How to experimentally evaluate the adiabatic condition for quantum annealing

Area of Science:

• Quantum Computing
• Quantum Annealing
• Experimental Physics

Background:

• Quantum annealing (QA) is a promising approach for solving complex optimization problems.
• Evaluating the adiabatic condition is critical for ensuring the success of QA.
• Current methods for assessing the adiabatic condition can be computationally intensive or indirect.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel experimental method for evaluating the adiabatic condition during quantum annealing.
• To provide a direct and efficient way to measure key components of the adiabatic condition.
• To establish a robust experimental basis for analyzing QA performance.

Main Methods:

• An experimental technique is proposed to evaluate the adiabatic condition without diagonalizing the Hamiltonian.
• The method involves applying an oscillating field during the quantum annealing process.
• The power spectrum of the resulting time-domain signal is measured.

Main Results:

• The proposed method simultaneously provides information on the transition matrix element and the energy gap.
• Estimates of the transition matrix element and energy gap are derived from the measured power spectrum.
• The technique offers a practical approach for experimental verification of the adiabatic condition.

Conclusions:

• The developed experimental method offers a powerful tool for analyzing quantum annealing performance.
• This approach facilitates the practical application of quantum annealing by providing essential performance metrics.
• The findings pave the way for more reliable and efficient quantum annealing implementations.