String Theory Journal Club

The gauge theory of measurement-based quantum computationAbstract: Measurement-Based Quantum Computation (MBQC) is a model ofquantum computation, which uses local measurements instead of unitarygates. Here we explain that the MBQC procedure has a fundamental basisin an underlying gauge theory. This perspective provides a theoreticalfoundation for global aspects of MBQC. The gauge symmetry reflects thefreedom of formulating the same MBQC computation in different localreference frames. The main identifications between MBQC and gauge theoryconcepts are: (i) the computational output of MBQC is a holonomy of thegauge field, (ii) the adaption of measurement basis that remedies theinherent randomness of quantum measurements is effected by gaugetransformations. The gauge theory of MBQC also plays a role incharacterizing the entanglement structure of symmetry-protectedtopologically (SPT) ordered states, which are resources for MBQC. Ourframework situates MBQC in a broader context of condensed matter andhigh energy theory.