arXiv subjects

Simon Perdrix

Publications and source records attributed to Simon Perdrix.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Completeness for flow-preserving rewrite rules

Complete sets of graphical rewrite rules enable fully graphical reasoning about quantum computations and have been an area of active research for more than a decade. Many recent applications of the ZX-calculus have made use of the close correspondence between ZX-diagrams and computations in the one-way model of measurement-based quantum computation. In this model, various kinds of flow properties ensure deterministic implementability; for ZX-diagrams, these same properties allow efficient translation into quantum circuits (a problem that is known to be #P-hard in general). Therefore, flow-preserving ZX-calculus rewrite rules are of strong interest. Here, we extend the set of flow-preserving rules appearing in the literature with a few new rules and extensions of existing rules. We then show that the resulting rule set is complete for all flow-preserving translations between ZX-diagrams of appropriate form. The proof employs a manifestly flow-preserving equivalent of circuit extraction, where a diagram with gflow is transformed, using only flow-preserving rewrite rules, into a diagram with causal flow.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Higher-Order Programs with Indefinite Causal Orders: a Linear Approach to Coherent Control of Quantum Processes

Processes with indefinite causal orders (ICOs), such as the quantum switch, are higher-order quantum processes that superpose the order in which quantum operations are performed. Such coherent control yields computational advantages but is not faithfully captured by existing quantum programming languages: either they are restricted to the unitary case, and thus cannot combine ICOs with measurement, or they treat coherent control nonlinearly. In both cases, they do not realize the full computational power of ICOs. We introduce a higher-order quantum functional language that supports general quantum computation, not merely the permutation of channels, and whose linear type system allows quantum control to be well-defined beyond the unitary case, on arbitrary quantum channels. We equip this language with a small-step operational semantics that synchronizes measurement outcomes across superposed branches, using device references and a memory function. We also give a denotational semantics by means of completely positive maps. With linearity as the only constraint, some well-typed terms would denote unphysical maps. We therefore impose a typing discipline that goes beyond linearity, and interpret programs in the causal category Caus[CPM], under which every well-typed program is physically meaningful, a property that can be checked statically and efficiently. We prove soundness, and study the language's expressive power: it can express every quantum channel at first order, and at second order a large subclass of the so-called quantum circuits with quantum control (QC-QCs), containing the quantum switch. Last but not least, we show that this language is well-designed enough to be extended to the nonlinear setting with recursion.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2026

Towards Term-based Verification of Diagrammatic Equivalence

A string diagram is a two-dimensional graphical representation that can be described as a one-dimensional term generated from a set of primitives using sequential and parallel compositions. Since different syntactic terms may represent the same diagram, this syntax is quotiented by a collection of coherence equations expressing equivalence up to deformation. This work lays foundations for automated reasoning about diagrammatic equivalence, motivated primarily by the verification of quantum circuit equivalences. We consider two classes of diagrams, for which we introduce normalizing term rewriting systems that equate diagrammatically equivalent terms. In both cases, we prove termination and confluence with the help of the proof assistant Isabelle/HOL.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2025

Invariants in Linear Optics

Linear optics (LO) prohibits certain transformations. In this paper, we study the conditions for a computation to be possible in LO. We find that there are finitely many polynomials such that each of these polynomials evaluates to the same value on two photonic states if and only if there is a LO circuit transforming one of these states into the other. The proof is non-constructive, so we then focus on methods to find such polynomials.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Diagrammatic Reasoning with Control as a Constructor, Applications to Quantum Circuits

Control is a fundamental concept in quantum and reversible computational models. It enables the conditional application of a transformation to a system, depending on the state of another system. We introduce a general framework for diagrammatic reasoning featuring control as a constructor. To this end, we provide an elementary axiomatisation of control functors, extending the standard formalism of props to controlled props. As an application, we show that controlled props facilitate diagrammatic reasoning for quantum circuits by introducing a simple and complete set of relations involving at most three qubits, whereas in the standard prop setting any complete axiomatisation necessarily requires relations acting on arbitrarily many qubits.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Quantum Graph States: Bridging Classical Theory and Quantum Innovation, Workshop Summary

