Quantum Computers Crack Spectral Gap Estimation Using Adiabatic State Engineering
Quantum computing has long promised to unlock the deepest mysteries of physical systems, from the electronic structure of molecules to the emergent behavior of exotic materials. Yet, despite dramatic progress in quantum hardware, one fundamental challenge has continued to limit practical applications: accurately estimating spectral gaps, the energy differences between quantum states that determine stability, conductivity, magnetism, and chemical reactivity. In a breakthrough that could significantly reshape how quantum systems are analyzed, researchers from the Università degli Studi di Pavia have demonstrated a powerful new method for estimating spectral gaps using digital quantum computers with as few as 20 qubits. … Read more