Quantum computing and subatomic physics: State of the art, challenges, and prospects

Abstract:  Simulations of complex many-body quantum phenomena present a formidable computational challenge. Quantum computing holds promise to drastically improve our simulations capabilities for many-body systems across all scientific domains. We discuss recent progress and challenges in quantum simulations of light nuclei (the deuteron 2H, the triton 3H, 3He, and the alpha particle 4He ) and a prototypical quantum field theory---the Schwinger model---on a multitude of quantum hardware ranging from superconducting circuits and trapped ions to photonics. Our results illustrate the potential of quantum computers to augment classical computations in bridging the scales from quarks to nuclei.