This workshop brought together experts in classical graph theory and quantum information science to explore the intersection of these fields, with a focus on quantum graph states and their applications in computing, networking, and sensing. The sessions highlighted the foundational role of graph-theoretic structure, such as rank-width, vertex-minors, and hypergraphs, in enabling measurement-based quantum computation, fault-tolerant architectures, and distributed quantum sensing. Key challenges identified include the need for scalable entanglement generation, robust benchmarking methods, and deeper theoretical understanding of generalized graph states. The workshop concluded with targeted research recommendations, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration to address open problems in entanglement structure, simulation complexity, and experimental realization across diverse quantum platforms.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Quantum Control and General Recursion beyond the Unitary Case

Coherent control, aka quantum control, is a central concept in quantum computing that is attracting increasing attention from both the quantum foundations and quantum software communities. Defining coherent control in the presence of recursion and measurement has long been known to be a major challenge. In particular, no-go results have been established for standard semantical domains like completely positive maps. We address this problem by introducing the first quantum programming language with recursion that allows for the coherent control of arbitrary quantum operations. We equip this language with both an operational and a denotational semantics that we prove to be adequate. To design these semantics, we show that combining coherent control, recursion, and measurement crucially requires describing the evolution of subprograms in the absence of input. To address this, the operational semantics takes into account a default evolution branch, while the denotational semantics uses the concept of coherent quantum operation, based on vacuum extensions. We strengthen the validity of our approach by developing an observational equivalence: two programs are equivalent if their probability of termination is the same in any context. The denotational semantics is shown to be fully abstract with respect to this observational equivalence.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2025

Deciding Local Unitary Equivalence of Graph States in Quasi-Polynomial Time

We describe an algorithm with quasi-polynomial runtime $n^{\log_2(n)+O(1)}$ for deciding local unitary (LU) equivalence of graph states. The algorithm builds on a recent graphical characterisation of LU-equivalence via generalised local complementation. By first transforming the corresponding graphs into a standard form using usual local complementations, LU-equivalence reduces to the existence of a single generalised local complementation that maps one graph to the other. We crucially demonstrate that this reduces to solving a system of quasi-polynomially many linear equations, avoiding an exponential blow-up. As a byproduct, we generalise Bouchet's algorithm for deciding local Clifford (LC) equivalence of graph states by allowing the addition of arbitrary linear constraints. We also improve existing bounds on the size of graph states that are LU- but not LC-equivalent. While the smallest known examples involve 27 qubits, and it is established that no such examples exist for up to 8 qubits, we refine this bound by proving that LU- and LC-equivalence coincide for graph states involving up to 19 qubits.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Local equivalence of stabilizer states: a graphical characterisation

Stabilizer states form a ubiquitous family of quantum states that can be graphically represented through the graph state formalism. A fundamental property of graph states is that applying a local complementation - a well-known and extensively studied graph transformation - results in a graph that represents the same entanglement as the original. In other words, the corresponding graph states are LU-equivalent. This property served as the cornerstone for capturing non-trivial quantum properties in a simple graphical manner, in the study of quantum entanglement but also for developing protocols and models based on graph states and stabilizer states, such as measurement-based quantum computing, secret sharing, error correction, entanglement distribution... However, local complementation fails short to fully characterise entanglement: there exist pairs of graph states that are LU-equivalent but cannot be transformed one into the other using local complementations. Only few is known about the equivalence of graph states beyond local complementation. We introduce a generalisation of local complementation which graphically characterises the LU-equivalence of graph states. We use this characterisation to show the existence of a strict infinite hierarchy of equivalences of graph states. Our approach is based on minimal local sets, which are subsets of vertices that are known to cover any graph, and to be invariant under local complementation and even LU-equivalence. We use these structures to provide a type to each vertex of a graph, leading to a natural standard form in which the LU-equivalence can be exhibited and captured by means of generalised local complementation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Optimal number of parametrized rotations and Hadamard gates in parametrized Clifford circuits with non-repeated parameters

We present an efficient algorithm to reduce the number of non-Clifford gates in quantum circuits and the number of parametrized rotations in parametrized quantum circuits. The method consists in finding rotations that can be merged into a single rotation gate. This approach has already been considered before and is used as a pre-processing procedure in many optimization algorithms, notably for optimizing the number of Hadamard gates or the number of $T$ gates in Clifford$+T$ circuits. Our algorithm has a better complexity than similar methods and is particularly efficient for circuits with a low number of internal Hadamard gates. Furthermore, we show that this approach is optimal for parametrized circuits composed of Clifford gates and parametrized rotations with non-repeated parameters. For the same type of parametrized quantum circuits, we also prove that a previous procedure optimizing the number of Hadamard gates and internal Hadamard gates is optimal. This procedure is notably used in our low-complexity algorithm for optimally reducing the number of parametrized rotations.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Covering a Graph with Minimal Local Sets

