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arXiv:2203.11353 · PRX Quantum

Time-Dependent Hamiltonian Simulation Using Discrete-Clock Constructions

Jacob Watkins, Nathan Wiebe, Alessandro Roggero, Dean Lee

Published Oct 31, 2024• 24 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Compared with time-independent Hamiltonians, the dynamics of generic quantum Hamiltonians H ( t ) are complicated by the presence of time ordering in the evolution operator. In the context of digital quantum simulation, this difficulty prevents a direct adaptation of many time-independent simulation algorithms for time-dependent simulation. However, there exists a framework within the theory of dynamical systems that eliminates time ordering by adding a “clock” degree of freedom. In this work, we provide a computational framework, based on this reduction, for encoding time-dependent dynamics as time-independent systems. As a result, we make two advances in digital Hamiltonian simulation. First, we create a time-dependent simulation algorithm based on performing qubitization on the augmented clock system and, in doing so, provide the first qubitization-based approach to time-dependent Hamiltonians that goes beyond Trotterization of the ordered exponential. Second, we define a natural generalization of multiproduct formulas for time-ordered exponentials and then propose and analyze an algorithm based on these formulas. Unlike other algorithms of similar accuracy, the multiproduct approach achieves commutator scaling, meaning that this method outperforms existing methods for physically local time-dependent Hamiltonians with sufficient smoothness. Our work reduces the disparity between time-dependent and time-independent simulation and indicates a step toward optimal quantum simulation of time-dependent Hamiltonians. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

