BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Outlook for the Quantum Computation of Quantum Chemistry
DESCRIPTION:The central problem of quantum chemistry is to solve for the energy of electrons interacting in the nuclear potential of a molecule. While widely believed to be classically intractable, quantum computers can efficiently solve this problem with enough precision to predict chemical rates. Accordingly, the construction of an appropriate quantum device could revolutionize diverse fields such as drug development, materials design and industrial catalysts. Following a series of algorithmic advances in 2014, chemistry now appears to be among the most economically viable applications of quantum computers.

I will review two different quantum algorithms for chemistry and discuss prospects for fully scalable demonstrations on existing ion trap platforms. As my talk is intended for those who might not have background in chemistry, I will begin by reviewing the second quantized formulation of the electronic structure problem and its significance. I will introduce the canonical quantum algorithm involving Trotterization and phase estimation and briefly explain major advances from the last year. Finally, I will discuss an approach which uses quantum resources to produce an ansatz for the molecular ground state and then uses a classical program to optimize the parameters of that ansatz.
LOCATION:Erwin Schrödinger Saal
DTSTART:20150115T150000
DTEND:20150115T160000
TZID: Europe/Vienna
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR