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A polynomial-time classical algorithm for noisy quantum circuits

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arxiv 2407.12768 v2 pith:4ZOUU4GQ submitted 2024-07-17 quant-ph cs.CCcs.ITmath-phmath.ITmath.MPphysics.atom-ph

classification quant-phcs.CCcs.ITmath-phmath.ITmath.MPphysics.atom-ph
keywords quantumalgorithmcircuitinputnoisenoisystatescircuits
verification ladder T0 review T1 audit T2 compute T3 formal
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We provide a polynomial-time classical algorithm for noisy quantum circuits. The algorithm computes the expectation value of any observable for any circuit, with a small average error over input states drawn from an ensemble (e.g. the computational basis). Our approach is based upon the intuition that noise exponentially damps non-local correlations relative to local correlations. This enables one to classically simulate a noisy quantum circuit by only keeping track of the dynamics of local quantum information. Our algorithm also enables sampling from the output distribution of a circuit in quasi-polynomial time, so long as the distribution anti-concentrates. A number of practical implications are discussed, including a fundamental limit on the efficacy of noise mitigation strategies: for constant noise rates, any quantum circuit for which error mitigation is efficient on most input states, is also classically simulable on most input states.

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Cited by 10 Pith papers

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