New Approach for Simulation of Quantum Chemistry
(Phys.org) Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Garching (MPQ) have designed the first blueprint for a quantum simulator that mimics the quantum chemistry of molecules. Like an architectural model can be used to test the statics of a future building, a molecule simulator can support investigating the properties of molecules.
Interestingly, the suggested simulator can also scale up to larger molecules than hydrogen. In the future, people will be able to use the simulations from a model like this one suggested, compare it with a conventional computer model and adjust accordingly. The physicist dares to look ahead: “Our work now opens up the possibility of efficiently calculating the electronic structures of molecules using analogue quantum simulation.This will trigger a richer understanding of the (bio)chemistry problems that are hard to explore with today’s computers.”