We investigate effective quantum state-transfer dynamics on weighted path graphs by employing a fermionic formulation combined with stationary perturbation theory. This approach leverages the well-established equivalence between XX spin chains and continuous-time quantum walks on path graphs in the single-excitation sector. By restricting the dynamics to this single-excitation subspace, the full Hamiltonian of the system can be projected onto a lower-dimensional effective subspace, significantly reducing the complexity of the problem while retaining the essential physics.
In the dispersive regime, where the endpoint vertices are weakly coupled to the intermediate nodes, second-order perturbation theory is applied to systematically eliminate the intermediate vertices. This procedure yields a reduced effective Hamiltonian that directly couples the endpoints of the graph through virtual transitions, capturing the dominant contributions to the transfer dynamics. The resulting effective model allows for the derivation of closed-form analytical expressions for key quantities, including effective coupling strengths, energy shifts, and state-transfer fidelity.
Analysis of the fidelity reveals coherent oscillatory behavior, which is entirely determined by the perturbative parameters and the spectral gaps of the original graph Hamiltonian. This analytical insight provides a clear understanding of how the structure and weighting of the path graph influence the efficiency of quantum state transfer. To validate the approach, we perform numerical comparisons with exact diagonalization of finite weighted path graphs. The results demonstrate that the effective Hamiltonian reproduces the main features of the transfer dynamics and provides accurate estimates of the fidelity within its regime of applicability.
Our findings highlight a practical method for obtaining analytical expressions for quantum state-transfer fidelity in systems with weighted interactions, offering both computational efficiency and physical insight. This work provides a foundation for the design and optimization of engineered spin chains and quantum networks for high-fidelity state transfer, with potential applications in quantum information processing and quantum communication.
