Efficient quantum thermal simulation

Quantum computers promise to tackle quantum simulation problems that are classically intractable 1 . Although a lot of quantum algorithms 2 , 3 – 4 have been developed for simulating quantum dynamics, a general-purpose method for simulating low-temperature quantum phenomena remains unknown. In class...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) Vol. 646; no. 8085; pp. 561 - 566
Main Authors: Chen, Chi-Fang, Kastoryano, Michael, Brandão, Fernando G. S. L., Gilyén, András
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 16.10.2025
Nature Publishing Group
Subjects:
639/705/1042
639/705/117
639/766/259
639/766/483/3926
639/766/530/951
Algorithms
Computer simulation
Computers
Energy
Fourier transforms
Heat
Humanities and Social Sciences
Low temperature
Markov analysis
Markov chains
multidisciplinary
Phase transitions
Physical sciences
Quantum computers
Quantum computing
Quantum phenomena
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Simulation
Thermal simulation
Thermalization (energy absorption)
ISSN:0028-0836, 1476-4687, 1476-4687
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Quantum computers promise to tackle quantum simulation problems that are classically intractable 1 . Although a lot of quantum algorithms 2 , 3 – 4 have been developed for simulating quantum dynamics, a general-purpose method for simulating low-temperature quantum phenomena remains unknown. In classical settings, the analogous task of sampling from thermal distributions has been largely addressed by Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods 5 , 6 . Here we propose an efficient quantum algorithm for thermal simulation that—akin to MCMC methods—exhibits detailed balance, respects locality and serves as a toy model for thermalization in open quantum systems. The enduring impact of MCMC methods suggests that our new construction may play an equally important part in quantum computing and applications in the physical sciences and beyond. An efficient quantum thermal simulation algorithm that exhibits detailed balance, respects locality, and serves as a self-contained model for thermalization in open quantum systems.
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ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/s41586-025-09583-x