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A common starting point of traditional quantum algorithm design is the notion of a universal quantum computer with a scalable number of qubits. This convenient abstraction mirrors classical computations manipulating finite sets of symbols, and allows for a device-independent development of algorithmic primitives. Here we advocate an alternative approach centered on the physical setup and the associated set of natively available operations. We show that these can be leveraged to great benefit by sidestepping the standard approach of reasoning about computation in terms of individual qubits. As an example, we consider hybrid qubit-oscillator systems with linear optics operations augmented by certain qubit-controlled Gaussian unitaries. The continuous-variable (CV) Fourier transform has a native realization in such systems in the form of homodyne momentum measurements. We show that this fact can be put to algorithmic use. Specifically, we give a polynomial-time quantum algorithm in this setup which finds a factor of an $n$-bit integer $N$. Unlike Shor's algorithm, or CV implementations thereof based on qubit-to-oscillator encodings, our algorithm relies on the CV (rather than discrete) Fourier transform. The physical system used is independent of the number $N$ to be factored: It consists of a single qubit and three oscillators only., Comment: Main paper: pages 1-8, Supplementary material: pages 9-77; 16 figures, 2 tables

We present the first local problem that shows a super-constant separation between the classical randomized LOCAL model of distributed computing and its quantum counterpart. By prior work, such a separation was known only for an artificial graph problem with an inherently global definition [Le Gall et al. 2019]. We present a problem that we call iterated GHZ, which is defined using only local constraints. Formally, it is a family of locally checkable labeling problems [Naor and Stockmeyer 1995]; in particular, solutions can be verified with a constant-round distributed algorithm. We show that in graphs of maximum degree $\Delta$, any classical (deterministic or randomized) LOCAL model algorithm will require $\Omega(\Delta)$ rounds to solve the iterated GHZ problem, while the problem can be solved in $1$ round in quantum-LOCAL. We use the round elimination technique to prove that the iterated GHZ problem requires $\Omega(\Delta)$ rounds for classical algorithms. This is the first work that shows that round elimination is indeed able to separate the two models, and this also demonstrates that round elimination cannot be used to prove lower bounds for quantum-LOCAL. To apply round elimination, we introduce a new technique that allows us to discover appropriate problem relaxations in a mechanical way; it turns out that this new technique extends beyond the scope of the iterated GHZ problem and can be used to e.g. reproduce prior results on maximal matchings [FOCS 2019, PODC 2020] in a systematic manner., Comment: 64 pages, 9 figures

We initiate the study of state complexity for continuous-variable quantum systems. Concretely, we consider a setup with bosonic modes and auxiliary qubits, where available operations include Gaussian one- and two-mode operations, single- and two-qubit operations, as well as qubit-controlled phase-space displacements. We define the (approximate) complexity of a bosonic state by the minimum size of a circuit that prepares an $L^1$-norm approximation to the state. We propose a new circuit which prepares an approximate Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) state $|\mathsf{GKP}_{\kappa,\Delta}\rangle$. Here $\kappa^{-2}$ is the variance of the envelope and $\Delta^2$ is the variance of the individual peaks. We show that the circuit accepts with constant probability and -- conditioned on acceptance -- the output state is polynomially close in $(\kappa,\Delta)$ to the state $|\mathsf{GKP}_{\kappa,\Delta}\rangle$. The size of our circuit is linear in $(\log 1/\kappa,\log 1/\Delta)$. To our knowledge, this is the first protocol for GKP-state preparation with fidelity guarantees for the prepared state. We also show converse bounds, establishing that the linear circuit-size dependence of our construction is optimal. This fully characterizes the complexity of GKP states., Comment: 85 pages, 12 figures

Bell's theorem proves that some quantum state correlations can only be explained by bipartite non-classical resources. The notion of genuinely multipartite nonlocality (GMNL) was later introduced to conceptualize the fact that nonclassical resources involving more than two parties in a nontrivial way may be needed to account for some quantum correlations. In this letter, we first recall the contradictions inherent to the historical definition of GMNL. Second, we turn to one of its redefinitions, called Local-Operations-and-Shared-Randomness GMNL (LOSR-GMNL), proving that all caterpillar graph states (including cluster states) have this second property. Finally, we conceptualize a third, alternative definition, which we call Local-Operations-and-Neighbour-Communication GMNL (LONC-GMNL), that is adapted to situations in which short-range communication between some parties might occur. We show that cluster states do not have this third property, while GHZ states do. Beyond its technical content, our letter illustrates that rigorous conceptual work is needed before applying the concepts of genuinely multipartite nonlocality, genuine multipartite entanglement or entanglement depth to benchmark the nonclassicality of some experimentally-produced quantum system. We note that most experimental works still use witnesses based on the historical definitions of these notions, which fail to reject models based on bipartite resources., Comment: 26 pages., 6 figures

