PhD Studentship - Identifying Quantum Advantage via Tensor Networks

Funding

A highly competitive EPSRC Quantum Technologies Doctoral Training Partnership Studentship offering the award of fees, together with a tax-free maintenance grant of £19,237 per year for 3.5 years. Training and support will also be provided.

Lead Supervisor’s full name & email address

Dr. Zlatko Papic – [email protected]

Co-supervisor name(s)

Professor Jiannis Pachos – [email protected]

Rapid technological progress has ushered in the era of quantum computers and, with them, the race for quantum advantage. However, identifying problems for which quantum devices can show true advantage over classical ones can be non-trivial: various recent claims of quantum advantage by Google and IBM were quickly refuted by development of innovative classical algorithms. The goal of this project is to identify problems and experimental regimes for which existing quantum algorithms and quantum simulations have a genuine advantage over classical methods. By applying tensor networks (TNs) – a class of variational algorithms for simulating many-qubit systems on a classical computing architecture, this project will establish under what circumstances realistic quantum simulators show a genuine advantage in calculating useful properties of idealised materials or experimental systems out of equilibrium.

Please state your entry requirements plus any necessary or desired background

First or Upper Second Class UK Bachelor (Honours) or equivalent