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Tuesday 16 December

Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from physics.chem-ph

Sample-based quantum diagonalization as parallel fragment solver for the localized active space self-consistent field method

Accurately and efficiently describing strongly correlated electronic systems is a central challenge in quantum computational chemistry, with classical and quantum computers. The localized active space self-consistent field method (LASSCF) uses a product of fragment active spaces as a variational space, with the Schrödinger equation solved exactly in each fragment and the fragment active-space orbitals defined in a self-consistent manner. LASSCF is accurate for systems with strong intra-fragment and weak inter-fragment correlation, and its computational cost is combinatorial with respect to the size of the individual fragment active spaces, rather than their product. However, exactly solving the Schrödinger equation in each fragment remains a substantial bottleneck. Here, we address the possibility of solving the fragment active space Schrödinger equation with approximate methods, particularly sample-based quantum diagonalization (SQD). SQD is a technique that uses a quantum computer to sample configurations from a chemically motivated quantum circuit and a classical computer to mitigate errors and solve the Schrödinger equation in a subspace of the configuration space. We apply the proposed method, LASSQD, to the [Fe(H$_2$O)$_4$]$_2$bpym$^{4+}$ compound and the [Fe$^{\mathrm{III}}$Fe$^{\mathrm{III}}$Fe$^{\mathrm{II}}$($\mu$$_3$-O)-(HCOO)$_6$] complex for calculating the intermediate-spin ground state energies. We observe that LASSQD can tackle fragment sizes intractable by LASSCF, achieves within 1kcal/mol agreement to LASSCF, and delivers results that are competitive with alternative classical methods to solve the Schrödinger equation, and thus can be used as a starting point for a perturbative treatment (LASSQD-PDFT) to recover correlation external to the active space.
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All authors Qiaohong Wang, Mario Motta, Ruhee D'Cunha, Kevin J. Sung, Matthew R. Hermes, Tanvi Gujarati, Yukio Kawashima, Yu-ya Ohnishi, Gavin O. Jones, Laura Gagliardi

Quantum Physics

Quantum Fisher-information limits of resonant nanophotonic sensors: why high-Q is not optimal even at the quantum limit

We develop a quantum metrological framework for resonant nanophotonic sensors based on subwavelength Fabry–Perot slit cavities. Building on classical Fisher-information analyses of resonant transmission sensors, we model parameter encoding as a phase-and-loss quantum channel embedded in one arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. We derive the quantum Fisher information (QFI) for coherent and Gaussian probe states under linear loss and show that, even at the quantum limit, optimal estimation precision is governed by the generator of parameter-dependent phase shifts rather than by the cavity quality factor. Consequently, the operating point that maximizes the QFI does not generally coincide with the maximum-Q resonance. Quantum resources enhance sensitivity but do not redefine the optimal geometry. Our results provide physically transparent design principles for quantum-enhanced nanophotonic sensing.
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Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from physics.atom-ph

Hyperfine spectroscopy of optical-cycling transitions in singly ionized thulium

We present a spectroscopic investigation of $^{169}\mathrm{Tm}^+$ that provides two key foundations for its use as a platform for advanced quantum applications. First, we establish the complete spectroscopic road map for optical cycling (including laser cooling) by performing high-resolution spectroscopy on $^{169}\mathrm{Tm}^+$ ions in an ion trap. We characterize the primary $313\,\mathrm{nm}$ and complementary $448/453\,\mathrm{nm}$ cycling transitions, identify the essential near-infrared repumping frequencies, and determine the magnetic-dipole hyperfine $A$ constants for all relevant levels. Second, we report a detailed characterization of a metastable state as a candidate for hosting a robust qubit, performing lifetime measurements and Zeeman-resolved microwave hyperfine spectroscopy with $\mathrm{kHz}$ precision.
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All authors Patrick Müller, Andrei Tretiakov, Amanda Younes, Nicole Halawani, Wesley C. Campbell, Paul Hamilton

Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from hep-th

Exact formula for geometric quantum complexity of cosmological perturbations

Nielsen's geometric approach offers a powerful framework for quantifying the complexity of unitary transformations. In this formulation, complexity is defined as the length of the minimal geodesic in a suitably constructed geometric space associated with the Lie group of relevant operators. Despite its conceptual appeal, determining geodesic distances on Lie group manifolds is generally challenging, and existing treatments often rely on perturbative expansions in the structure constants. In this work, we circumvent these limitations by employing a finite-dimensional matrix representation of the generators, which enables an exact computation of the geodesic distance and hence a precise determination of the complexity. We focus on the $\mathfrak{su}(1,1)$ Lie algebra, relevant for quantum scalar fields evolving on homogeneous and isotropic cosmological backgrounds. The resulting expression for the complexity is applied to de Sitter spacetime as well as to asymptotically static cosmological models undergoing contraction or expansion.
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Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from cond-mat.stat-mech

Large-$n$ $O(n)$ with long-range interactions: integrability and resonance dynamics

We study the large-$n$ dynamics of the long-range quantum $O(n)$ model, focusing on the strong long-range regime $\alpha<d$. The dynamics of the model exhibits non-trivial features on mesoscopic timescales $t\sim\ln N$, due to the activation of parametric resonances of the nearly degenerate quantum modes. By using recent results establishing the integrability of the large-$n$ limit, we derive the exact resonance conditions and the associated phase diagram, construct the reduced Hamiltonian governing the nonlinear evolution of the resonant sector, and determine the quasiperiodic spectrum of the resulting mesoscopic dynamics. This framework offers a quantitative understanding on how quantum deviation can drive the system away from the mean-field limit. In particular, the presence of multiple resonant modes enhances the logarithmic growth of entanglement and leads to spatially modulated correlations.
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Quantum Physics

Noise-Induced Thermalization in Quantum Systems

In the current Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum era, noise is widely regarded as the primary obstacle to achieving fault-tolerant quantum computation. However, certain stages of the quantum computing pipeline can, in fact, benefit from this noise. In this work, we exploit the Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis to show that noise generically accelerates a fundamental task in quantum computing – the preparation of Gibbs states. We demonstrate this behavior using classical and quantum simulations with Haar-random and phase-flip noise, respectively, on a spin-1/2 chain with a local Hamiltonian. Our non-integrable model sees ~3.5x faster thermalization in the presence of noise, while our integrable model, which would not otherwise thermalize, reaches a thermal state due to noise. Since certifying a local Gibbs state is relatively easy on a quantum computer, our approach provides a new practical solution to a key problem in quantum computing. More broadly, these results establish a new paradigm in which noise can be harnessed on quantum computers, enabling practical advantages before the years of fault-tolerance.
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All authors Sameer Dambal, Yu Zhang, Eric R Bittner, Pavan Hosur

Quantum Physics

Entanglement without Quantum Mechanics: Operational Constraints on the Quantum Signature

Quantum entanglement is defined as nonseparability of density operators, yet experimental phase-space statistics alone cannot distinguish classical from quantum sources, so classical data can be used to violate en- tanglement inequalities. Imposing uncertainty bounds, or full tomography, can map the same data onto positive, entangled density operators, yielding a hybrid regime in which classical and quantum models coincide. Thus, certifying genuine quantum entanglement requires additional tests, such as Wigner negativity, incompatibility beyond phase-space measurements, or nonlinear dynamics.
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Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from hep-lat

Sign-problem landscape of dimer, loop, and ground state sectors of a U(1) quantum link model

The fermion sign problem poses a formidable challenge to the use of Monte Carlo methods for lattice gauge theories with dynamical fermionic matter fields. A meron cluster algorithm recently formulated for gauge fields represented as spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ quantum links coupled to a single flavour of staggered fermions samples only two of the exponentially many Gauss law (GL) sectors at low temperatures, allowing the simulation of those two GL sectors at zero temperature in polynomial time. In this article, we analytically identify GL sectors which can be simulated without encountering the fermion sign problem in arbitrary spatial dimensions. Using large-scale exact diagonalization and cluster Monte Carlo methods, we explore the nature of phases in the GL sectors dominating at zero temperature. The ground state lives in a superselection sector free of the sign problem, and maps to the quantum dimer model with mobile monomers. The usual zero-charge GL sector suffers from the fermion sign problem, and maps to the fully packed loop model with mobile monomers. The role of the magnetic energy in causing transitions between GL sectors is outlined. We expect our results to be valid for truncated Kogut-Susskind gauge theories, beyond quantum link models.
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Quantum Physics

