Integrability of Goldilocks quantum cellular automata

Abstract Goldilocks quantum cellular automata (QCA) have been simulated on quantum hardware and produce emergent small-world correlation networks. In Goldilocks QCA, a single-qubit unitary is applied to each qubit in a one-dimensional chain subject to a balance constraint: a qubit is updated if its neighbors are in different computational-basis states. We prove that a subclass of Goldilocks QCA, including the QCA implemented experimentally, map to free fermions and therefore can be simulated classically. We support this claim with two proofs, one involving a Jordan–Wigner transformation and one mapping the integrable six-vertex model to QCA. We compute local conserved quantities of these QCA and predict experimentally measurable expectation values. These calculations can be applied to test large digital quantum computers. In contrast, typical Goldilocks QCA have equilibration properties and quasienergy-level statistics that suggest nonintegrability. Still, each of the latter QCA conserves one quantity useful for error mitigation. Our work yields a parametric quantum circuit with tunable integrability properties useful for testing quantum hardware.