Quantum computing and the entanglement frontier

TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges and potential of quantum computing to surpass classical systems by exploring the entanglement frontier, aiming for quantum supremacy through various approaches including error correction and exotic states.

Contribution

It highlights the importance of challenging the entanglement frontier to understand and harness the full potential of quantum systems beyond classical capabilities.

Findings

Classical systems cannot efficiently simulate highly entangled quantum states.

Quantum supremacy may be achieved through algorithms or simulating exotic quantum states.

Overcoming decoherence is essential for reliable large-scale quantum computing.

Abstract

Quantum information science explores the frontier of highly complex quantum states, the "entanglement frontier." This study is motivated by the observation (widely believed but unproven) that classical systems cannot simulate highly entangled quantum systems efficiently, and we hope to hasten the day when well controlled quantum systems can perform tasks surpassing what can be done in the classical world. One way to achieve such "quantum supremacy" would be to run an algorithm on a quantum computer which solves a problem with a super-polynomial speedup relative to classical computers, but there may be other ways that can be achieved sooner, such as simulating exotic quantum states of strongly correlated matter. To operate a large scale quantum computer reliably we will need to overcome the debilitating effects of decoherence, which might be done using "standard" quantum hardware protected by quantum error-correcting codes, or by exploiting the nonabelian quantum statistics of anyons realized in solid state systems, or by combining both methods. Only by challenging the entanglement frontier will we learn whether Nature provides extravagant resources far beyond what the classical world would allow.