bf B}$ drift are recovered in the weak-field limit. Localization is observed for some values of the gauge fields.

quant-ph↗