Abstract
Quantum simulators are a promising technology on the spectrum of quantum devices from specialized quantum experiments to universal quantum computers. These quantum devices utilize entanglement and many-particle behavior to explore and solve hard scientific, engineering, and computational problems. Rapid development over the last two decades has produced more than 300 quantum simulators in operation worldwide using a wide variety of experimental platforms. Recent advances in several physical architectures promise a golden age of quantum simulators ranging from highly optimized special purpose simulators to flexible programmable devices. These developments have enabled a convergence of ideas drawn from fundamental physics, computer science, and device engineering. They have strong potential to address problems of societal importance, ranging from understanding vital chemical processes, to enabling the design of new materials with enhanced performance, to solving complex computational problems. It is the position of the community, as represented by participants of the National Science Foundation workshop on “Programmable Quantum Simulators,” that investment in a national quantum simulator program is a high priority in order to accelerate the progress in this field and to result in the first practical applications of quantum machines. Such a program should address two areas of emphasis: (1) support for creating quantum simulator prototypes usable by the broader scientific community, complementary to the present universal quantum computer effort in industry; and (2) support for fundamental research carried out by a blend of multi-investigator, multidisciplinary collaborations with resources for quantum simulator software, hardware, and education.This document is a summary from a U.S. National Science Foundation supported workshop held on 16–17 September 2019 in Alexandria, VA. Attendees were charged to identify the scientific and community needs, opportunities, and significant challenges for quantum simulators over the next 2–5 years.
- Received 20 December 2019
- Accepted 21 October 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PRXQuantum.2.017003
Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.
Published by the American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Popular Summary
Quantum simulators are a class of devices that leverage uniquely quantum effects to solve challenging simulation problems that are intractable for classical computers. Prominent examples include predicting the properties of high-temperature superconductivity and modeling photosynthesis. While a universal quantum computer will also be able to tackle these problems, fault-tolerant machines may not be available until far in the future. However, quantum simulation can be advanced in the short term using special-purpose devices. These include analog quantum simulators, which mimic the problem of interest, digital devices that employ algorithms composed of elementary gates, as well as hybrids of the two. Significant progress achieved over the last two decades on developing quantum simulators has opened up new opportunities in the field. In this work, which is the product of a U.S. National Science Foundation supported workshop, we map out the opportunities and challenges in this space.
We identify a wide range of problems in fundamental and applied physical sciences that can be addressed by quantum simulators. These opportunities include unsolved questions in quantum materials, quantum chemistry, quantum device physics and transport, gravity, particle physics, cosmology, and nonequilibrium quantum dynamics. We suggest a two-pronged program to advance progress in the field over the next five years. First, a multidisciplinary effort involving physicists, computer scientists, and engineers will rapidly develop and deploy prototype quantum simulators based on relatively mature technologies. Engagement with industry, national laboratories, and domain experts in application areas will be critical to providing and managing access for the broader scientific community. Second, a focused effort on innovating principles, devices, and applications will enable the next generation of simulators with new capabilities. Priorities include fundamental theoretical work in computer science and quantum physics, the development of new platforms and architectures, and classical engineering for control systems.
