We are in the exploratory stages of developing theoretical methods to use superconducting electrical circuits to make a general purpose quantum simulator (time-dependent Schrodinger equation solver), with molecular collision theory as the principal application,. Our design algorithms will utilize the existing and demonstrated devices and functionality available from the UC Santa Barbara superconducting quantum computation program, with the ultimate aim of demonstrating small simulations of molecular collisions in about five years. We will use existing Josephson Junction (JJ) circuits for preliminary testing and demonstration.
The quantum simulation architecture should transform computational quantum mechanics by providing vastly increased computational power for solving the Schrodinger equation for a given, but general, time-dependent Hamiltonian. Application to atomic and molecular scattering provides a natural test bed for this approach and promises results of immediate interest in chemistry, physics, and astrophysics.
The development of a general purpose quantum simulator would be an important milestone in the quest for a quantum computer. The use of solid-state devices to simulate molecular systems is complementary to other quantum simulation proposals that use atomic systems to study condensed matter problems. The education and training of graduate students and postdocs, including women and other underrepresented groups, involved in our program will be integrated with every aspect of the research.