Local sets, a graph structure invariant under local complementation, have been originally introduced in the context of quantum computing for the study of quantum entanglement within the so-called graph state formalism. A local set in a graph is made of a non-empty set of vertices together with its odd neighborhood. We show that any graph can be covered by minimal local sets, i.e. that every vertex is contained in at least one local set that is minimal by inclusion. More precisely, we introduce an algorithm for finding a minimal local set cover in polynomial time. This result is proved by exploring the link between local sets and cut-rank. We prove some additional results on minimal local sets: we give tight bounds on their size, and we show that there can be exponentially many of them in a graph. Finally, we provide an extension of our definitions and our main result to $q$-multigraphs, the graphical counterpart of quantum qudit graph states.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Vertex-minor universal graphs for generating entangled quantum subsystems

We study the notion of $k$-stabilizer universal quantum state, that is, an $n$-qubit quantum state, such that it is possible to induce any stabilizer state on any $k$ qubits, by using only local operations and classical communications. These states generalize the notion of $k$-pairable states introduced by Bravyi et al., and can be studied from a combinatorial perspective using graph states and $k$-vertex-minor universal graphs. First, we demonstrate the existence of $k$-stabilizer universal graph states that are optimal in size with $n=\Theta(k^2)$ qubits. We also provide parameters for which a random graph state on $\Theta(k^2)$ qubits is $k$-stabilizer universal with high probability. Our second contribution consists of two explicit constructions of $k$-stabilizer universal graph states on $n = O(k^4)$ qubits. Both rely upon the incidence graph of the projective plane over a finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$. This provides a major improvement over the previously known explicit construction of $k$-pairable graph states with $n = O(2^{3k})$, bringing forth a new and potentially powerful family of multipartite quantum resources.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

On the Hardness of Analyzing Quantum Programs Quantitatively

In this paper, we study quantitative properties of quantum programs. Properties of interest include (positive) almost-sure termination, expected runtime or expected cost, that is, for example, the expected number of applications of a given quantum gate, etc. After studying the completeness of these problems in the arithmetical hierarchy over the Clifford+T fragment of quantum mechanics, we express these problems using a variation of a quantum pre-expectation transformer, a weakest precondition based technique that allows to symbolically compute these quantitative properties. Under a smooth restriction-a restriction to polynomials of bounded degree over a real closed field-we show that the quantitative problem, which consists in finding an upper-bound to the pre-expectation, can be decided in time double-exponential in the size of a program, thus providing, despite its great complexity, one of the first decidable results on the analysis and verification of quantum programs. Finally, we sketch how the latter can be transformed into an efficient synthesis method.

cs.LO↗

arXiv2023

Minimal Equational Theories for Quantum Circuits

We introduce the first minimal and complete equational theory for quantum circuits. Hence, we show that any true equation on quantum circuits can be derived from simple rules, all of them being standard except a novel but intuitive one which states that a multi-control $2\pi$ rotation is nothing but the identity. Our work improves on the recent complete equational theories for quantum circuits, by getting rid of several rules including a fairly impractical one. One of our main contributions is to prove the minimality of the equational theory, i.e. none of the rules can be derived from the other ones. More generally, we demonstrate that any complete equational theory on quantum circuits (when all gates are unitary) requires rules acting on an unbounded number of qubits. Finally, we also simplify the complete equational theories for quantum circuits with ancillary qubits and/or qubit discarding.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Small k-pairable states

A $k$-pairable $n$-qubit state is a resource state that allows Local Operations and Classical Communication (LOCC) protocols to generate EPR-pairs among any $k$-disjoint pairs of the $n$ qubits. Bravyi et al. introduced a family of $k$-pairable $n$-qubit states, where $n$ grows exponentially with $k$. Our primary contribution is to establish the existence of 'small' pairable quantum states. Specifically, we present a family of $k$-pairable $n$-qubit graph states, where $n$ is polynomial in $k$, namely $n=O(k^3\ln^3k)$. Our construction relies on probabilistic methods. Furthermore, we provide an upper bound on the pairability of any arbitrary quantum state based on the support of any local unitary transformation that has the shared state as a fixed point. This lower bound implies that the pairability of a graph state is at most half of the minimum degree up to local complementation of the underlying graph, i.e., $k(|G \rangle)\le \lceil \delta_{loc}(G)/2\rceil$. We also investigate the related combinatorial problem of $k$-vertex-minor-universality: a graph $G$ is $k$-vertex-minor-universal if any graph on any $k$ of its vertices is a vertex-minor of $G$. When a graph is $2k$-vertex-minor-universal, the corresponding graph state is $k$-pairable. More precisely, one can create not only EPR-pairs but also any stabilizer state on any $2k$ qubits through local operations and classical communication. We establish the existence of $k$-vertex-minor-universal graphs of order $O(k^4 \ln k)$. Finally, we explore a natural extension of pairability in the presence of errors or malicious parties and show that vertex-minor-universality ensures a robust form of pairability.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Quantum Circuit Completeness: Extensions and Simplifications

