| NSF Org: |
CCF Division of Computing and Communication Foundations |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 18, 2022 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 18, 2022 |
| Award Number: | 2224132 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Almadena Chtchelkanova
achtchel@nsf.gov (703)292-7498 CCF Division of Computing and Communication Foundations CSE Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering |
| Start Date: | October 1, 2022 |
| End Date: | October 31, 2022 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $300,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $300,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
107 S INDIANA AVE BLOOMINGTON IN US 47405-7000 (317)278-3473 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
700 N Woodlawn Ave Bloomington IN US 47408-3901 |
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Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| NSF Program(s): | FET-Fndtns of Emerging Tech |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.070 |
ABSTRACT
A central pursuit in modern computing is to find a method as efficient as possible to solve a computational problem. Abstractly, given the truth table of a function, can one decide the minimum size of a boolean circuit that correctly computes the function? The investigation into it, termed the minimum circuit size problem (MCSP), has accompanied the development of theoretical computer science since the beginning. It manifests diverse and sometimes mysterious properties that prove to be fruitful in investigating the foundations of computing. For instance, efficient algorithms for MCSP imply efficient learning algorithms for important tasks as well as breaking public-key cryptography; and on the other hand, MCSP is useful to demonstrate no-go results such as lower bounds on the computational resources necessary to solve a problem. The goal of this project is to advance quantum information processing through the lens of MCSP. The tools and objects studied in this project can have significant applications in quantum information processing and quantum physics. For instance, we might be able to build novel quantum cryptographic protocols, prove quantum resources lower bounds for basic problems, and show the hardness of estimating the wormhole volume by studying quantum versions of MCSP. Furthermore, this project could stimulate further collaboration between computer scientists and physicists. The research component will be supplemented by a concerted education and outreach plan. This will include developing courses in quantum computing and upgrading the theory curriculum in computer science, establishing groups in quantum computing at participating universities, disseminating the findings to a broad audience, and engaging local communities via successful programs (e.g., Saturday Academy that provides internships to Portland high school students), and hosting quantum coding contests across the two universities. They form a vital part of this project to promote greater interest and proficiency in quantum computing.
This project aims to investigate the minimum quantum circuit size for computing various objects along three thrusts. 1) A framework for studying minimum quantum circuit size problems on classical and quantum objects, including functions, quantum states, and unitary operators. New tools will be developed to establish their hardness and connections to fundamental problems in quantum information processing. A new landscape of quantum complexity theory will be identified. 2) Under the framework developed in thrust 1, the problems of deciding the minimum size circuit for simulating a quantum system and
for preparing ground states will be further explored. These two problems represent some of the most viable applications of quantum computers, and the new findings here will depict the algorithmic limits of these applications as well as connect them to other basic primitives in quantum computing. 3) More input models will be explored, including succinct classical descriptions and purely quantum inputs (e.g., a quantum state in a register), and the formal treatment will be accompanied by novel applications, including new protocols for classically verifying quantum resources as well as novel quantum pseudorandom primitives. The proposed work in all these thrusts will expand the scope of quantum information processing and the minimum circuit size problem. Moreover, it will provide new approaches to studying basic quantum primitives and bridging computer science and quantum physics.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.