Extreme non-negative Wigner functions

Providing an operational characterization of the Wigner-positive states (WPS), i.e., the set of quantum states with non-negative Wigner function, is a longstanding open problem. For pure states, the only WPS are Gaussian states, but the situation is considerably more subtle for mixed states. Here, we approach the problem using convex geometry, reducing the question to the characterization of the extreme points of the set of WPS. We give a constructive method to generate a large class of such extreme WPS, which combines the following steps: (i) we characterize the phase-invariant extreme points of the superset of Wigner-positive quasi-states (WPQS); (ii) we introduce a new quantum map, named Vertigo map, which maps extreme WPQS to extreme WPS while preserving phase invariance; (iii) we identify families of extremality-preserving maps and use them to obtain extreme WPS while relaxing phase invariance. Our construction generates all extreme WPS of low dimension, starting from a specific kind of WPS known as beam-splitter states. Our results build upon new mathematical properties of the set of WPS derived in a companion paper and unveil the remarkable structure of mixed states with non-negative Wigner functions.
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All authors Zacharie Van Herstraeten, Jack Davis, Nuno C. Dias, João N. Prata, Nicolas J. Cerf, Ulysse Chabaud

Quantum Physics

Strong-to-weak symmetry breaking in monitored dipole conserving quantum circuits

We explore the information-theoretic phases of monitored quantum circuits subject to dynamics that conserves both charge and dipole moment, as well as measurements of the local charge density. Explicitly, both charge and dipole-moment conservation are strong symmetries, but under the dynamics they can be spontaneously broken to weak symmetries: this spontaneous symmetry breaking has an information-theoretic interpretation in terms of whether one can learn global charges from local measurements. We find a rich phase diagram: in one spatial dimension, charge is always easy to learn, while dipole moment can be either easy or hard. In two dimensions, we find three phases: for frequent measurements, both charge and dipole moment are easy to learn; as the measurement rate is decreased, first dipole moment and then charge become hard. In two dimensions, the low-measurement phase is an exotic critical phase with anisotropic spacetime scaling, analogous to a smectic liquid crystal.
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Quantum Physics

Growth and spreading of quantum resources under random circuit dynamics

Quantum many-body dynamics generate nonclassical correlations naturally described by quantum resource theories. Quantum magic resources (or nonstabilizerness) capture deviation from classically simulable stabilizer states, while coherence and fermionic non-Gaussianity measure departure from the computational basis and from fermionic Gaussian states, respectively. We track these resources in a subsystem of a one-dimensional qubit chain evolved by random brickwall circuits. For resource-generating gates, evolution from low-resource states exhibits a universal rise-peak-fall behavior, with the peak time scaling logarithmically with subsystem size and the resource eventually decaying as the subsystem approaches a maximally mixed state. Circuits whose gates do not create the resource but entangle neighboring qubits, give rise to a ballistic spreading of quantum resource initially confined to a region of the initial state. Our results give a unified picture of spatiotemporal resource dynamics in local circuits and a baseline for more structured quantum many-body systems.
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Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from hep-ph

Symmetric Dicke States as Optimal Probes for Wave-Like Dark Matter

We identify symmetric Dicke states as the optimal quantum probes for distributed sensing of wave-like dark-matter fields. Within an ensemble-averaged quantum-metrological framework that incorporates the field's random phases and finite coherence, they maximize the Fisher information for short-baseline arrays with $N_d$ sensors and realize a robust $N_d^2$ enhancement. They also retain this collective advantage under amplitude-damping noise, whereas GHZ-type probes are highly fragile and rapidly lose their sensitivity once such noise is included. For two sensors at separations comparable to the dark-matter coherence length, the optimal entangled state acquires an additional spatial-correlation phase and outperforms both Dicke and independent probes. Our framework applies broadly to stochastic bosonic fields, including gravitational waves, and can be implemented with superconducting qubits, atomic ensembles, and NV centers.
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All authors Ping He, Jing Shu, Bin Xu, Jincheng Xu

Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from math-ph

Characterising the sets of quantum states with non-negative Wigner function

For Hilbert spaces $\mathcal H\subseteq L^2(\mathbb R)$ we consider the convex sets $\mathcal D_+(\mathcal H)$ of Wigner-positive states (WPS), i.e.~density matrices over $\mathcal H$ with non-negative Wigner function. We investigate the topological structure of these sets, namely concerning closure, compactness, interior and boundary (in a relative topology induced by the trace norm). We also study their geometric structure and construct minimal sets of states that generate $\mathcal D_+(\mathcal H)$ through convex combinations. If $\mathcal H$ is finite-dimensional, the existence of such sets follows from a central result in convex analysis, namely the Krein-Milman theorem. In the infinite-dimensional case $\mathcal H=L^2(\mathbb R)$ this is not so, due to lack of compactness of the set $\mathcal D_+(\mathcal H)$. Nevertheless, we prove that a Krein-Milman theorem holds in this case, which allows us to extend most of the results concerning the sets of generators to the infinite-dimensional setting. Finally, we study the relation between the finite and infinite-dimensional sets of WPS, and prove that the former provide a hierarchy of closed subsets, which are also proper faces of the latter. These results provide a basis for an operational characterisation of the extreme points of the sets of WPS, which we undertake in a companion paper. Our work offers a unified perspective on the topological and geometric properties of the sets of WPS in finite and infinite dimensions, along with explicit constructions of minimal sets of generators.
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All authors Nicolas J. Cerf, Ulysse Chabaud, Jack Davis, Nuno C. Dias, João N. Prata, Zacharie Van Herstraeten

Quantum Physics

The entangling power of non-entangling channels

There are processes that cannot generate entanglement but may, nevertheless, amplify entanglement already present in a system. Here, we show that a non-entangling operation can increase the Schmidt number of a quantum state only if it can generate entanglement with some non-zero probability. This is in stark contrast to the case where the parties of a quantum network are only able to control their joint state by local operations and classical communication (LOCC). There, being able to apply operations probabilistically (stochastic LOCC) does not increase the Schmidt number. Our findings show that certain non-entangling operations become entangling when selecting on specific measurement outcomes. This naturally leads us to the class of stochastically non-entangling maps, being those that cannot generate entanglement even probabilistically. Intrigued by this finding, we devise a Schmidt number for quantum channels that quantifies whether a channel can generate entanglement probabilistically. Moreover, we show that a channel is non-entangling if and only if its dual map is witness-preserving – it takes entanglement witnesses to witnesses. Based on this finding, we derive Bell-like inequalities whose violation signals that a process generates entanglement.
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Quantum Physics

Stabilizers may be poor bounds for fidelities

The defining feature of ideal Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) states is that they are unchanged by stabilizers, which allow them to detect and correct for common errors without destroying the quantum information encoded in the states. Given this property, can one use the amount to which a state is unchanged by the stabilizers as a proxy for the quality of a GKP state? This is shown to hold in the opposite manner to which it is routinely assumed, because in fact the fidelity a state has to an ideal GKP state is only upper bounded by the stabilizer expectation values. This means that, for qubits encoded in harmonic oscillators via the GKP code, a good stabilizer expectation value does not guarantee proximity to an ideal GKP state in terms of any distance based on fidelity.
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Quantum Physics

Dawn and Twilight Time in Quantum Tunneling

Metastable decay exhibits a familiar exponential regime bracketed by early-time deviations and late-time power-law tails. We adopt the real-time, flux-based definition of the decay rate in the spirit of Andreassen et al.\ direct method and present a complete analysis of one-dimensional quantum-mechanical resonance models. We show that the kernel admits a universal pole–plus–branch decomposition and use it to define two computable time scales: a dawn time, when a single resonant contribution starts dominating and exponential decay sets in, and a twilight time, when the branch-cut tail overtakes exponential decay. The latter can be expressed in closed form via the Lambert $W$ function, making its parametric dependence manifest without fitting. For square, modified square, and Pöschl–Teller barriers we obtain simple thick-barrier formulas, clarify the relation $\Gamma T = T_{\text{trans}}$ between the decay rate $\Gamma$, oscillation period $T$, and transmission probability $T_{\text{trans}}$, and indicate how our spectral picture can be naturally extended to quantum field theoretic vacuum decay.
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Quantum Physics

Testing electron-photon exchange-correlation functional performance for many-electron systems under weak and strong light-matter coupling

