Circuit complexity of quantum access models for encoding classical data

Abstract

Classical data encoding is usually treated as a black-box in the oracle-based quantum algorithms. On the other hand, their constructions are crucial for practical algorithm implementations. Here, we open the black-boxes of data encoding and study the Clifford$+T$ complexity of constructing some typical quantum access models. For general matrices, we show that both sparse-access input models and block-encoding require nearly linear circuit complexities relative to the matrix dimension, even if matrices are sparse. We also gives construction protocols achieving near-optimal gate complexities. On the other hand, the construction becomes efficient with respect to the data qubit when the matrix is the linear combination polynomial terms of efficient unitaries. As a typical example, we propose improved block encoding when these unitaries are Pauli strings. Our protocols are built upon improved quantum state preparation and a selective oracle for Pauli strings, which hold independent value. Our access model constructions offer considerable flexibility, allowing for tunable ancillary qubit number and offers corresponding space-time trade-offs.