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WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

Quantum Computer Search Algorithms

​
algorithm
unstructured
adiabatic
discrete adiabatic
heuristic
number of steps to complete the search
10
current step (0 to 10)
0
-0.05
0.05
0.10
0.15
Re
-0.05
0.05
Im
amplitudes
conflicts
eigenvalues
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
number of conflicts
probability

Quantum computers use subtle physical behaviors of quantum mechanical systems for computing. Such computers may solve some problems, such as integer factoring, dramatically faster than conventional machines. Two major challenges for quantum computing are building the machines and developing algorithms exploiting their unique capabilities. Only a few quantum computer algorithms have been invented so far, and they can have counterintuitive behaviors. This Demonstration visually compares four quantum computer search algorithms. The left plot shows the amplitudes of the quantum state during the search, with the large black points corresponding to the two solutions of the problem. The right plot shows the probability distribution among either the number of conflicts in the possible results or the eigenvalues of the quantum search operator. Results with zero conflicts are the solutions.