Rapid Data Search using Adiabatic Quantum Computation

Abstract

We show that by a suitable choice of time-dependent Hamiltonian, the search for a marked item in an unstructured database can be achieved in unit time, using Adiabatic Quantum Computation. This is a considerable improvement over the O(sqrt(N)) time required in previous algorithms. The trade-off is that in the intermediate stages of the computation process, the ground state energy of the computer increases to a maximum of O(sqrt(N)), before returning to zero at the end of the process.