Universal Quantum Simulators: Correction
Seth Lloyd · Science · 1998
Several readers have pointed out an error in my Research Article “Universal quantum simulators” (23 Aug. 1996, p. [1073][1]) ( 1). On page 1076, after equation ([2][2]), I incorrectly cited K. Kraus as showing that it is always possible to mimic the effect of an environment for an N -qubit quantum system by using a simulated environment consisting of N qubits ( 2 , which is reference 39 in the article). In fact, the implication of Kraus's work ([2][2]) is that it is always possible to simulate such an environment using a simulated environment with 2 N qubits, not N. An N -qubit simulated environment clearly suffices in some cases: that it always suffices should be considered to be a conjecture that the set of equations given by equation ([2][2]) always possesses a solution. However, the minimum size of a simulated environment sufficient to model any environmental interaction is not currently known The conclusion of my article, that a quantum computer can efficiently simulate any quantum system that evolves according to local interactions, remains unchanged. 1. 1. S. Lloyd , Science 273, 1073 (1996). [OpenUrl][3][Abstract][4] 2. [↵][5]1. K. Kraus , States, Effects, and Operations: Fundamental Notions of Quantum Theory (Spring-Verlag, Berlin, 1983). [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.273.5278.1073 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScience%26rft.stitle%253DScience%26rft.issn%253D0036-8075%26rft.aulast%253DLloyd%26rft.auinit1%253DS.%26rft.volume%253D273%26rft.issue%253D5278%26rft.spage%253D1073%26rft.epage%253D1078%26rft.atitle%253DUniversal%2BQuantum%2BSimulators%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1126%252Fscience.273.5278.1073%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F8688088%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [4]: /lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6Mzoic2NpIjtzOjU6InJlc2lkIjtzOjEzOiIyNzMvNTI3OC8xMDczIjtzOjQ6ImF0b20iO3M6MjU6Ii9zY2kvMjc5LzUzNTQvMTExMy44LmF0b20iO31zOjg6ImZyYWdtZW50IjtzOjA6IiI7fQ== [5]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text