Quantum annealing: the fastest route to quantum computation?

Abstract

In this review we consider the performance of the quantum adiabatic algorithm for the solution of decision problems. We divide the possible failure mechanisms into two sets: small gaps due to quantum phase transitions and small gaps due to avoided crossings inside a phase. We argue that the thermodynamic order of the phase transitions is not predictive of the scaling of the gap with the system size. On the contrary, we also argue that, if the phase surrounding the problem Hamiltonian is a Many-Body Localized (MBL) phase, the gaps are going to be typically exponentially small and that this follows naturally from the existence of local integrals of motion in the MBL phase.