I am an applied mathematician and a mathematical physicist. My current research is focused on quantum computation and information theory, and quantum cryptography and complexity. I also research the generic aspects of quantum matter, which convolves random matrix theory and free probability theory with quantum many-body systems. Every once in a while I foray into classical physics, chemistry, and engineering.
I am a quantum Researcher at Google Quantum AI based in Venice beach California. From 2017-2022 I was a permanent Research Staff Member in quantum theory and algorithms group (IBM Quantum) based at Yorktown Heights, NY. I worked at the MIT-IBM AI Watson Research lab in Cambridge MA, USA. From 2015-2017, I was the Herman Goldstine Fellow in mathematics at IBM Yorktown Heights. In 2012-2015 I held postdoctoral positions at MIT, Northeastern University, and University of Chicago (with Leo P. Kadanoff).
I obtained my Ph.D. in Mathematics at MIT in 2012 under the supervision of Peter W. Shor. At MIT I collaborated with Steven G. Johnson, Alan Edelman, Jeffrey Goldstone and Gil Strang. From 2005-2007 I was a research fellow (a “pre-doc”) at ETH-Zürich, where I worked on neuroscience and mathematical physics with Reinhard Nesper and Jürg Fröhlich respectively. I received my B.Sc. in 2004 in Applied and Engineering Physics from Cornell University, where I first started interacting with Roald Hoffmann.
How to pronounce my name: RAAmEEs Mov-AssA
Erdös Number: 2 [via]
Einstein Number: 4 [via]
I have a blog which is mostly of expository nature related to my research
Publications:
*Note: Below “(with…)” means I am the lead/corresponding author, or that the authors are alphabetically ordered. If you don’t see any authors listed, then it means I am the only author.
51. (with W. Zhong, O Shtanko)”Advantage of quantum neural networks as quantum information decoders” arXiv (2024)
50. “Measurement feedforward induced entanglement negativity transition,”A. Seif, Y-X Wang, R. Movassagh, A. Clerk, arXiv (2023)
Accepted
49. “The hardness of random quantum circuits,”
Nature Physics: 1-6 (2023)
Featured in Phys.org
Nature Blog
48. “Uncovering local intergrability in quantum many-body dynamics,” O. Shtanko, D.S Wang, H. Zhang, N. Harle, A. Seif, R. Movassagh, Z. Minev. arXiv (2023)
47. “On quantum backpropagation, information reuse, and cheating measurement collapse,” A. Abbas, R. King, H-Y Huang, W. Huggins, R. Movassagh, D. Gilboa, J. McClean, arXiv
NeurIPS 2023 Spotlight
46. (with N. Harle and O. Shtanko) “Observing and braiding topological Majorana modes on programmable quantum simulators” arXiv
Nature Communications 14.1: 2286 (2023)
45. (with Google Quantum AI and collaborators) “Phase transition in Random Circuit Sampling,” arXiv (2023)
Accepted
44. (with Lijie Chen) “Making Quantum Local Verifiers Simulable with Potential Applications to Zero-Knowledge,” arXiv(2022)
43. (with M. Szegedy and Guanyang Wang) “Repeated Averages on Graphs,” arXiv (2023)
Accepted
42. (with R. Andrei and M. Lemm) “The spin-one Motzkin chain is gapped for any area weight 
In Review
41. (with O. Shtanko) “Algorithms for Gibbs state preparation on noiseless and noisy random quantum circuits,” arXiv (2021)
In Review
40. (with Lijie Chen) “Quantum Merkle trees,” arXiv
Quantum 8, 1380 (2024)
39. (with Y. Kondo and R. Mori) “Quantum supremacy and hardness of estimating output probabilities of quantum circuits” arXiv
FOCS-2021
Video- FOCS
38. (with S. Bravyi, D. Gosset) “Classical algorithms for quantum mean values”
Nature Physics vol 17, 337–341 (2021)
Video-QIP2020
37. (with Y. Ouyang) “Constructing quantum codes from any classical code and their embedding in ground space of local Hamiltonians” arXiv (2020),
in Review
Video- QIP2021
36. (with J. Schenker) “Theory of ergodic quantum processes” arXiv
Phys. Rev. X 11, 041001 (2021)
Video- Beyond IID-9
35. (with O. Shtanko) “Unitary subharmonic response and floquet Majorana modes,” arXiv
Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 086804 (2020)
34. (with J. Schenker) “An ergodic theorem for homogeneously distributed quantum channels with applications to matrix product states,” arXiv
Communications in Math. Phys. (2022)
33. (with J. Gambetta, A. Mezzacapo, P.K. Temme) “Cost function deformation in quantum approximate optimization”
U.S. Patent No. 10,452,990. 22 Oct. 2019.
