Quantum Diagonalization of Hermitean Matrices

Abstract

To measure an observable of a quantum mechanical system leaves it in one of its eigenstates and the result of the measurement is one of its eigenvalues. This process is shown to be a computational resource. It allows one, in principle, to diagonalize hermitean (N by N) matrices by quantum mechanical measurements only. To do so, one considers the given matrix as an observable of a single spin with appropriate length s=(N-1)/2, which can be measured using a generalized Stern-Gerlach apparatus. Then, each run provides one eigenvalue of the observable. As it is based on the `collapse of the wave function' associated with a measurement, the procedure is neither a digital nor an analog calculation--it defines thus a new quantum mechanical method of computation.