Quantum Search Algorithms for

Multiple Solution Problems

EECS 598 Class Presentation

Manoj Rajagopalan

Outline
1. Recap of Grovers algorithm for the unique solution case

2. Grovers algorithm for multiple solutions: multiplicity

known
3. Quantum search algorithm for multiple solutions:
multiplicity unknown
4. Quantum counting to determine multiplicity

References
1. Quantum Computing and Quantum Information textbook

2. A fast quantum mechanical algorithm for database

search, LK Grover, 1996
3. Tight bounds on quantum searching, M Boyer, G
Brassard, P Hoyer, 1996
4. Quantum counting, G Brassard, P Hoyer, A Tapp, 1998

Notation
1. n = # qubits in the system

2. N = # of possible values of n qubits = 2n

3. M = multiplicity of solution
4. k = probability amplitude of system in solution state

5. l = probability amplitude of system in non-solution state

6. A = set of indices that denote solutions (good states)
7. B = set of indices denoting bad states
8. = rotation angle corresponding to Grover operator

Grovers Algorithm for Unique Solution Case

Given F:{0,1}n {0,1}, find i0 F(i0)=1 and i i0 F(i)=0
1. Set up initial state |0 n

2. Apply the Hadamard transform

Hn |0 | =

1
N 1/ 2

Let i0 be the solution:

i
i 0

| = k |i0 +

l
j i 0

3. Grover operator made of 4 steps

Apply the oracle

Apply Hn

Conditional phase shift:

Apply Hn

x
(1) x 0 x

Unique Solution Case Recap (contd)

4. Apply the Grover operator. After j iterations,

(k , l ) (k j , l j )
Gj

N 2
2( N 1)
kj
k j 1
l j 1
k0 1
N
N
N
N 2
2
lj
l j 1 k j 1
l0 1
N
N
N
Need bound on the number of iterations

Unique Solution Case Recap (contd)

Let sin2 = 1

0< 2

1
lj
cos((2 j 1) )
N 1
1
~

=> m
4 2

k j sin(( 2 j 1) )

For km = 1,

(2m+1) = /2

For large N, sin =

1
N

m N
4

Multiple Solutions: Multiplicity known

Given F:{0,1}n {0,1}, find all i{0,1}n F(i)=1
M = number of solutions > 1

Define good states A = {i | F(i) = 1}|A| = M

bad states B = {j | F(j) = 0 }

|B| = N - M

Suffices to tackle good and bad states as groups

k = probability amplitude of each solution (element of set A)
l = probability amplitude of each element of set B
Mk2 + (N-M)l2 = 1

Multiple Solutions: Multiplicity known

Grovers algorithm for the multiple solution case

Structurally the same as that in the case of unique solution

1. Set up initial state |0 n

2. Apply the Hadamard transform
3. Apply Grover operator repeatedly

Apply the oracle

Apply Hn

Conditional phase shift

Apply Hn

Differs in the oracle implementation: Oracle lends a

relative phase shift of 1 to all solutions

Multiple Solutions: Multiplicity known

Define

(k , l ) k i l i
i A

iB

After j iterations:

(k , l ) (k j , l j )
Gj

1
kj
sin((2 j 1) )
M
sin 2 M

lj
2

1
cos((2 j 1) )
N M

Multiple Solutions: Multiplicity known

Let m = upper bound on number of iterations
We want lm = 0
cos ((2m+1)) = 2

m
4

~
mm

=>
1

1
~
m

4 2

| cos(2m+1) | | sin |
Probability of failure after exactly m iterations
(N-M) lm2 = cos2((2m+1)) sin2 = M N
Negligible for M << N

Multiple Solutions: Multiplicity known

For M << N, sin

4 4 sin 4

Knowing M, we can predetermine the upper bound on the

number of iterations, m.
Unique solution problem is a special case of this for M=1.

Multiple Solutions: unknown Multiplicity

Number of iterations required to obtain a solution with
significant confidence depends on the solutions multiplicity.

If M is not known, then there is no way of telling how many

iterations will suffice.

Take m =

N to be on the safe side? (max # iterations)

No! Probability of success minuscule when M = 4a2 where a

is a small integer.

Multiple Solutions: unknown Multiplicity

Modified procedure for unknown M:
1. Initialize m = 1 and = 8/7 (actually 1 < < 4/3)

2. Choose integer j such that 0 j m

3. Apply j iterations of Grovers algorithm
4. Measure and let outcome be i
5. If F(i) == 1 then solution found: exit program
6. Else m = min(m, N ): goto step #2

Theorem: This algorithm finds a solution in O( N / M )

Multiple Solutions: unknown Multiplicity

For M > 3N/4 constant expected time by classical sampling
For 0 < M 3N/4, runtime = O( N / M )
For M << N, runtime < 6 times runtime_if_M_were_known
Knowing the number of solutions helps in reducing runtime.
This motivates quantum counting

Quantum Counting
Aim: To determine the number of solutions M to an N item
unstructured search problem

Classical computing consults the oracle (N) times to

determine M
Quantum computing can combine Grovers algorithm and
phase estimation to determine M much faster!
Why count?
Fast estimation of M => rapid solution detection

Is there a solution at all? NP-Complete problems

Quantum Counting
Recall: The computational bases can be partitioned into two
subsets, the good states set A containing all the solutions, and

(k , l ) k i l i
i A

Letting

cos
we get

in the ,

iB

N M
,
N
cos 2
G
sin 2

basis.

N M
M

N
N

sin
sin 2
,

cos 2

M
,
N

Quantum Counting
Eigenvalues of G are ei2 and ei(2-2)
The value of can be determined by phase estimation
From , the value of M can be calculated

PHASE ESTIMATION
Given a unitary operator U and one of its eigenvectors, the
phase of its corresponding eigenvalue ei2 is determined

Quantum Counting
Complexity of phase estimation algorithms

Probability

Error in M

Runtime, P

of success

Absolute, max

Evaluations of F

2
2
MN 2 N
P
P
2
2
M 2
c
c

P4

8
8

c N
((c log log N ) N M )