Quantum Annealing and Computation

Abstract

We introduce and review briefly the phenomenon of quantum annealing and analog computation. The role of quantum fluctuation (tunneling) in random systems with rugged (free) energy landscapes having macroscopic barriers are discussed to demonstrate the quantum advantage in the search for the ground state(s) through annealing. Quantum annealing as a physical (analog) process to search for the optimal solutions of computationally hard problems are also discussed.