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Algorithms · Ground-state preparation · variational imaginary time

Quantum imaginary-time evolution

A ground-state preparation method that projects non-unitary imaginary-time evolution onto a parameterized quantum circuit.

Strong empiricalUpdated

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q[0]q[1]Step 1 of 3 · Ansatz RY · on q[0], q[1]Ansatz RYStep 2 of 3 · Entangle · on q[0], q[1]EntangleStep 3 of 3 · Measure A,C · on q[0], q[1]Measure A,C

3 steps across 2 wires. Hover a step, or press play to go through them in order.

Expected outcomes

  • Lower-energy update80%
  • Conditioning / residual20%
  • Steps3
  • Wires2
  • Qubits2 in the ansatz sketch
  • Classical stepSolve metric × velocity = force
  • TargetLow-energy / ground-state preparation
  • Papers1

Where this sits

This record is named by the layer graph at:

  • Quantum imaginary-time evolution Method

    Takes A Hermitian HH reachable as a sum of terms, as sparse-access oracles or as a block-encoding; a way to prepare trial states, and — for the methods that need it — a trial state whose overlap with the ground state is not negligible; a target additive error ε\varepsilon and a confidence 1−δ1-\delta. Returns A scalar estimate of the lowest eigenvalue with a stated additive-error guarantee, plus the run or query budget it consumed. Whether that estimate is also a rigorous upper bound is a property of the method and is not promised by the slot.

Related entries

References

Strong empirical
  • Verified by construction
  • Small-instance agreement
  • Peer-reviewed paper
Method
The record follows the McLachlan-style projection of imaginary-time evolution onto a parameterized ansatz and checks that a two-qubit update lowers the energy on a simple Hamiltonian.
Result
Pass · the update direction is consistent with imaginary-time descent for the toy ansatz and the catalog keeps the metric/force measurement step explicit.
Caveat
The snippet is an implementation sketch, not a claim that every variational ansatz can represent the exact ground state or that the metric is well-conditioned.
Determining eigenstates and thermal states on a quantum computer using quantum imaginary time evolution ↗
Kind
curated reference
Reviewed by
Leona Quantum curation pass
License
CC BY 4.0-compatible reference metadata
imaginary timeground statevariationalquantum chemistry
  • Ground-state preparation for quantum chemistry
  • Thermal-state and finite-temperature estimation
  • Variational warm starts for larger simulation workflows

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