32. “Quantum Supremacy and random circuits”, arXiv (2019)
Video- QIP2020
Featured in American Physical Society (2020) Era of quantum Supremacy
31. “Efficient unitary paths and quantum computational supremacy: A proof of average-case hardness of Random Circuit Sampling”, arXiv
30. (with O. Shtanko) “Stability of disordered Floquet topological phases,” arXiv,
Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 126803 (Sept. 2018)
Video- Perimeter Institute
29. (with J. Michel, S. Reddy, R. Shah, and S. Silwal) “Directed Random Geometric Graphs,” arXiv
Journal of Complex Networks, cnz006 (2019)
28. “Quantum Interference, Graphs, Walks, and Polynomials,” Y. Tsuji, E. Estrada, R. Movassagh, and R. Hoffmann arXiv
Chemical reviews 118.10: 4887-4911 (2018)
27. “The gap of Fredkin quantum spin chain is polynomially small,” arXiv
Annals of Math. Sci. App., Vol. 3 No. 2, 531-562, (2018)
Video- Simons Center for Geom. and Phys.
26. “Generic local Hamiltonians are gapless,”arXiv
Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 220504 (2017)
Video- QIP2018
25. “Entanglement and correlation functions of the quantum Motzkin spin-chain,” arXiv
Journal of Mathematical Physics 58, 031901 (2017)
Video- Simons Center for Geom. and Phys.
24. (with L. Levine) “The gap of the area-weighted Motzkin spin chain is exponentially small” arXiv
J Phys. A: Math. Theor. 50 255302 (2017)
23. (with G. Strang, Y. Tsuji, R. Hoffmann), “The Green’s Function for the H{\”u}ckel (Tight Binding) Model,” arXiv
Journal of Mathematical Physics, 58, 033505; (2017)
22. (with A. Edelman), “Eigenvalue approximation of sums of Hermitian matrices from eigenvector localization/delocalization” arXiv (2017),
Video-Institut Henri Poincare
21. (with L. P. Kadanoff), “Eigenpairs of Toeplitz and disordered Toeplitz matrices with a Fisher-Hartwig symbol,” arXiv
Journal of Statistical Physics, 167 (3-4), pp. 959-996 (2017)
20. (with Peter W. Shor) “Supercritical entanglement in local systems: Counterexample to the area law for quantum matter,” arXiv
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: p. 201605716 (2016)
Video- QIP2015, Video- KITP 2016,
Featured in MIT News (2016)
19. “Eigenvalue attraction,” arXiv
Jour. of Statistical Physics, Feb. Volume 162, Issue 3, pp 615-643 (2016)
18. (with E. Cuervo-Reyes) “Non-affine geometrization can lead to nonphysical instabilities”, arXiv
J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 48, 075101 (2015)
Featured on the Cover of issue 7, volume 48
17. “Exponential Attenuation of Through-Bond Transmission in a Polyene: Theory and Potential Realizations”, Y. Tsuji, R. Movassagh , S. Datta, and R. Hoffmann
ACS nano 9.11, 11109-11120 (2015)
16. (with L. Chang, M. Cheng, S. Cui, Y. Hu, W. Jin, P. Naaijkens, Z. Wang, A. Young) “On Enriching the Levin-Wen Model with Symmetry,” arXiv
J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 48, 12, 12FT01 (2015)
15. “Quantum Interference in Polyenes”, Y. Tsuji, R. Hoffmann, R. Movassagh and S. Datta
The Journal of Chem. Phys. 141, 224311 (2014)
14. (with S. G. Johnson), “Optical ‘Bernoulli’ forces,” arXiv
Phys. Rev. A 88, 023829 (2013)
Editor’s suggestion.
