We address the case in which queryi

We address the case in which querying the oracle in Grover’s algorithm is exposed to noise including phase distortions. The oracle-box wires can be altered by an opposing party that tries to prevent reception of correct data from the oracle. This situation reflects an experienced truth that any access to prophetic knowledge cannot be common and direct. To study this problem, we introduce a simple model of collective phase distortions on the basis of a phase-damping channel. In the model, the probability of success is not altered via the oracle-box wires per se. Phase distortions of the considered type can hardly be detected via any one-time query to the oracle. However, the probability of success is significantly changed when such errors are introduced as an intermediate step in the Grover iteration. We investigate the probability of success with respect to variations of the parameter that characterizes the amount of phase errors. It turns out that the probability of success decreases significantly even if the error is not very high. Moreover, this probability quickly reduces to the value of one half, which corresponds to the completely mixed state. We also study trade-off relations between quantum coherence and the probability of success in the presence of noise of the considered type.