Focus on quantum simulation

Abstract

The endeavour to control increasingly larger systems of particles at the quantum level is a natural goal, and will be a driving force for the physical sciences in the coming decades. The control of a many-body system at the highest level possible can indeed be regarded as the ultimate form of engineering. Within this general research avenue, building quantum simulators and performing experimental quantum simulations will play a key role. A quantum simulator is a promising candidate to become the first application of quantum information science reaching beyond classical limitations [1], since the requirements on the number of quantum particles and fidelities of operations are predicted to be substantially relaxed compared to that envisioned for a universal quantum computer. This issue forms an extensive open-access resource spanning the various areas of experimental quantum simulation, from its relation to quantum information processing to its potential use for different applications.