SciPost Submission Page
A quantum algorithm for the n-gluon MHV scattering amplitude
by Erik Bashore, Stefano Moretti, Timea Vitos
Submission summary
| Authors (as registered SciPost users): | Erik Bashore · Timea Vitos |
| Submission information | |
|---|---|
| Preprint Link: | scipost_202508_00063v2 (pdf) |
| Date submitted: | Feb. 9, 2026, 9:24 a.m. |
| Submitted by: | Erik Bashore |
| Submitted to: | SciPost Physics |
| Ontological classification | |
|---|---|
| Academic field: | Physics |
| Specialties: |
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| Approach: | Computational |
Abstract
We propose a quantum algorithm for computing the n-gluon maximally helicity violating (MHV) tree-level scattering amplitude. We revisit a newly proposed method for unitarisation of non-unitary operations and present how this implementation can be used to create quantum gates responsible for the color and kinematic factors of the gluon scattering amplitude. As a proof-of-concept, we detail the full conceptual algorithm that yields the squared amplitude and implement the corresponding building blocks on simulated noiseless quantum circuits for n = 4 to analyze its performance. The algorithm is found to perform well with parameter optimizations, suggesting it to be a good candidate for implementing on quantum computers also for higher multiplicities.
Author indications on fulfilling journal expectations
- Provide a novel and synergetic link between different research areas.
- Open a new pathway in an existing or a new research direction, with clear potential for multi-pronged follow-up work
- Detail a groundbreaking theoretical/experimental/computational discovery
- Present a breakthrough on a previously-identified and long-standing research stumbling block
Author comments upon resubmission
List of changes
In the following resubmission, the manuscript has been updated with these changes:
- Clarification on why the full summation of probabilities are done in post-processing in eq. 30.
- Explanation for why the state-vector method was used for the color-factor test rather than circuit sampling on page 12.
- Error estimation for table 3, the QFT test and figure 7.
- More detailed explanation of the epsilon parameter. This has been added throughout section 4.4 as well as the caption of table 4.
- Labeling to the y-axis in figure 9 and C.1