Solvent distribution effects on quantum chemical calculations with quantum computers

Abstract

We present a combination of three-dimensional reference interaction site model self-consistent field (3D-RISM-SCF) theory and the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) to consider the solvent distribution effects within the framework of quantum-classical hybrid computing. The present method, 3D-RISM-VQE, does not include any statistical errors from the solvent configuration sampling owing to the analytical treatment of the statistical solvent distribution. We apply 3D-RISM-VQE to compute the spatial distribution functions of solvent water around a water molecule, the potential and Helmholtz energy curves of NaCl, and to conduct Helmholtz energy component analysis of H$_2$O and NH$_4^+$. Moreover, we utilize 3D-RISM-VQE to analyze the extent to which solvent effects alter the efficiency of quantum calculations compared with calculations in the gas phase using the $L^1$-norms of molecular electronic Hamiltonians. Our results demonstrate that the efficiency of quantum chemical calculations on a quantum computer in solution is virtually the same as in the gas phase.