Planar #CSP Equality Corresponds to Quantum Isomorphism -- A Holant Viewpoint

TL;DR

This paper extends the characterization of quantum isomorphism from graphs to planar #CSPs using Holant problems, holographic transformations, and quantum automorphism groups, revealing deep algebraic and combinatorial connections.

Contribution

It generalizes quantum isomorphism characterization to planar #CSPs with arbitrary real-valued constraints using Holant framework and quantum automorphism groups.

Findings

Quantum isomorphism characterized by identical planar #CSP counts.

Holographic transformations relate quantum isomorphism to Holant problems.

Introduction of quantum automorphism groups for constraint functions.

Abstract

Recently, Man\v{c}inska and Roberson proved that two graphs $G$ and $G'$ are quantum isomorphic if and only if they admit the same number of homomorphisms from all planar graphs. We extend this result to planar #CSP with any pair of sets $\mathcal{F}$ and $\mathcal{F}'$ of real-valued, arbitrary-arity constraint functions. Graph homomorphism is the special case where each of $\mathcal{F}$ and $\mathcal{F}'$ contains a single symmetric 0-1-valued binary constraint function. Our treatment uses the framework of planar Holant problems. To prove that quantum isomorphic constraint function sets give the same value on any planar #CSP instance, we apply a novel form of holographic transformation of Valiant, using the quantum permutation matrix $\mathcal{U}$ defining the quantum isomorphism. Due to the noncommutativity of $\mathcal{U}$'s entries, it turns out that this form of holographic transformation is only applicable to planar Holant. To prove the converse, we introduce the quantum automorphism group Qut$(\mathcal{F})$ of a set of constraint functions $\mathcal{F}$, and characterize the intertwiners of Qut$(\mathcal{F})$ as the signature matrices of planar Holant$(\mathcal{F}\,|\,\mathcal{EQ})$ quantum gadgets. Then we define a new notion of (projective) connectivity for constraint functions and reduce arity while preserving the quantum automorphism group. Finally, to address the challenges posed by generalizing from 0-1 valued to real-valued constraint functions, we adapt a technique of Lov\'asz in the classical setting for isomorphisms of real-weighted graphs to the setting of quantum isomorphisms.