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if present encrypted data will remain secure in the future.
1.1.6 Quantum Annealing
Another problem of great interest is that of function optimization. The biggest
challenge in optimization is finding global rather than local optima. A quantum
computer is speculated to be very efficient at achieving this by allowing the “solution”
to tunnel out of local minima that it might be stuck in [Apolloni et al.,
1989]. A possible implementation would consist of encoding the function to be
optimized into an energy potential landscape. For this, the quantum system is
initially prepared in its state of lowest energy. If the potential of interest is turned
on slowly enough, the system will adiabatically remain in its ground-state. After
the potential is fully turned on, this ground-state will encode the solution to the
optimization problem.
1.1.7 Quantum Simulation
In analogy to the Church-Turing Thesis, it has been shown that every physical
quantum system can be simulated efficiently on a general quantum computer
[Deutsch, 1985]. Such capabilities would be extremely helpful in fields like chemistry
and medicine, where they would allow a more detailed understanding of
complex molecules and their interactions.
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