We connect three distinct lines of research that have recently explored extensions of the classical LOCAL model of distributed computing: A. distributed quantum computing and non-signaling distributions [e.g. STOC 2024], B. finitely-dependent processes [e.g. Forum Math. Pi 2016], and C. locality in online graph algorithms and dynamic graph algorithms [e.g. ICALP 2023]. We prove new results on the capabilities and limitations of all of these models of computing, for locally checkable labeling problems (LCLs). We show that all these settings can be sandwiched between the classical LOCAL model and what we call the randomized online-LOCAL model. Our work implies limitations on the quantum advantage in the distributed setting, and we also exhibit a new barrier for proving tighter bounds. Our main technical results are these: 1. All LCL problems solvable with locality $O(\log^\star n)$ in the classical deterministic LOCAL model admit a finitely-dependent distribution with locality $O(1)$. This answers an open question by Holroyd [2024], and also presents a new barrier for proving bounds on distributed quantum advantage using causality-based arguments. 2. In rooted trees, if we can solve an LCL problem with locality $o(\log \log \log n)$ in the randomized online-LOCAL model (or any of the weaker models, such as quantum-LOCAL), we can solve it with locality $O(\log^\star n)$ in the classical deterministic LOCAL model. One of many implications is that in rooted trees, $O(\log^\star n)$ locality in quantum-LOCAL is not stronger than $O(\log^\star n)$ locality in classical LOCAL., Comment: 67 pages, 10 figures. This version corrects a mistake in v1 and in v2

Boltzmann's constant reflects a historical misunderstanding of the concept of entropy, whose informational nature is obfuscated when expressed in J/K. We suggest that the development of temperature and energy, historically prior to that of entropy, does not amount to their logical priority: Temperature should be defined in terms of entropy, not vice versa. Following the precepts of information theory, entropy is measured in bits, and coincides with information capacity at thermodynamic equilibrium. Consequently, not only is the temperature of an equilibrated system expressed in J/bit, but it acquires an operational meaning: It is the cost in energy to increase its information capacity by 1 bit. Our proposal also supports the notion of available capacity, analogous to free energy. Finally, it simplifies Landauer's cost and clarifies that it is a cost of displacement, not of erasure., Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures

We present a computational problem with the following properties: (i) Every instance can be solved with near-certainty by a constant-depth quantum circuit using only nearest-neighbor gates in 3D even when its implementation is corrupted by noise. (ii) Any constant-depth classical circuit composed of unbounded fan-in AND, OR, as well as NOT gates, i.e., an AC0-circuit, of size smaller than a certain subexponential, fails to solve a uniformly random instance with probability greater than a certain constant. Such an advantage against unbounded fan-in classical circuits was previously only known in the noise-free case or without locality constraints. We overcome these limitations, proposing a quantum advantage demonstration amenable to experimental realizations. Subexponential circuit-complexity lower bounds have traditionally been referred to as exponential. We use the term colossal since our fault-tolerant 3D architecture resembles a certain Roman monument., Comment: 44 pages, 12 figures

We give an almost complete characterization of the hardness of $c$-coloring $\chi$-chromatic graphs with distributed algorithms, for a wide range of models of distributed computing. In particular, we show that these problems do not admit any distributed quantum advantage. To do that: 1) We give a new distributed algorithm that finds a $c$-coloring in $\chi$-chromatic graphs in $\tilde{\mathcal{O}}(n^{\frac{1}{\alpha}})$ rounds, with $\alpha = \bigl\lfloor\frac{c-1}{\chi - 1}\bigr\rfloor$. 2) We prove that any distributed algorithm for this problem requires $\Omega(n^{\frac{1}{\alpha}})$ rounds. Our upper bound holds in the classical, deterministic LOCAL model, while the near-matching lower bound holds in the non-signaling model. This model, introduced by Arfaoui and Fraigniaud in 2014, captures all models of distributed graph algorithms that obey physical causality; this includes not only classical deterministic LOCAL and randomized LOCAL but also quantum-LOCAL, even with a pre-shared quantum state. We also show that similar arguments can be used to prove that, e.g., 3-coloring 2-dimensional grids or $c$-coloring trees remain hard problems even for the non-signaling model, and in particular do not admit any quantum advantage. Our lower-bound arguments are purely graph-theoretic at heart; no background on quantum information theory is needed to establish the proofs., Comment: Accepted to STOC 2024

