Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Generation and Coherent Control of Pulsed Quantum Frequency Combs
Published on: June 8, 2018
Exponential Communication Complexity Advantage from Quantum Superposition of the Direction of Communication
Philippe Allard Guérin1, Adrien Feix1, Mateus Araújo1
1Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria and Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Boltzmanngasse 3, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Abstract:
In communication complexity, a number of distant parties have the task of calculating a distributed function of their inputs, while minimizing the amount of communication between them. It is known that with quantum resources, such as entanglement and quantum channels, one can obtain significant reductions in the communication complexity of some tasks. In this work, we study the role of the quantum superposition of the direction of communication as a resource for communication complexity. We present a tripartite communication task for which such a superposition allows for an exponential saving in communication, compared to one-way quantum (or classical) communication; the advantage also holds when we allow for protocols with bounded error probability.
Related Concept Videos
The Power Superposition Principle
Superposition Theorem
The de Broglie Wavelength
Interference and Superposition of Waves
Interference occurs in mechanical waves, such as sound waves, waves on a string, and surface water waves. Mechanical waves correspond to the physical displacement of particles. Hence,...
Interpreting ¹H NMR Signal Splitting: The (n + 1) Rule
The Quantum-Mechanical Model of an Atom

