Circulant graphs with valency up to 4 that admit perfect state transfer in Grover walks

Abstract

We completely characterize circulant graphs with valency up to 4 that admit perfect state transfer. Those of valency 3 do not admit it. On the other hand, circulant graphs with valency 4 admit perfect state transfer only in two infinite families: one discovered by Zhan and another new family, while no others do. The main tools for deriving these results are symmetry of graphs and eigenvalues. We describe necessary conditions for perfect state transfer to occur based on symmetry of graphs, which mathematically refers to automorphisms of graphs. As for eigenvalues, if perfect state transfer occurs, then certain eigenvalues of the corresponding isotropic random walks must be the halves of algebraic integers. Taking this into account, we utilize known results on the rings of integers of cyclotomic fields.