A Jordan-Wigner gadget that reduces T count by more than 6x for quantum chemistry applications

Abstract: Quantum computers have the potential to be a profoundly transformative technology, particularly in the context of quantum chemistry. However, running a chemistry application that is demonstrably useful currently requires a prohibitive number of logical operations. For example, the canonical estimate of the number of operations required to simulate the molecule FeMoco, the key component in biological nitrogen fixation, requires around $10^{15}$ logical gates. A quantum computer that is capable of applying logical operations at 1 Mhz rates would require more than 30 years to complete such a calculation. It is imperative to reduce this prohibitive runtime, by better understanding and optimising quantum algorithms, if the technology is to have commercial utility. The purpose of this paper is to introduce such an optimisation. The gadget that we introduce below affords a 6x improvement in runtime for Trotterized quantum chemistry employing the Jordan-Wigner transformation, without altering the required number of qubits.