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Boson Sampling

Definition

Boson sampling is a computational problem that involves generating samples from the output distribution of bosons passing through a linear optical network. This quantum computational task is believed to be hard for classical computers to simulate efficiently, even though it does not offer universal quantum computation capabilities. It serves as a strong candidate for demonstrating quantum supremacy, where a quantum device performs a calculation practically impossible for the most powerful classical supercomputers. The process typically uses photons, which are bosons, directed through a series of beam splitters and phase shifters.