We present results of a photon-free exchange-correlation functional within the local density approximation (pxcLDA) for quantum electrodynamics density functional theory (QEDFT) that efficiently describes the electron density of many-electron systems across weak to strong light-matter coupling. Building on previous work [I-Te. Lu et al., Phys. Rev. A 109, 052823 (2024)] that captured electron-photon correlations via an exchange-correlation functional derived from the nonrelativistic Pauli-Fierz Hamiltonian and tested on one-electron systems, we use a simple procedure to compute a renormalization factor describing electron-photon correlations and inhomogeneity in the weak-coupling regime by comparing it with quantum electrodynamics coupled-cluster, and previous QEDFT optimized effective potential methods. Across various atoms and molecules, pxcLDA reproduces cavity-modified densities in close agreement with these references. The renormalization factor approaches unity as the system size or collective coupling increases, reflecting an electron-photon exchange-dominated behavior and improved accuracy for larger systems. This approach now offers a practical route to applying QEDFT functionals based on electron density to realistic electron systems.
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All authors Iman Ahmadabadi, I-Te Lu, Leonardo A. Cunha, Michael Ruggenthaler, Johannes Flick, Angel Rubio

Quantum Physics

Improved Lower Bounds for QAC0

In this work, we prove the strongest known lower bounds for QAC$^0$, allowing polynomially many gates and ancillae. Our main results show that: (1) Depth-3 QAC$^0$ circuits cannot compute PARITY, and require $\Omega(\exp(\sqrt{n}))$ gates to compute MAJORITY. (2) Depth-2 circuits cannot approximate high-influence Boolean functions (e.g., PARITY) with non-negligible advantage, regardless of size. We develop new classical simulation techniques for QAC$^0$ to obtain our depth-3 bounds. In these results, we relax the output requirement of the quantum circuit to a single bit, making our depth $2$ approximation bound stronger than the previous best bound of Rosenthal (2021). This also enables us to draw natural comparisons with classical AC$^0$ circuits, which can compute PARITY exactly in depth $2$ (exp size). Our techniques further suggest that, for boolean total functions, constant-depth quantum circuits do not necessarily provide more power than their classical counterparts. Our third result shows that depth $2$ QAC$^0$ circuits, regardless of size, cannot exactly synthesize an $n$-target nekomata state (a state whose synthesis is directly related to the computation of PARITY). This complements the depth $2$ exponential size upper bound of Rosenthal (2021) for approximating nekomatas (which is used as a sub-circuit in the only known constant depth PARITY upper bound). Finally, we argue that approximating PARITY in QAC0, with significantly better than 1/poly(n) advantage on average, is just as hard as computing it exactly. Thus, extending our techniques to higher depths would also rule out approximate circuits for PARITY and related problems
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All authors Malvika Raj Joshi, Avishay Tal, Francisca Vasconcelos, John Wright

Quantum Physics

Sequential realization of Quantum Instruments

In adaptive quantum circuits classical results of mid-circuit measurements determine the upcoming gates. This allows POVMs, quantum channels or more generally quantum instruments to be implemented sequentially, so that fewer qubits need to be used at each of the $N$ measurement steps. In this paper, we mathematically describe these problems via adaptive sequence of instruments (ASI) and show how any instrument can be decomposed into it. Number of steps $N$ and number of ancillary qubits $n_A$ needed for actual implementation are crucial parameters of any such ASI. We show an achievable lower bound on the product $N.n_A$ and we determine in which situations this tradeoff is likely to be optimal. Contrary to common intuition we show that for quantum instruments which transform $n$ to $m(>n)$ qubits, there exist $N$-step ASI implementing them just with $(m-n)$ ancillary qubits, which are remeasured $(N-1)$ times and finally used as output qubits.
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Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from physics.optics

Microwave Controlled Photonic Spin Hall Effect in Atomic System and Microwave Electrometry

The photonic Spin Hall Effect (SHE) causes a polarization dependent transverse shift of light at an interface. In this paper, we theoretically investigate the microwave controlled photonic SHE and microwave electrometry in a closed-loop $\Lambda$-type atomic system. At zero probe detuning ($\Delta_p = 0$) and relative phase $\phi=0,\pi$, the photonic SHE magnitude remains at the intrinsic finite beam saturation limit $w_0/2$, whereas the microwave field shifts its angular position linearly with opposite slopes (signs) for the two phases, enabling differential microwave electric field sensing. At $\phi=\pi/2$, the photonic SHE magnitude decays exponentially with $\Omega_\mu$, providing weak microwave electric field sensing. In contrast, at $\Delta_p = \pm \Omega_c$ (control field coupling), the photonic SHE reaches a maximum of half the incident beam waist when $\Omega_{\mu} \geq \Omega_p$ and the phase $\phi$ is optimized. Interestingly, we observed microwave controlled switching of photonic SHE by tuning the relative phase $\phi$ at an optimized value of $\Omega_{\mu}$ and $\Omega_{c}$. Our results may have potential applications in microwave quantum sensing and quantum optical switches based on the photonic SHE.
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Quantum Physics