In line with advances in recent years about realizing cryptographic functionalities in an information-theoretically secure way from physical phenomena and laws, we propose here to obtain useful tasks from the sole assumption of limited free energy. Specifically, based on that assumption -- resulting in a setting loosely related to Maurer's bounded-storage model -- we derive protocols for unconditional proofs-of-thermodynamical-work, secret sharing of free energy, unforgeable money, and proofs-of-position. While our schemes can be considered classical and not quantum per se, they are resistant against both classes of adversaries., Comment: 6 pages

Gate-teleportation circuits are arguably among the most basic examples of computations believed to provide a quantum computational advantage: In seminal work [Quantum Inf. Comput., 4(2):134--145], Terhal and DiVincenzo have shown that these circuits elude simulation by efficient classical algorithms under plausible complexity-theoretic assumptions. Here we consider possibilistic simulation [Phys. Rev. A 106, 062430 (2022)], a particularly weak form of this task where the goal is to output any string appearing with non-zero probability in the output distribution of the circuit. We show that even for single-qubit Clifford-gate-teleportation circuits this simulation problem cannot be solved by constant-depth classical circuits with bounded fan-in gates. Our results are unconditional and are obtained by a reduction to the problem of computing the parity, a well-studied problem in classical circuit complexity., Comment: 37 pages 10 figures. Accepted in Quantum

We propose one of the very few constructive consequences of the second law of thermodynamics. More specifically, we present protocols for secret-key establishment and multiparty computation the security of which is based fundamentally on Landauer's principle. The latter states that the erasure cost of each bit of information is at least kTln2 (where k is Boltzmann's constant and T is the absolute temperature of the environment). Albeit impractical, our protocols explore the limits of reversible computation, and the only assumption about the adversary is her inability to access a quantity of free energy that is exponential in the one of the honest participants. Our results generalize to the quantum realm., Comment: 31 pages, 3 figures

Quantum theory predicts the existence of genuinely tripartite-entangled states, which cannot be obtained from local operations over any bipartite entangled states and unlimited shared randomness. Some of us recently proved that this feature is a fundamental signature of quantum theory. The state $\left|{GHZ}_3\right\rangle=(\left|000\right\rangle+\left|111\right\rangle)/\sqrt{2}$ gives rise to tripartite quantum correlations which cannot be explained by any causal theory limited to bipartite nonclassical common causes of any kind (generalising entanglement) assisted with unlimited shared randomness. Hence, any conceivable physical theory which would reproduce quantum predictions will necessarily include genuinely tripartite resources. In this work, we verify that such tripartite correlations are experimentally achievable. We derive a new device-independent witness capable of falsifying causal theories wherein nonclassical resources are merely bipartite. Using a high-performance photonic $\left|{GHZ}_3\right\rangle$ states with fidelities of $ 0.9741\pm0.002$, we provide a clear experimental violation of that witness by more than $26.3$ standard deviation, under the locality and fair sampling assumption. We generalise our work to the $\left|{GHZ}_4\right\rangle$ state, obtaining correlations which cannot be explained by any causal theory limited to tripartite nonclassical common causes assisted with unlimited shared randomness., Comment: See related work by Ya-Li Mao et al. (arXiv:2201.12753). 12 pages (7 of appendices), 5 figures (2 in appendices). H.C., M-O.R. and C.Z contributed equally to this work

We show that some tripartite quantum correlations are inexplicable by any causal theory involving bipartite nonclassical common causes and unlimited shared randomness. This constitutes a device-independent proof that Nature's nonlocality is fundamentally at least tripartite in every conceivable physical theory - no matter how exotic. To formalize this claim we are compelled to substitute Svetlichny's historical definition of genuine tripartite nonlocality with a novel theory-agnostic definition tied to the framework of Local Operations and Shared Randomness (LOSR). A companion article [PRA. 104, 052207 (2021)] generalizes these concepts to any number of parties, providing experimentally amenable device-independent inequality constraints along with quantum correlations violating them, thereby certifying that Nature's nonlocality must be boundlessly multipartite., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

