An improved formalism for the Grover search algorithm (1201.1707v1)

Abstract: The Grover search algorithm is one of the two key algorithms in the field of quantum computing, and hence it is of significant interest to describe it in the most efficient mathematical formalism. We show firstly, that Clifford's formalism of geometric algebra, provides a significantly more efficient representation than the conventional Bra-ket notation, and secondly, that the basis defined by the states of maximum and minimum weight in the Grover search space, allows a simple visualization of the Grover search as the precession of a spin-1/2 particle. Using this formalism we efficiently solve the exact search problem, as well as easily representing more general search situations.