Featured in MIT Tech Review Media coverage
13. (with M. Coudron) “Unfrustration condition and degeneracy of qudits on trees” arXiv (2013)
12. (with A. Edelman), “Condition numbers of indefinite rank-2 ghost wishart matrices,” arXiv
Linear Algebra and Its Applications 483, 342–351 (2015)
11. (with S. Bravyi, L. Caha, , D. Nagaj, P.W. Shor), “Criticality without frustration for quantum spin-1 chains,” arXiv
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 207202 (2012)
Featured in MIT News (Nov. 2012)
10. (with J. Chen, A. Edelman, E. Hontz, J. Moix, A. Surez, M. Welborn, T. Van Voorhis) “Error analysis of free probability approximations to the density of states of disordered systems,” arXiv
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 036403 (2012)
Featured in MIT News
Media coverages: Space Mart, Science Daily
9. (with A. Edelman), “Density of states of quantum spin systems from isotropic entanglement”
Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 097205 (2011)
Video: QIP2011
8. “A time-asymmetric process in central force scatterings” arXiv (2010)
7. (with A. Edelman), “Isotropic entanglement” arXiv (2010)
Video- Fields institute
6. “Performance of sample covariance based capon bearing only tracker”, C. Richmond, R. Geddes, R. Movassagh, A. Edelman
IEEE 45th Asilomar Conference on Signals, Systems and Computers, Nov. 7 10 (2011)
5. “Sample covariance based estimation of capon algorithm error probabilities”, Richmond, R. Geddes, R. Movassagh, A. Edelman,
IEEE 44th Asilomar Conference on Signals, Systems and Computers, Nov. 7 10 (2010)
4. (with E. Farhi, J. Goldstone, D. Nagaj, T. Osborne, P.W. Shor) “Unfrustrated qudit chains and their ground states,” arXiv
Phys. Rev. A 82, 012318 (2010)
3. “Hubble-expansion in static space time”, O.E. Rössler, D. Fröhlich, R. Movassagh and A. Moore, Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 33, 770-775 (2007)
2. (with O.E. Rössler) “Bitemporal Sinai divergence: an energetic analog to Boltzmann’s entropy?” International Journal of Nonlinear Sciences and Numerical Simulation 6(4), 349-350 (2005)
1. “A study of flow tortuosity in locked oil sand”, R. C. K. Wong, L. G. Ko and R. Movassagh
Canadian Journal of Petroleum and Technology Volume 43, Issue 1 (2004)
LArge Collaborations
. (Google Quantum AI and collaborators) “Thermalization and criticality on analog-digital quantum simulator” arXiv (2024)
. (Google Quantum AI and collaborators) “Dynamics of magnetization at infinite temperature in a Heisenberg spin chain” arXiv (2023)
Science 384, 48-53 (2024)
. (Google Quantum AI and collaborators) “Stable Quantum-Correlated Many Body States via Engineered Dissipation” arXiv (2023)
Science 383,1332-1337 (2024)
. (Google Quantum AI and collaborators) “Measurement induced entanglement and teleportation on a noisy quantum processor” arXiv (2023)
Nature 622, pages481–486 (2023)
Nature Physics 19, pages1787–1792 (2023)
Nature 618, pages264–269 (2023)
Ramis Movassagh