Although quantum circuits have been ubiquitous for decades in quantum computing, the first complete equational theory for quantum circuits has only recently been introduced. Completeness guarantees that any true equation on quantum circuits can be derived from the equational theory. We improve this completeness result in two ways: (i) We simplify the equational theory by proving that several rules can be derived from the remaining ones. In particular, two out of the three most intricate rules are removed, the third one being slightly simplified. (ii) The complete equational theory can be extended to quantum circuits with ancillae or qubit discarding, to represent respectively quantum computations using an additional workspace, and hybrid quantum computations. We show that the remaining intricate rule can be greatly simplified in these more expressive settings, leading to equational theories where all equations act on a bounded number of qubits. The development of simple and complete equational theories for expressive quantum circuit models opens new avenues for reasoning about quantum circuits. It provides strong formal foundations for various compiling tasks such as circuit optimisation, hardware constraint satisfaction and verification.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Optimal Hadamard gate count for Clifford$+T$ synthesis of Pauli rotations sequences

The Clifford$+T$ gate set is commonly used to perform universal quantum computation. In such setup the $T$ gate is typically much more expensive to implement in a fault-tolerant way than Clifford gates. To improve the feasibility of fault-tolerant quantum computing it is then crucial to minimize the number of $T$ gates. Many algorithms, yielding effective results, have been designed to address this problem. It has been demonstrated that performing a pre-processing step consisting of reducing the number of Hadamard gates in the circuit can help to exploit the full potential of these algorithms and thereby lead to a substantial $T$-count reduction. Moreover, minimizing the number of Hadamard gates also restrains the number of additional qubits and operations resulting from the gadgetization of Hadamard gates, a procedure used by some compilers to further reduce the number of $T$ gates. In this work we tackle the Hadamard gate reduction problem, and propose an algorithm for synthesizing a sequence of $\pi/4$ Pauli rotations with a minimal number of Hadamard gates. Based on this result, we present an algorithm which optimally minimizes the number of Hadamard gates lying between the first and the last $T$ gate of the circuit.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Shadow Pauli Flow: Characterising Determinism in MBQCs involving Pauli Measurements

We introduce a new characterisation of determinism in Measurement-Based Quantum Computing (MBQC). The one-way model consists in performing local measurements over a large entangled state represented by a graph. The ability to perform an overall deterministic computation requires a correction strategy because of the non-determinism of each measurement. The existence of such a correction strategy depends on the underlying open graph, which is a description of the resource state together with the basis of the performed measurements. GFlow is a well-known graphical characterisation of robust determinism in MBQC when every measurement is performed in some specific planes of the Bloch sphere. While Pauli measurements are ubiquitous in MBQC, GFlow fails to be necessary for determinism when a measurement-based quantum computation involves Pauli measurements. Pauli Flow was designed as a generalisation of GFlow to handle MBQC with Pauli measurements, and guarantees robust determinism, however, it has been shown more recently that it fails to be a necessary condition. Our contribution is twofold. First, we demonstrate that Pauli flow is actually necessary for robust determinism in a weaker sense: given an open graph, i.e. a resource state, a deterministic computation can be driven iff it has a Pauli flow. However, the Pauli flows do not reflect all the possible correction strategies over a particular resource state, and properties like measurement order or computational depth are not necessarily reflected by a Pauli flow. Thus, to characterise determinism in full generality, we introduce a further extension called Shadow Pauli Flow that we prove necessary and sufficient for robust determinism: An MBQC is robustly deterministic if and only if its correction strategy is consistent with a Shadow Pauli flow. Furthermore, we show that Shadow Pauli flow can be computed in polynomial time.

quant-ph↗