Reading Qubits with Sequential Weak Measurements: Limits of Information Extraction

Quantum information processing and computation requires high accuracy qubit configuration readout. In many practical schemes, the initial qubit configuration has to be inferred from readout that is a time-dependent weak measurement record. However, a combination of the measurement scheme and intrinsic dynamics can end up scrambling the initial state and lose information irretrievably. Here, we study the information physics of quantum trajectories based on weak measurements in order to address the optimal achievable performance in qubit configuration readout for two realistic models of single qubit readout: (i) Model I is informationally complete, but without intrinsic dynamics; (ii) Model II is informationally incomplete weak measurements with intrinsic dynamics. We first use mutual information to characterize how much intrinsic information about the initial state is encoded in the measurement record. Using a fixed discrete time-step formulation, we compute the mutual information while varying the measurement strength, duration of measurement record, and the relative strength of intrinsic dynamics in our measurement schemes. We also exploit the emergence of continuum scaling and the Stochastic Master Equation in the weak measurement limit. We develop an asymptotic expansion in the measurement efficiency parameter to calculate mutual information, which captures qualitative and quantitative features of the numerical data. The bounds on information extraction are manifested as plateaux in mutual information, our analysis obtains these bounds and also optimal duration of measurement required to saturate them. Our results should be useful both for quantum device operation and optimization and also, possibly, for improving the performance of recent machine learning approaches for qubit and multiqubit configuration readout in current Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) experiment regimes.
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All authors Cesar Lema, Aleix Bou-Comas, Atithi Acharya, Vadim Oganesyan, Anirvan Sengupta

Quantum Physics

Exploiting Reset Operations in Cloud-based Quantum Computers to Run Quantum Circuits for Free

This work presents the first thorough exploration of how reset operations in cloud-based quantum computers could be exploited to run quantum circuits for free. This forms a new type of attack on the economics of cloud-based quantum computers. All major quantum computing companies today offer access to their hardware through some type of cloud-based service. Due to the noisy nature of quantum computers, a quantum circuit is run many times to collect the output statistics, and each run is called a shot. The fees users pay for access to the machines typically depend on the number of these shots of a quantum circuit that are executed. Per-shot pricing is a clean and straightforward approach as users are charged a small fee for each shot of their circuit. This work demonstrates that per-shot pricing can be exploited to get circuits to run for free when users abuse recently implemented mid-circuit qubit measurement and reset operations. Through evaluation on real, cloud-based quantum computers this work shows how multiple circuits can be executed together within a shot, by separating each user circuit by set of reset operations and submitting all the circuits, and reset operations, as one larger circuit. As a result, the user is charged per-shot pricing, even though inside each shot are multiple circuits. Total per-shot cost to run certain circuits could be reduced by up to $900$% using methods proposed in this work, leading to significant financial losses to quantum computing companies. To address this novel finding, this work proposes a clear approach for how users should be charged for their execution, while maintaining the flexibility and usability of the mid-circuit measurement and reset~operations.
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Quantum Physics

From vanishing pairwise entanglement to global separability:Entanglement structure and measures in the W subspace

The $W$ subspace is defined as the subspace of the $n$-qubit Hilbert space spanned by states containing at most one excitation. In this work, a separability criterion is established for pure and mixed states supported in this subspace: if all reduced two-qubit subsystems are separable, then the entire $n$-qubit state is necessarily separable. This result motivates the identification of the sum of two-tangles as an entanglement measure for pure states supported in the $W$ subspace. Furthermore, it is shown that the commonly used $\pi$-tangle becomes ineffective for the $n$-qubit $W$ state as the system size increases, and vanishes in the large-$n$ limit. To address this limitation, the sum of $\pi$-tangles is introduced, which, like the sum of two-tangles, successfully quantifies the entanglement of the $n$-qubit $W$ state in the large-$n$ limit. In addition, a new condition for entanglement measures is introduced, which facilitates the formulation of a well-behaved and physically meaningful entanglement measure.
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Quantum Physics

