Finding paths in tree graphs with a quantum walk

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the potential for new types of searches using the formalism of scattering random walks on Quantum Computers. Given a particular type of graph consisting of nodes and connections, a "Tree Maze", we would like to find a selected final node as quickly as possible, faster than any classical search algorithm. We show that this can be done using a quantum random walk, both exactly through numerical calculations as well as analytically using eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the quantum system.