Why is entanglement essential for quantum computing?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
1 reply · 2K views
zZhang
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Asked myself that question today, and I don't know what the answer is. Maybe I missed something somewhere in the math...

Anyone know?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I suppose I should comment a bit further on my current line of thinking and why I don't see where entanglement has to appear in order for quantum computing to work.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears that in order to do quantum computing, you either

1) Have an initial state, choose a Hamiltonian, and evolve the system according to Schrödinger's equation

2) Apply a series of unitary operators to an initial state.

Neither seems to require entanglement of states for it to work.