Fair sampling of ground-state configurations using hybrid quantum-classical MCMC algorithms

We study the fair sampling properties of hybrid quantum-classical Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms for combinatorial optimization problems with degenerate ground states. While quantum optimization heuristics such as quantum annealing and the quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) are known to induce biased sampling, hybrid quantum-classical MCMC incorporates quantum dynamics only as a proposal transition and enforces detailed balance through classical acceptance steps. Using small Ising models, we show that MCMC post-processing corrects the sampling bias of quantum dynamics and restores near-uniform sampling over degenerate ground states. We then apply the method to random $k$-SAT problems near the satisfiability threshold. For random 2-SAT, a hybrid MCMC combining QAOA-assisted neural proposals with single spin-flip updates achieves fairness comparable to that of PT-ICM. For random 3-SAT, where such classical methods are no longer applicable, the hybrid MCMC still attains approximately uniform sampling. We also examine solution counting and find that the required number of transitions is comparable to that of WalkSAT. These results indicate that hybrid quantum-classical MCMC provides a viable framework for fair sampling and solution enumeration.
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Quantum Physics

Physics-Informed Neural Networks with Adaptive Constraints for Multi-Qubit Quantum Tomography

Quantum state tomography (QST) faces exponential measurement requirements and noise sensitivity in multi-qubit systems, bottlenecking practical quantum technologies. We present a physics-informed neural network (PINN) framework integrating quantum mechanical constraints via adaptive weighting, a residual-and-attention-enhanced architecture, and differentiable Cholesky parameterization for physical validity. Evaluations on 2–5 qubit systems and arbitrary-dimensional states show PINN consistently outperforms traditional neural networks (TNNs), achieving highest fidelity across all dimensions. PINN outperforms baselines, with marked improvements in moderately high-dimensional systems, superior noise robustness (slower performance degradation), and consistent dimensional robustness. Theoretical analysis shows physical constraints reduce Rademacher complexity and mitigate the curse of dimensionality via constraint-induced dimension and sample complexity reduction, effective regardless of qubit number. While experiments are limited to 5-qubit systems due to computational constraints, our theoretical framework (convergence guarantees, generalization bounds, scalability theorems) justifies PINN's advantages will persist and strengthen in larger systems (6+ qubits), where constraint-induced dimension reduction benefits grow with system size. Practically, this advances quantum error correction and gate calibration by reducing measurement requirements from O(4^n) to O(2^n) while maintaining high fidelity, enabling faster error correction cycles and accelerated calibration critical for scalable quantum computing.
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Quantum Physics

A Graph-Based Forensic Framework for Inferring Hardware Noise of Cloud Quantum Backend

Cloud quantum platforms give users access to many backends with different qubit technologies, coupling layouts, and noise levels. The execution of a circuit, however, depends on internal allocation and routing policies that are not observable to the user. A provider may redirect jobs to more error-prone regions to conserve resources, balance load or for other opaque reasons, causing degradation in fidelity while still presenting stale or averaged calibration data. This lack of transparency creates a security gap: users cannot verify whether their circuits were executed on the hardware for which they were charged. Forensic methods that infer backend behavior from user-visible artifacts are therefore becoming essential. In this work, we introduce a Graph Neural Network (GNN)-based forensic framework that predicts per-qubit and per-qubit link error rates of an unseen backend using only topology information and aggregated features extracted from transpiled circuits. We construct a dataset from several IBM 27-qubit devices, merge static calibration features with dynamic transpilation features and train separate GNN regressors for one- and two-qubit errors. At inference time, the model operates without access to calibration data from the target backend and reconstructs a complete error map from the features available to the user. Our results on the target backend show accurate recovery of backend error rate, with an average mismatch of approximately 22% for single-qubit errors and 18% for qubit-link errors. The model also exhibits strong ranking agreement, with the ordering induced by predicted error values closely matching that of the actual calibration errors, as reflected by high Spearman correlation. The framework consistently identifies weak links and high-noise qubits and remains robust under realistic temporal noise drift.
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Quantum Physics

