Experimentally modeling stochastic processes with less memory by the use of a quantum processor.
Computer simulation of observable phenomena is an indispensable tool for engineering new technology, understanding the natural world, and studying human society. However, the most interesting systems are often so complex that simulating their future behavior demands storing immense amounts of information regarding how they have behaved in the past. For increasingly complex systems, simulation becomes increasingly difficult and is ultimately constrained by resources such as computer memory. Recent theoretical work shows that quantum theory can reduce this memory requirement beyond ultimate classical limits, as measured by a process' statistical complexity,C. We experimentally demonstrate this quantum advantage in simulating stochastic processes. Our quantum implementation observes a memory requirement ofCq= 0.05 ± 0.01, far below the ultimate classical limit ofC= 1. Scaling up this technique would substantially reduce the memory required in simulations of more complex systems.
Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (Australian Research Council), Centre for Quantum Dynamics, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia.
Matthew S
0000-0003-1384-6657
MS
Palsson
School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639673, Republic of Singapore.; Complexity Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang View, Singapore 639673, Republic of Singapore.; Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 2, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
Mile
M
Gu
Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (Australian Research Council), Centre for Quantum Dynamics, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia.
Joseph
0000-0002-5346-3872
J
Ho
Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (Australian Research Council), Centre for Quantum Dynamics, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia.
Howard M
HM
Wiseman
Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (Australian Research Council), Centre for Quantum Dynamics, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia.
Geoff J
GJ
Pryde
Quantum Optics; complexity; quantum information; quantum measurement; stochastic simulation