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Logic circuits from zero forcing
Natural Computing
  • Daniel Burgarth, Aberystwyth University
  • Vittorio Giovannetti, NEST, Scuola Normale Superiore and Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR
  • Leslie Hogben, Iowa State University and American Institute of Mathematics
  • Simone Severini, University College London
  • Michael Young, Iowa State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
9-1-2015
DOI
10.1007/s11047-014-9438-5
Abstract

We design logic circuits based on the notion of zero forcing on graphs; each gate of the circuits is a gadget in which zero forcing is performed. We show that such circuits can evaluate every monotone Boolean function. By using two vertices to encode each logical bit, we obtain universal computation. We also highlight a phenomenon of “back forcing” as a property of each function. Such a phenomenon occurs in a circuit when the input of gates which have been already used at a given time step is further modified by a computation actually performed at a later stage. Finally, we show that zero forcing can be also used to implement reversible computation. The model introduced here provides a potentially new tool in the analysis of Boolean functions, with particular attention to monotonicity. Moreover, in the light of applications of zero forcing in quantum mechanics, the link with Boolean functions may suggest a new directions in quantum control theory and in the study of engineered quantum spin systems. It is an open technical problem to verify whether there is a link between zero forcing and computation with contact circuits.

Comments

This article is published as Burgarth, Daniel, Vittorio Giovannetti, Leslie Hogben, Simone Severini, and Michael Young. "Logic circuits from zero forcing." Natural Computing 14, no. 3 (2015): 485-490. DOI: 10.1007/s11047-014-9438-5. Posted with permission.

Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Copyright Owner
The Author(s)
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Daniel Burgarth, Vittorio Giovannetti, Leslie Hogben, Simone Severini, et al.. "Logic circuits from zero forcing" Natural Computing Vol. 14 (2015) p. 485 - 490
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/leslie-hogben/48/