DOI
10.1103/prxquantum.5.040316

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Compared with time-independent Hamiltonians, the dynamics of generic quantum Hamiltonians H ( t ) are complicated by the presence of time ordering in the evolution operator. In the context of digital quantum simulation, this difficulty prevents a direct adaptation of many time-independent simulation algorithms for time-dependent simulation. However, there exists a framework within the theory of dynamical systems that eliminates time ordering by adding a “clock” degree of freedom. In this work, we provide a computational framework, based on this reduction, for encoding time-dependent dynamics as time-independent systems. As a result, we make two advances in digital Hamiltonian simulation. First, we create a time-dependent simulation algorithm based on performing qubitization on the augmented clock system and, in doing so, provide the first qubitization-based approach to time-dependent Hamiltonians that goes beyond Trotterization of the ordered exponential. Second, we define a natural generalization of multiproduct formulas for time-ordered exponentials and then propose and analyze an algorithm based on these formulas. Unlike other algorithms of similar accuracy, the multiproduct approach achieves commutator scaling, meaning that this method outperforms existing methods for physically local time-dependent Hamiltonians with sufficient smoothness. Our work reduces the disparity between time-dependent and time-independent simulation and indicates a step toward optimal quantum simulation of time-dependent Hamiltonians. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Recently, there has been growing interest in simulating time-dependent Hamiltonians using quantum algorithms, driven by diverse applications, such as quantum adiabatic computing. While techniques for simulating time-independent Hamiltonian dynamics are well established, time-dependent Hamiltonian dynamics is less explored and it is unclear how to systematically organize existing methods and to find new methods. Sambe-Howland's continuous clock elegantly transforms time-dependent Hamiltonian dynamics into time-independent Hamiltonian dynamics, which means that by taking different discretizations, existing methods for time-independent Hamiltonian dynamics can be exploited for time-dependent dynamics. In this work, we systemically investigate how Sambe-Howland's clock can serve as a unifying framework for simulating time-dependent Hamiltonian dynamics. First, we demonstrate the versatility of this approach by showcasing its compatibility with analog quantum computing and digital quantum computing. Second, for digital quantum computers, we illustrate how this framework, combined with time-independent methods (e.g., product formulas, multiproduct formulas, qDrift, and linear combination of unitaries-Taylor), can facilitate the development of efficient algorithms for simulating time-dependent dynamics. This framework allows us to (1) resolve the problem of finding minimum-gate time-dependent product formulas; (2) establish a unified picture of both Suzuki's and Huyghebaert and De Raedt's approaches; (3) generalize Huyghebaert and De Raedt's first- and second-order formula to arbitrary orders; (4) answer an unsolved question in establishing time-dependent multiproduct formulas; (5) and recover continuous qDrift on the same footing as time-independent qDrift. Third, we demonstrate the efficacy of our higher-order Huyghebaert and De Raedt's algorithm through digital adiabatic simulation.
In this thesis, we present three innovations that can be used to simulate quantum dynamics on both quantum and classical computers. Our primary innovation is an efficient quantum algorithm for simulating time-dependent Hamiltonian evolution of general input states on a quantum computer. Given conditions on the smoothness of the Hamiltonian, the complexity of the algorithm is close to linear in the evolution time, and therefore is comparable to algorithms for time-independent Hamiltonians. In addition, we show how the complexity can be reduced by optimizing the time steps. The complexity of the algorithm is quantified by calls to an oracle, which yields information about the Hamiltonian. In contrast to previous work, which allowed an oracle query to yield an arbitrary number of bits or qubits, we assign a cost for each bit or qubit accessed, revealing hitherto unnoticed simulation costs. We also account for discretization errors in the time and the representation of the Hamiltonian. This work is enabled by our development of a decomposition scheme based on Lie-Trotter- Suzuki product formulae for ordered operator exponentials. We show, by counterexample, that Lie-Trotter-Suzuki approximations may be lower order than expected when applied to problems that have singularities or discontinuous derivatives of appropriate order. We address this problem by presenting a set of criteria that is sufficient for the validity of these approximations, prove convergence and provide upper bounds for the approximation error. We also provide a new analysis of the evolution of quantum adiabatic systems in this thesis. Our work contains the tightest upper bounds that are currently known, and the first tight lower bounds, for the error in the adiabatic approximation applied to fixed Hamiltonians in the limit of slow evolution. We use our results to address the Marzlin- Sanders counterexample Hamiltonian. Specifically, we provide sufficiency conditions for the validity of the adiabatic approximation and demonstrate that the Marzlin-Sanders counterexample fails to satisfy them. We also find a new class of time-dependent Hamiltonians that are related to the Marzlin0Sanders counterexample Hamiltonian, but nonetheless obey the adiabatic approximation for sufficiently slow evolutions.
In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept quantum algorithm for simulating time-dependent Hamiltonian evolution by reducing the problem to simulating a time-independent Hamiltonian in a larger space using a discrete clock Hamiltonian construction. A similar construction was first explored for this simulation problem by Watkins, Wiebe, Roggero, and Lee [PRX Quantum, 2024]. Our algorithm improves upon their work in terms of the dependence on evolution time and precision. In addition, the complexity matches the state-of-the-art simulation algorithms using other approaches. To achieve this improvement, we use Duhamel's principle to treat the clock and system Hamiltonians separately and exploit properties of Gaussian quadrature to reduce the simulation cost. Our approach demonstrates that time-dependent Hamiltonian simulation can be as efficient in a simpler framework and hence provides a new angle to model and simulate time-dependent systems.
The advent of near-term digital quantum computers could offer us an exciting opportunity to investigate quantum many-body phenomena beyond that of classical computing. To make the best use of the hardware available, it is paramount that we have methods that accurately simulate Hamiltonian dynamics for limited circuit depths. In this paper, we propose a method to classically optimize unitary brickwall circuits to approximate quantum time evolution operators. Our method is scalable in system size through the use of tensor networks. We demonstrate that, for various three-body Hamiltonians, our approach produces quantum circuits that can outperform trotterization in both their accuracy and the quantum circuit depth needed to implement the dynamics, with the exact details being dependent on the Hamiltonian. We also explain how to choose an optimal time step that minimizes the combined errors of the quantum device and the brickwall circuit approximation. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Simulating Hamiltonian dynamics is one of the most fundamental and significant tasks for characterising quantum materials. Recently, a series of quantum algorithms employing block-encoding of Hamiltonians have succeeded in providing efficient simulation of time-evolution operators on quantum computers. While time-independent Hamiltonians can be simulated by the quantum eigenvalue transformation (QET) or quantum singularvalue transformation with the optimal query complexity in time ttt and desirable accuracy ε\varepsilonε, generic time-dependent Hamiltonians face at larger query complexity and more complicated oracles due to the difficulty of handling time-dependency. In this paper, we establish a QET-based approach for simulating time-dependent Hamiltonians with multiple time-periodicity. Such time-dependent Hamiltonians involve a variety of nonequilibrium systems such as time-periodic systems (Floquet systems) and time-quasiperiodic systems. Overcoming the difficulty of time-dependency, our protocol can simulate the dynamics under multi-periodic time-dependent Hamiltonians with optimal/nearly-optimal query complexity both in time ttt and desirable accuracy ε\varepsilonε, and simple oracles as well as the optimal algorithm for time-independent cases.
Simulating Hamiltonian dynamics is one of the most fundamental and significant tasks for characterizing quantum materials. Recently, a series of quantum algorithms employing block encoding of Hamiltonians have succeeded in providing efficient simulation of time-evolution operators on quantum computers. While time-independent Hamiltonians can be simulated by the quantum eigenvalue transformation (QET) or quantum singular value transformation with the optimal query complexity in time ttt and desirable accuracy $\ensuremath{\varepsilon}$, generic time-dependent Hamiltonians face at larger query complexity and more complicated oracles due to the difficulty of handling time-dependency. In this paper, we establish a QET-based approach for simulating time-dependent Hamiltonians with multiple time periodicity. Such time-dependent Hamiltonians involve a variety of nonequilibrium systems such as time-periodic systems (Floquet systems) and time-quasiperiodic systems. Overcoming the difficulty of time dependency, our protocol can simulate the dynamics under multiperiodic time-dependent Hamiltonians with optimal and nearly optimal query complexity both in time ttt and desirable accuracy $\ensuremath{\varepsilon}$, and simple oracles as well as the optimal algorithm for time-independent cases.