Convergence Accelerator Phase I: Workshop: Architectures and Opportunities in Programmable Quantum Simulators

该研讨会将于2019年秋季举办，将汇集学术界和工业界的主要利益相关者。与会者将讨论量子模拟当前面临的挑战，克服这些挑战的机会，并将规划出一条前进的道路，以实现近期的进展。研讨会的具体目标是确定量子模拟领域的实际可交付成果，包括：i)在未来2-5年内可以开发的原型，以及ii)在接下来的5年内评估它们所需的测试平台。与数字量子计算机不同，可编程量子模拟器（PQS）在许多方面已经超越了经典计算机解决量子问题的能力。事实上，在这个关键时刻，对非平衡现象、多体退相干和量子统计力学基础的PQS的探索，导致了“信息作为燃料”的概念，目前正在进行一场纳米热力学革命。因此，PQS不仅允许探索基础物理问题和材料设计，而且还激发了新型设备和应用。除了迄今为止所做的工作之外，PQS为我们提供了一个新的机会，可以解决远离平衡态、量子复杂网络、晶格规范理论和许多其他物理领域（如夸克-胶子等离子体和中子星内部）的开放量子系统中尚未解决的深层问题。本次研讨会制作的白皮书将有助于指导PQS美国行业和政府机构（如NSF）的研究和投资。阅读本白皮书的学生将对该领域的范围有一个快速而清晰的了解。目前，数字量子计算机经常出现在媒体上，而PQS的理解并没有广泛超出该领域的人。本次研讨会将有助于从许多子领域向物理学生和物理专业人员、STEM专业人员以及更广泛的公众扩展对PQS和量子信息科学的理解。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This workshop will be organized in Fall 2019 and will bring together key stakeholders from academia and industry. The participants will discuss current challenges in Quantum Simulations, opportunities to overcome those challenges, and will map out a path forward to enable near-term progress. The specific aim of the workshop is to identify realistic deliverables in the area of Quantum Simulations, including: i) Prototypes that could be developed in the next 2-5 years, and ii) Testbeds needed to evaluate them in the following 5 years.Unlike digital quantum computers, programmable quantum simulators (PQS) have already surpassed the ability of classical computers to solve quantum problems on many fronts. Indeed, at this juncture the exploration on PQS of non-equilibrium phenomena, many-body decoherence, and the foundations of quantum statistical mechanics has led to the notion of "information as fuel" with a nanothermodynamical revolution presently in progress. Thus, PQS not only allow exploration of fundamental physics questions and materials design, but also are inspiring new kinds of devices and applications. Beyond work done so far, PQS offer us a new opportunity to address deep unanswered questions in open quantum systems far from equilibrium, quantum complex networks, lattice gauge theory, and many other areas of physics, such as the quark-gluon plasma and the interior of neutron stars.The White Paper produced by this workshop will help guide research and investment in PQS US industry and government agencies such as NSF. Students reading this White Paper will have a quick and clear understanding of the scope of the field. At the present time, digital quantum computers are often in the press while the understanding of PQS is not widespread beyond people in the field. This workshop will help expand the understanding of PQS and quantum information science more generally to physics students and physics professionals from many subfields, to STEM professionals, and to the wider public.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.