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Understanding the physics of D-Wave annealers: From Schrödinger to Lindblad to Markovian dynamics

Vrinda Mehta1, Hans De Raedt1, Kristel Michielsen1,2,3, and Fengping Jin1

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Phys. Rev. A 112, 032616 – Published 16 September, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/3yk8-qn64

Abstract

Understanding the physical nature of the D-Wave annealers remains a subject of active investigation. In this study, we analyze the sampling behavior of these systems and explore whether their results can be replicated using quantum and Markovian models. Employing the standard and the fast annealing protocols, we observe that the D-Wave annealers sample states with frequencies matching the Gibbs distribution for sufficiently long annealing times. Using Bloch equation simulations for single-qubit problems and Lindblad and Markovian master equations for two-qubit systems, we compare experimental data with theoretical predictions. Our results provide insights into the role of quantum mechanics in these devices.

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Phys. Rev. A 112, 032616– Published 16 September, 2025
  • Received 19 April 2025
  • Accepted 25 August 2025
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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