Testing Quantum Mechanics using Noisy Quantum Computers

Understand

We outline a proposal to test quantum mechanics in the high-complexity regime using noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices.

• The procedure involves simulating a non-Clifford random circuit, followed by its inverse, and then checking that the resulting state is the same as the initial state.
• We are motivated by the hypothesis that quantum mechanics is not fundamental, but instead emerges from a theory with less computational power, such as classical mechanics.
• This emergent quantum mechanics (EmQM) hypothesis makes the prediction that quantum computers will not be capable of sufficiently complex quantum computations.