Approximating Vibronic Spectroscopy with Imperfect Quantum Optics

TL;DR

This paper investigates how experimental imperfections affect quantum simulations of vibronic spectra, proposing methods to quantify, optimize, and benchmark these simulations, demonstrated through a proof-of-principle experiment on tropolone.

Contribution

It introduces a framework for assessing and mitigating imperfections in quantum vibronic spectroscopy simulations, aiding future large-molecule spectral studies.

Findings

Imperfections significantly impact quantum vibronic simulations.

Optimization strategies improve simulation accuracy.

Experimental benchmarking aligns quantum and classical results.

Abstract

We study the impact of experimental imperfections on a recently proposed protocol for performing quantum simulations of vibronic spectroscopy. Specifically, we propose a method for quantifying the impact of these imperfections, optimizing an experiment to account for them, and benchmarking the results against a classical simulation method. We illustrate our findings using a proof of principle experimental simulation of part of the vibronic spectrum of tropolone. Our findings will inform the design of future experiments aiming to simulate the spectra of large molecules beyond the reach of current classical computers.