TY - JOUR
T1 - Problem of equilibration and the computation of correlation functions on a quantum computer
AU - Terhal, Barbara M.
AU - DiVincenzo, David P.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - We address the question of how a quantum computer can be used to simulate experiments on quantum systems in thermal equilibrium. We present two approaches for the preparation of the equilibrium state on a quantum computer. For both approaches, we show that the output state of the algorithm, after long enough time, is the desired equilibrium. We present a numerical analysis of one of these approaches for small systems. We show how equilibrium (time-)correlation functions can be efficiently estimated on a quantum computer, given a preparation of the equilibrium state. The quantum algorithms that we present are hard to simulate on a classical computer. This indicates that they could provide an exponential speedup over what can be achieved with a classical device.
AB - We address the question of how a quantum computer can be used to simulate experiments on quantum systems in thermal equilibrium. We present two approaches for the preparation of the equilibrium state on a quantum computer. For both approaches, we show that the output state of the algorithm, after long enough time, is the desired equilibrium. We present a numerical analysis of one of these approaches for small systems. We show how equilibrium (time-)correlation functions can be efficiently estimated on a quantum computer, given a preparation of the equilibrium state. The quantum algorithms that we present are hard to simulate on a classical computer. This indicates that they could provide an exponential speedup over what can be achieved with a classical device.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84891680482&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevA.61.022301
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevA.61.022301
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84891680482
SN - 1050-2947
VL - 61
SP - 022301-1 - 022301-22
JO - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
JF - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
IS - 2
M1 - 022301
ER -