Quantum computation from a quantum logical perspective
Abstract
Description
It is well-known that Shor's factorization algorithm, Simon's period-finding algorithm, and Deutsch's original XOR algorithm can all be formulated as solutions to a hidden subgroup problem. Here the salient features of the information-processing in the three algorithms are presented from a different perspective, in terms of the way in which the algorithms exploit the non-Boolean quantum logic represented by the projective geometry of Hilbert space. From this quantum logical perspective, the XOR algorithm appears directly as a special case of Simon's algorithm, and all three algorithms can be seen as exploiting the non-Boolean logic represented by the subspace structure of Hilbert space in a similar way. Essentially, a global property of a function (such as a period, or a disjunctive property) is encoded as a subspace in Hilbert space representing a quantum proposition, which can then be efficiently distinguished from alternative propositions, corresponding to alternative global properties, by a measurement (or sequence of measurements) that identifies the target proposition as the proposition represented by the subspace containing the final state produced by the algorithm.
17 pages, no figures. The title has been changed, misprints and minor errors have been corrected, and some clarifying remarks have been added
17 pages, no figures. The title has been changed, misprints and minor errors have been corrected, and some clarifying remarks have been added