Chirally symmetric discrete-time quantum walks possess supersymmetry, and their Witten indices can be naturally defined. The Witten index gives a lower bound for the number of topologically protected bound states. The purpose of this paper is to give a complete classification of the Witten index associated with a one-dimensional split-step quantum walk. It turns out that the Witten index of this model exhibits striking similarity to the one associated with a Dirac particle in supersymmetric quantum mechanics.
Quantum walks have attracted attention as a promising platform realizing topological phenomena and many physicists have introduced various types of indices to characterize topologically protected bound states that are robust against perturbations. In this paper, we introduce an index from a supersymmetric point of view. This allows us to define indices for all chiral symmetric quantum walks such as multi-dimensional split-step quantum walks and quantum walks on graphs, for which there has been no index theory. Moreover, the index gives a lower bound on the number of bound states robust against compact perturbations. We also calculate the index for several concrete examples including the unitary transformation that appears in Grovers search algorithm.
The analysis of a physical problem simplifies considerably when one uses a suitable coordinate system. We apply this approach to the discrete-time quantum walks with coins given by $2j+1$-dimensional Wigner rotation matrices (Wigner walks), a model which was introduced in T. Miyazaki et al., Phys. Rev. A 76, 012332 (2007). First, we show that from the three parameters of the coin operator only one is physically relevant for the limit density of the Wigner walk. Next, we construct a suitable basis of the coin space in which the limit density of the Wigner walk acquires a much simpler form. This allows us to identify various dynamical regimes which are otherwise hidden in the standard basis description. As an example, we show that it is possible to find an initial state which reduces the number of peaks in the probability distribution from generic $2j+1$ to a single one. Moreover, the models with integer $j$ lead to the trapping effect. The derived formula for the trapping probability reveals that it can be highly asymmetric and it deviates from purely exponential decay. Explicit results are given up to the dimension five.
We connect the Grover walk with sinks to the Grover walk with tails. The survival probability of the Grover walk with sinks in the long time limit is characterized by the centered generalized eigenspace of the Grover walk with tails. The centered eigenspace of the Grover walk is the attractor eigenspace of the Grover walk with sinks. It is described by the persistent eigenspace of the underlying random walk whose support has no overlap to the boundaries of the graph and combinatorial flow in the graph theory.
The dimensionality of the internal coin space of discrete-time quantum walks has a strong impact on the complexity and richness of the dynamics of quantum walkers. While two-dimensional coin operators are sufficient to define a certain range of dynamics on complex graphs, higher dimensional coins are necessary to unleash the full potential of discrete-time quantum walks. In this work we present an experimental realization of a discrete-time quantum walk on a line graph that, instead of two-dimensional, exhibits a four-dimensional coin space. Making use of the extra degree of freedom we observe multiple ballistic propagation speeds specific to higher dimensional coin operators. By implementing a scalable technique, we demonstrate quantum walks on circles of various sizes, as well as on an example of a Husimi cactus graph. The quantum walks are realized via time-multiplexing in a Michelson interferometer loop architecture, employing as the coin degrees of freedom the polarization and the traveling direction of the pulses in the loop. Our theoretical analysis shows that the platform supports implementations of quantum walks with arbitrary $4 times 4$ unitary coin operations, and usual quantum walks on a line with various periodic and twisted boundary conditions.
This work is divide in two cases. In the first case, we consider a spin manifold $M$ as the set of fixed points of an $S^{1}$-action on a spin manifold $X$, and in the second case we consider the spin manifold $M$ as the set of fixed points of an $S^{1}$-action on the loop space of $M$. For each case, we build on $M$ a vector bundle, a connection and a set of bundle endomorphisms. These objects are used to build global operators on $M$ which define an analytical index in each case. In the first case, the analytical index is equal to the topological equivariant Atiyah Singer index, and in the second case the analytical index is equal to a topological expression where the Witten genus appears.