A quantum algorithm for high energy physics simulations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum algorithm that efficiently simulates complex quantum radiation patterns in high energy physics, capturing effects classical methods cannot, demonstrated on a simplified quantum field theory.

Contribution

It develops a polynomial-time quantum algorithm for simulating quantum effects in high energy particle showers, advancing quantum simulation in high energy physics.

Findings

Quantum algorithm models quantum properties of radiation accurately.

Algorithm operates in polynomial time for simplified models.

Demonstrated on a quantum computer with a simplified quantum field theory.

Abstract

Particles produced in high energy collisions that are charged under one of the fundamental forces will radiate proportionally to their charge, such as photon radiation from electrons in quantum electrodynamics. At sufficiently high energies, this radiation pattern is enhanced collinear to the initiating particle, resulting in a complex, many-body quantum system. Classical Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation approaches work well to capture many of the salient features of the shower of radiation, but cannot capture all quantum effects. We show how quantum algorithms are well-suited for describing the quantum properties of final state radiation. In particular, we develop a polynomial time quantum final state shower that accurately models the effects of intermediate spin states similar to those present in high energy electroweak showers. The algorithm is explicitly demonstrated for a simplified quantum field theory on a quantum computer.