Quantum walk on simplicial complexes for simplicial community detection

Abstract

Quantum walks have emerged as a transformative paradigm in quantum information processing and can be applied to various graph problems. This study explores discrete-time quantum walks on simplicial complexes, a higher-order generalization of graph structures. Simplicial complexes, encoding higher-order interactions through simplices, offer a richer topological representation of complex systems. Since the conventional classical random walk cannot directly detect community structures, we present a quantum walk algorithm to detect higher-order community structures called simplicial communities. We utilize the Fourier coin to produce entangled translation states among adjacent simplices in a simplicial complex. The potential of our quantum algorithm is tested on Zachary’s karate club network. This study may contribute to understanding complex systems at the intersection of algebraic topology and quantum walk algorithms.