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Is Entanglement Sufficient to Enable Quantum Speedup?

Quantum Physics 2013-10-06 v3 History and Philosophy of Physics

Abstract

According to the Gottesman-Knill theorem, any quantum algorithm utilising operations chosen exclusively from a particular restricted set are efficiently simulable by a classical computer. Since some of these algorithms involve entangled states, it is commonly concluded that entanglement is insufficient to enable quantum speedup. As I explain, however, the operations belonging to this set are precisely those which will never yield a violation of the Bell inequalities. Thus it should be no surprise that entangled quantum states which only undergo operations in this set are efficiently simulable classically. What the Gottesman-Knill theorem shows us is that it is possible to use an entangled state to less than its full potential. Nevertheless, there is a meaningful sense in which entanglement is sufficient for quantum speedup: an entangled quantum state provides sufficient physical resources to enable quantum speedup, whether or not one elects to use these resources fully.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1207.5236,
  title  = {Is Entanglement Sufficient to Enable Quantum Speedup?},
  author = {Michael E. Cuffaro},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1207.5236},
  year   = {2013}
}

Comments

Only minor changes from last version. Comments and criticisms are welcome. This article has been superseded by arXiv:1310.0938

R2 v1 2026-06-21T21:39:39.949Z