Chinese Physicists Publish Proof ‘Quantum Adiabatic’ and ‘Quantum Circuit’ Algorithms are Equivalent

(PhysicsWorld) Physicists in China, who have published a rigorous proof that “quantum circuit” algorithms can be transformed into algorithms that can be executed at the same running time on adiabatic quantum computers. Biao Wu and colleagues at Peking University have shown that the two types of algorithm are even more similar by publishing a “rigorous proof that quantum circuit algorithm can be transformed into quantum adiabatic algorithm”. This means that if one type of algorithm takes time to solve a problem, then the other will take t multiplied by a constant.
A quantum circuit algorithm runs on a quantum computer made up of a sequence of quantum-logic gates. This set-up resembles a conventional computer, which runs algorithms on sequences of classical logic gates. However, fundamental differences between quantum and classical computation mean that certain problems can be solved much more quickly on a quantum computer.
Adiabatic quantum computers take a different approach by using a network of quantum nodes (such as superconducting circuits) that can be configured to represent a complicated computational problem. The solution to the problem is given by the lowest energy – or ground – state of the system.