title: Computational complexity of projected entangled pair states.
abstract: We determine the computational power of preparing projected entangled pair states (PEPS), as well as the complexity of classically simulating them, and generally the complexity of contracting tensor networks. While creating PEPS allows us to solve PP problems, the latter two tasks are both proven to be #P-complete. We further show how PEPS can be used to approximate ground states of gapped Hamiltonians and that creating them is easier than creating arbitrary PEPS. The main tool for our proofs is a duality between PEPS and postselection which allows us to use existing results from quantum complexity.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Hans-Kopfermann-Str. 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schuch
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Verstraete
authors.forename: J Ignacio
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Cirac