Boundaries for quantum advantage with single photons and loop-based time-bin interferometers
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Loop-based boson samplers interfere photons in the time degree of freedom using a sequence of delay lines. Since they require few hardware components while also allowing for long-range entanglement, they are strong candidates for demonstrating quantum advantage beyond the reach of classical emulation. We propose a method to exploit this loop-based structure to more efficiently classically sample from such systems. Our algorithm exploits a causal-cone argument to decompose the circuit into smaller effective components that can each be simulated sequentially by calling a state vector simulator as a subroutine. To quantify the complexity of our approach, we develop a new lattice path formalism that allows us to efficiently characterize the state space that must be tracked during the simulation. In addition, we develop a heuristic method that allows us to predict the expected average and worst-case memory requirements of running these simulations. We use these methods to compare the simulation complexity of different families of loop-based interferometers, allowing us to quantify the potential for quantum advantage of single-photon Boson Sampling in loop-based architectures.
Source: Quantum
Authors: Samo Novák, David D. Roberts, Alexander Makarovskiy, Raúl García-Patrón, William R. Clements
Institutions: Phasecraft Ltd. (United Kingdom), University of Edinburgh
Language: English
Subfield: Artificial Intelligence
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $215
OpenAlex ID: W4404988213