Paper 2, Section I, 10D

Quantum Information and Computation
Part II, 2021

Let Bn\mathcal{B}_{n} denote the set of all nn-bit strings and let f:BnB1f: \mathcal{B}_{n} \rightarrow \mathcal{B}_{1} be a Boolean function which obeys either

(I) f(x)=0f(x)=0 for all xBnx \in \mathcal{B}_{n}, or

(II) f(x)=0f(x)=0 for exactly half of all xBnx \in \mathcal{B}_{n}.

Suppose we are given the nn-qubit state

ξ=12nxBn(1)f(x)x|\xi\rangle=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2^{n}}} \sum_{x \in \mathcal{B}_{n}}(-1)^{f(x)}|x\rangle

Show how we may determine with certainty whether ff is of case (I) or case (II).

Suppose now that Alice and Bob are separated in space. Alice possesses a quantum oracle for a Boolean function fA:BnB1f_{A}: \mathcal{B}_{n} \rightarrow \mathcal{B}_{1} and Bob similarly possess a quantum oracle for a Boolean function fB:BnB1f_{B}: \mathcal{B}_{n} \rightarrow \mathcal{B}_{1}. These functions are arbitrary, except that either

(1) fA(x)=fB(x)f_{A}(x)=f_{B}(x) for all xBnx \in \mathcal{B}_{n}, or

(2) fA(x)=fB(x)f_{A}(x)=f_{B}(x) for exactly half of all xBnx \in \mathcal{B}_{n}.

Alice and Bob each have available a supply of qubits in state 0|0\rangle and each can apply local quantum operations (including their own function oracle) to any qubits in their possession. Additionally, they can send qubits to each other.

Show how Bob may decide with certainty which case applies, after he has received nn qubits from Alice. [Hint: You may find it helpful to consider the function h(x)=h(x)= fA(x)fB(x)f_{A}(x) \oplus f_{B}(x), where \oplus denotes addition mod 2.]