Efficient Quantum Simulation of Open Quantum System Dynamics on Noisy Quantum Computers

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method leveraging intrinsic gate errors in NISQ devices to simulate open quantum system dynamics efficiently without additional qubits or bath engineering, demonstrated on a photosynthetic energy transfer model.

Contribution

It presents a new approach that turns quantum noise into a resource for simulating open quantum systems on noisy quantum computers, avoiding complex ancillary systems.

Findings

Successfully simulated energy transfer in a photosynthetic dimer.

Achieved results comparable to classical exact methods.

Enabled predictive simulations in intermediate coupling regimes.

Abstract

Quantum simulation represents the most promising quantum application to demonstrate quantum advantage on near-term noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) computers, yet available quantum simulation algorithms are prone to errors and thus difficult to be realized. Herein, we propose a novel scheme to utilize intrinsic gate errors of NISQ devices to enable controllable simulation of open quantum system dynamics without ancillary qubits or explicit bath engineering, thus turning unwanted quantum noises into useful quantum resources. Specifically, we simulate energy transfer process in a photosynthetic dimer system on IBM-Q cloud. By employing designed decoherence-inducing gates, we show that quantum dissipative dynamics can be simulated efficiently across coherent-to-incoherent regimes with results comparable to those of the numerically-exact classical method. Moreover, we demonstrate a calibration routine that enables consistent and predictive simulations of open-quantum system dynamics in the intermediate coupling regime. This work provides a new direction for quantum advantage in the NISQ era.