title: Adiabatic quantum computation in open systems.
abstract: We analyze the performance of adiabatic quantum computation (AQC) subject to decoherence. To this end, we introduce an inherently open-systems approach, based on a recent generalization of the adiabatic approximation. In contrast to closed systems, we show that a system may initially be in an adiabatic regime, but then undergo a transition to a regime where adiabaticity breaks down. As a consequence, the success of AQC depends sensitively on the competition between various pertinent rates, giving rise to optimality criteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sarandy
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lidar