Continuous-Time Quantum Walks on Directed Bipartite Graphs

TL;DR

This paper explores continuous-time quantum walks on directed bipartite graphs, demonstrating how probability transport can be controlled and suppressed by tuning a parameter, with analytical solutions and numerical simulations revealing complex interference effects.

Contribution

It provides the first analytical solutions for quantum walks on directed bipartite graphs and uncovers how transport suppression can be achieved and controlled via a tunable parameter.

Findings

Transport can be completely suppressed at specific parameter values.

Analytical solutions are derived for star and circulant graph classes.

Quantum walks exhibit a period of π in the tuning parameter α.

Abstract

This paper investigates continuous-time quantum walks on directed bipartite graphs based on a graph's adjacency matrix. We prove that on bipartite graphs, probability transport between the two node partitions can be completely suppressed by tuning a model parameter $\alpha$. We provide analytic solutions to the quantum walks for the star and circulant graph classes that are valid for an arbitrary value of the number of nodes $N$, time $t$ and the model parameter $\alpha$. We discuss quantitative and qualitative aspects of quantum walks based on directed graphs and their undirected counterparts. Numerical simulations of quantum walks on circulant graphs show complex interference phenomena and how complete suppression of transport is achieved near $\alpha=\pi/2$. By proving two mirror symmetries around $\alpha=0$ and $\pi/2$ we show that these quantum walks have a period of $\pi$ in $\alpha$. We show that undirected edges lose their effect on the quantum walk at $\alpha=\pi/2$ and present non-bipartite graphs that exhibit suppression of transport. Finally, we analytically compute the Hamiltonians of quantum walks on the directed ring graph.