The discrete-time quaternionic quantum walk on a graph

Abstract

Recently, the quaternionic quantum walk was formulated by the first author as a generalization of discrete-time quantum walks. We treat the right eigenvalue problem of quaternionic matrices to analysis the spectra of its transition matrix. The way to obtain all the right eigenvalues of a quaternionic matrix is given. From the unitary condition on the transition matrix of the quaternionic quantum walk, we deduce some properties about it. Our main results, Theorem 5.3, determine all the right eigenvalues of a quaternionic quantum walk by use of those of the corresponding weighted matrix. In addition, we give some examples of quaternionic quantum walks and their right eigenvalues.