A quantum algorithm for additive approximation of Ising partition functions

Abstract

We investigate quantum computational complexity of calculating partition functions of Ising models. We construct a quantum algorithm for an additive approximation of Ising partition functions on square lattices. To this end, we utilize the overlap mapping developed by Van den Nest, Dür, and Briegel [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 117207 (2007)] and its interpretation through measurement-based quantum computation (MBQC). We specify an algorithmic domain, on which the proposed algorithm works, and an approximation scale, which determines the accuracy of the approximation. We show that the proposed algorithm does a nontrivial task, which would be intractable on any classical computer, by showing the problem solvable by the proposed quantum algorithm are BQP-complete. In the construction of the BQP-complete problem coupling strengths and magnetic fields take complex values. However, the Ising models that are of central interest in statistical physics and computer science consist of real coupling strengths and magnetic fields. Thus we extend the algorithmic domain of the proposed algorithm to such a real physical parameter region and calculate the approximation scale explicitly. We found that the overlap mapping and its MBQC interpretation improves the approximation scale exponentially compared to a straightforward constant depth quantum algorithm. On the other hand, the proposed quantum algorithm also provides us a partial evidence that there exist no efficient classical algorithm for a multiplicative approximation of the Ising partition functions even on the square lattice. This result supports that the proposed quantum algorithm does a nontrivial task also in the physical parameter region.