We introduce the class of Genuinely Local Operation and Shared Randomness (LOSR) Multipartite Nonlocal correlations, that is, correlations between N parties that cannot be obtained from unlimited shared randomness supplemented by any composition of (N-1)-shared causal Generalized-Probabilistic-Theory (GPT) resources. We then show that noisy N-partite GHZ quantum states as well as the 3-partite W quantum state can produce such correlations. This proves, if the operational predictions of quantum theory are correct, that Nature's nonlocality must be boundlessly multipartite in any causal GPT. We develop a computational method which certifies that a noisy N=3 GHZ quantum state with fidelity 85 percent satisfies this property, making an experimental demonstration of our results within reach. We motivate our definition and contrast it with preexisting notions of genuine multipartite nonlocality. This work extends a more compact parallel letter [Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 200401 (2021)] on the same subject and provides all the required technical proofs., Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures

Storing data on an external server with information-theoretic security, while using a key shorter than the data itself, is impossible. As an alternative, we propose a scheme that achieves information-theoretically secure tamper evidence: The server is able to obtain information about the stored data, but not while staying undetected. Moreover, the client only needs to remember a key whose length is much shorter than the data. We provide a security proof for our scheme, based on an entropic uncertainty relation, similar to QKD proofs. Our scheme works if Alice is able to (reversibly) randomise the message to almost-uniformity with only a short key. By constructing an explicit attack we show that short-key unconditional tamper evidence cannot be achieved without this randomisability.

The CHSH no-signalling game studies Bell nonlocality by showcasing a gap between the win rates of classical strategies, quantum-entangled strategies, and no-signalling strategies. Similarly, the CHSH* single-system game explores the advantage of irreversible processes by showcasing a gap between the win rates of classical reversible strategies, quantum reversible strategies, and irreversible strategies. The irreversible process of erasure rules supreme for the CHSH* single-system game, but this ``erasure advantage'' does not necessarily extend to every single-system game: We introduce the 32-Game, in which reversibility is irrelevant and only the distinction between classical and quantum operations matters. We showcase our new insight by modifying the CHSH* game to make it erasure-immune, while conserving its quantum advantage. We conclude by the reverse procedure: We tune the 32-Game to make it erasure-vulnerable, and erase its quantum advantage in the process. The take-home message is that, when the size of the single-system is too small for Alice to encode her whole input, quantum advantage and erasure advantage can happen independently., Comment: 6 pages, 1 table, 3 figures

It seems impossible to certify that a remote hosting service does not leak its users' data --- or does quantum mechanics make it possible? We investigate if a server hosting data can information-theoretically prove its definite deletion using a "BB84-like" protocol. To do so, we first rigorously introduce an alternative to privacy by encryption: privacy delegation. We then apply this novel concept to provable deletion and remote data storage. For both tasks, we present a protocol, sketch its partial security, and display its vulnerability to eavesdropping attacks targeting only a few bits., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures

Introducing the simplest of all No-Signalling Games: the RGB Game where two verifiers interrogate two provers, Alice and Bob, far enough from each other that communication between them is too slow to be possible. Each prover may be independently queried one of three possible colours: Red, Green or Blue. Let $a$ be the colour announced to Alice and $b$ be announced to Bob. To win the game they must reply colours $x$ (resp. $y$) such that $a \neq x \neq y \neq b$. This work focuses on this new game mainly as a pedagogical tool for its simplicity but also because it triggered us to introduce a new set of definitions for reductions among multi-party probability distributions and related {locality classes}. We show that a particular winning strategy for the RGB Game is equivalent to the PR-Box of Popescu-Rohrlich and thus No-Signalling. Moreover, we use this example to define No-Signalling in a new useful way, as the intersection of two natural classes of multi-party probability distributions called one-way signalling. We exhibit a quantum strategy able to beat the classical local maximum winning probability of 8/9 shifting it up to 11/12. Optimality of this quantum strategy is demonstrated using the standard tool of semidefinite programming., Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures

The Korteweg-de Vries equation is one of the most important nonlinear evolution equations in the mathematical sciences. In this article invariant discretization schemes are constructed for this equation both in the Lagrangian and in the Eulerian form. We also propose invariant schemes that preserve the momentum. Numerical tests are carried out for all invariant discretization schemes and related to standard numerical schemes. We find that the invariant discretization schemes give generally the same level of accuracy as the standard schemes with the added benefit of preserving Galilean transformations which is demonstrated numerically as well., Comment: 24 pages, 3 figures, 5 tables