The inherent convolution property of quantum neural networks

Quantum neural networks (QNNs) represent a pioneering intersection of quantum computing and deep learning. In this study, we unveil a fundamental convolution property inherent to QNNs, stemming from the natural parallelism of quantum gate operations on quantum states. Notably, QNNs are capable of performing a convolutional layer using a single quantum gate, whereas classical methods require 2^n basic operations. This essential property has been largely overlooked in the design of existing quantum convolutional neural networks (QCNNs), limiting their ability to capture key structural features of classical CNNs, including local connectivity, parameter sharing, and multi-channel, multi-layer architectures. To address these limitations, we propose novel QCNN architectures that explicitly harness the convolutional nature of QNNs. We validate the effectiveness of these architectures through extensive numerical experiments focused on multiclass image classification. Our findings provide deep insights into the realization of convolutional mechanisms within QNNs, marking a substantial advancement in the development of QCNNs and broadening their potential for efficient data processing.

Guangkai Qu, Zhimin Wang, Guoqiang Zhong, Yongjian Gu · 2025