Pushing Boundaries: Quantum-Enhanced Leader Election and the Limits of Consensus

• Main Authors: Radhakrishnan, Chandrashekar, Zheng, Yuhang, Marin, Olivier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 07-11-2024
• Subjects: Computer Science - Emerging Technologies; Physics - Quantum Physics
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2411.04629

This work addresses the complexities involved in designing distributed
quantum algorithms, highlighting that quantum entanglement does not bypass the
Fischer-Lynch-Paterson (FLP) impossibility theorem in asynchronous networks.
Although quantum resources such as entanglement offer potential speedups, the
inherent constraints of classical communication remain. We develop a leader
election algorithm as a proof of concept, demonstrating how entanglement can
enhance efficiency while still contending with asynchronous delays. This
algorithm serves as a foundation for a broader blueprint for future distributed
quantum algorithms, providing insights into both the real performance gains and
the limitations that entanglement offers in a distributed setting.