Optimization complexity and resource minimization of emitter-based photonic graph state generation protocols

Abstract Photonic graph states are important for measurement- and fusion-based quantum computing, quantum networks, and sensing. They can in principle be generated deterministically by using emitters to create the requisite entanglement. Finding ways to minimize the number of entangling gates betwee...

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Main Authors: Evangelia Takou, Edwin Barnes, Sophia E. Economou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:npj Quantum Information
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41534-025-01056-3
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author Evangelia Takou
Edwin Barnes
Sophia E. Economou
author_facet Evangelia Takou
Edwin Barnes
Sophia E. Economou
author_sort Evangelia Takou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Photonic graph states are important for measurement- and fusion-based quantum computing, quantum networks, and sensing. They can in principle be generated deterministically by using emitters to create the requisite entanglement. Finding ways to minimize the number of entangling gates between emitters and understanding the overall optimization complexity of such protocols is crucial for practical implementations. Here, we address these issues using graph theory concepts. We develop optimizers that minimize the number of entangling gates, reducing them by up to 75% compared to naive schemes for moderately sized random graphs. While the complexity of optimizing emitter-emitter CNOT counts is likely NP-hard, we are able to develop heuristics based on strong connections between graph transformations and the optimization of stabilizer circuits. These patterns allow us to process large graphs and still achieve a reduction of up to 66% in emitter CNOTs, without relying on subtle metrics such as edge density. We find the optimal emission orderings and circuits to prepare unencoded and encoded repeater graph states of any size, achieving global minimization of emitter and CNOT resources despite the average NP-hardness of both optimization problems. We further study the locally equivalent orbit of graphs. Although enumerating orbits is #P complete for arbitrary graphs, we analytically calculate the size of the orbit of repeater graphs and find a procedure to generate the orbit for any repeater size. Finally, we inspect the entangling gate cost of preparing any graph from a given orbit and show that we can achieve the same optimal CNOT count across the orbit.
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spelling doaj-art-839cb16bcf244e938cfed7eeaab9002d2025-08-20T04:01:40ZengNature Portfolionpj Quantum Information2056-63872025-07-0111111710.1038/s41534-025-01056-3Optimization complexity and resource minimization of emitter-based photonic graph state generation protocolsEvangelia Takou0Edwin Barnes1Sophia E. Economou2Department of Physics, Virginia TechDepartment of Physics, Virginia TechDepartment of Physics, Virginia TechAbstract Photonic graph states are important for measurement- and fusion-based quantum computing, quantum networks, and sensing. They can in principle be generated deterministically by using emitters to create the requisite entanglement. Finding ways to minimize the number of entangling gates between emitters and understanding the overall optimization complexity of such protocols is crucial for practical implementations. Here, we address these issues using graph theory concepts. We develop optimizers that minimize the number of entangling gates, reducing them by up to 75% compared to naive schemes for moderately sized random graphs. While the complexity of optimizing emitter-emitter CNOT counts is likely NP-hard, we are able to develop heuristics based on strong connections between graph transformations and the optimization of stabilizer circuits. These patterns allow us to process large graphs and still achieve a reduction of up to 66% in emitter CNOTs, without relying on subtle metrics such as edge density. We find the optimal emission orderings and circuits to prepare unencoded and encoded repeater graph states of any size, achieving global minimization of emitter and CNOT resources despite the average NP-hardness of both optimization problems. We further study the locally equivalent orbit of graphs. Although enumerating orbits is #P complete for arbitrary graphs, we analytically calculate the size of the orbit of repeater graphs and find a procedure to generate the orbit for any repeater size. Finally, we inspect the entangling gate cost of preparing any graph from a given orbit and show that we can achieve the same optimal CNOT count across the orbit.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41534-025-01056-3
spellingShingle Evangelia Takou
Edwin Barnes
Sophia E. Economou
Optimization complexity and resource minimization of emitter-based photonic graph state generation protocols
npj Quantum Information
title Optimization complexity and resource minimization of emitter-based photonic graph state generation protocols
title_full Optimization complexity and resource minimization of emitter-based photonic graph state generation protocols
title_fullStr Optimization complexity and resource minimization of emitter-based photonic graph state generation protocols
title_full_unstemmed Optimization complexity and resource minimization of emitter-based photonic graph state generation protocols
title_short Optimization complexity and resource minimization of emitter-based photonic graph state generation protocols
title_sort optimization complexity and resource minimization of emitter based photonic graph state generation protocols
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41534-025-01056-3
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AT edwinbarnes optimizationcomplexityandresourceminimizationofemitterbasedphotonicgraphstategenerationprotocols
AT sophiaeeconomou optimizationcomplexityandresourceminimizationofemitterbasedphotonicgraphstategenerationprotocols