Margolus-Levitin theorem

The Margolus-Levitin theorem, named for Norman Margolus and Lev B. Levitin, gives a fundamental limit on quantum computation (strictly speaking on all forms on computation). The processing rate cannot be higher than 6 × 10³³ operations per second per joule of energy. Or stating the bound for one micro system:

:A quantum system of energy "E" needs at least a time of $frac\{h\}\{4\; E\}$ to go from one state to an orthogonal state, where "h" = 6.626 × 10^–34 joules/hertz is Planck's constant.

The theorem is also of interest outside of quantum computation, e.g. it relates to the holographic principle.

References

* Norman Margolus, Lev B. Levitin, [http://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9710043 "The maximum speed of dynamical evolution"] "Physica D120" (1998) 188-195
* Seth Lloyd and Y. Jack Ng, "Black Hole Computers," "Scientific American" (November, 2004), pp. 53-61.
* A 2002 MIT presentation on the quantum speed limit [http://www.rle.mit.edu/QuantumMuri/thirdyearreview/presentations/MURI2002_Lloydrevised.pdf "MURI2002_Lloydrevised.pdf"] (PDF)