Continuous Accumulation of Cold Atoms in an Optical Cavity

Continuously operating atom-light interfaces represent a key prerequisite for steady-state quantum sensors and efficient quantum processors. Here, we demonstrate continuous accumulation of sub-Doppler-cooled atoms in a shallow intracavity dipole trap, realizing this regime. The key ingredient is a light-shift manipulation that creates spatially varying cooling parameters, enabling efficient capture and accumulation of atoms within a cavity mode. Demonstrated with rubidium atoms, a continuous flux from a source cell is funneled through the magneto-optical trap into the cavity mode, where the atoms are cooled and maintained below $10~\mu\text{K}$ in steady state without time-sequenced operation. We characterize the resulting continuously maintained ensemble of millions of atoms and its collective coupling to the cavity field, establishing a route toward continuously operated cavity-QED systems and long-duration atomic and hybrid quantum sensors.
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All authors Edward Gheorghita, Sebastian Wald, Andrea Pupić, Onur Hosten

Quantum Physics

Finite-Time Protocols Stabilize Charging in Noisy Ising Quantum Batteries

Reliable charging protocols are crucial for advancing quantum batteries toward practical use. We investigate a transverse-field Ising chain as a quantum battery, focusing on the combined role of qubit interactions in the battery model and finite charging time. This interplay yields smoother and more controllable charging compared to sudden protocols or non-interacting batteries. Introducing stochastic noise reveals a strong dependence on the charging trajectory. Protocols that weakly excite the system gain energy under noise but lose extractable work. In contrast, protocols that strongly excite many modes show the opposite trend: noise reduces stored energy yet improves efficiency, defined as the ratio of ergotropy to stored energy. These findings demonstrate that finite-time ramps stabilize charging and highlight that noise can either hinder or enhance quantum-battery performance depending on the protocol.
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All authors Riccardo Grazi, Henrik Johannesson, Dario Ferraro, Niccolò Traverso Ziani

Quantum Physics

Large circuit execution for NMR spectroscopy simulation on NISQ quantum hardware

With the latest advances in quantum computing technology, we are gradually moving from the noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era characterized by hardware limited in the number of qubits and plagued with quantum noise, to the age of quantum utility where both the newest hardware and software methods allow for tackling problems which have been deemed difficult or intractable with conventional classical methods. One of these difficult problems is the simulation of one-dimensional (1D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, a major tool to learn about the structure of molecules, helping the design of new materials or drugs. Using advanced error mitigation and error suppression techniques from Q-CTRL together with the latest commercially available superconducting-qubit quantum computer from IBM and trapped-ion quantum computer from IonQ, we present the quantum Hamiltonian simulation of liquid-state 1D NMR spectra in the high-field regime for spin systems up to 34 spins. Our pipeline has a major impact on the ability to execute deep quantum circuits with the reduction of quantum noise, improving mean square error by a factor of 22. It allows for the execution of deep quantum circuits and obtaining salient features of the 1D NMR spectra for both 16-spin and 22-spin systems, as well as a 34-spin system, which lies beyond the regime where unrestricted full Liouvillespace simulations are practical (32 spins, the Liouville limit). Our work is a step toward near-term quantum utility in NMR spectroscopy.
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Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from cond-mat.quant-gas

Strongly dipolar molecular Bose-Einstein condensates: From few- to many-body physics

Recent advances in molecular cooling have enabled the realization of strongly dipolar Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) of molecules, and BECs of many different molecular species may become experimentally accessible in the near future. Here, we explore the unique properties of such BECs and the new insights they may offer into dipolar quantum fluids and many-body physics. We explore which parameter regimes can realistically be achieved using currently available experimental techniques, discuss how to implement these techniques, and outline which molecular species are particularly well suited to explore exotic new states of matter. We further determine how state-of-the-art beyond mean-field theories, originally developed for weakly dipolar magnetic gases, can be pushed to their limits and beyond, and what other long-standing questions in the field of dipolar physics may realistically come within reach using molecular systems.
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All authors Andreas Schindewolf, Jens Hertkorn, Ian Stevenson, Matteo Ciardi, Phillip Gross, Dajun Wang, Tijs Karman, Goulven Quemener, Sebastian Will, Thomas Pohl, Tim Langen