Decision and function problems based on boson sampling

Nikolopoulos, G. M. and Brougham, T. (2016) Decision and function problems based on boson sampling. Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, 94(1), 012315. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevA.94.012315)

Abstract

Boson sampling is a mathematical problem that is strongly believed to be intractable for classical computers, whereas passive linear interferometers can produce samples efficiently. So far, the problem remains a computational curiosity, and the possible usefulness of boson-sampling devices is mainly limited to the proof of quantum supremacy. The purpose of this work is to investigate whether boson sampling can be used as a resource of decision and function problems that are computationally hard, and may thus have cryptographic applications. After the definition of a rather general theoretical framework for the design of such problems, we discuss their solution by means of a brute-force numerical approach, as well as by means of nonboson samplers. Moreover, we estimate the sample sizes required for their solution by passive linear interferometers, and it is shown that they are independent of the size of the Hilbert space.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Brougham, Dr Thomas
• Authors: Nikolopoulos, G. M., and Brougham, T.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Journal Name: Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• ISSN: 2469-9926
• ISSN (Online): 2469-9934
• Published Online: 11 July 2016
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2016 American Physical Society
• First Published: First published in Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 94(1):012315
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher