A
quantum simulation method is provided. The method includes receiving, as an input, a specification (902) of a
quantum network protocol associated with a
quantum network (100). The
quantum network is a distributed network including a plurality of nodes (10a-f). A local
quantum system (12a-f) is disposed at each respective node of the plurality of nodes during at least a portion of the
quantum network protocol. The
quantum network protocol includes a sequence of operations. The sequence of operations includes one or more local quantum evolution operations (20a, 20c, 50b), wherein a local quantum evolution operation evolves a local
quantum system disposed at one of the nodes. Further, (a), (b) or (c), or any combination thereof, is provided. Therein, according to (a), the sequence of operations of the quantum network protocol includes one or more classical communication operations (40ce), wherein a classical communication operation includes transmitting classical information from a first node of the quantum network to a second node of the quantum network. Further, according to (b), the sequence of operations of the quantum network protocol includes one or more quantum communication operations (32ab, 52df), wherein a quantum communication operation includes transmitting a
quantum information carrier from a first node of the quantum network to a second node of the quantum network. Further, according to (c), a first local
quantum system disposed at a first node of the quantum network includes a first component quantum
system, a second local quantum
system disposed at a second node of the quantum network includes a second component quantum
system, wherein the first component quantum system and the second component quantum system form part of a joint
quantum state (14cde, 34de) of K component quantum systems, wherein K is at least two. The method includes, in response to the receiving, encoding local quantum systems of the quantum network into at least a subset of quantum constituents (70) of a
quantum computer (700), wherein each of the local quantum systems is disposed at a respective node of the quantum network during at least a portion of the quantum network protocol, wherein each of the local quantum systems is encoded into at least one quantum constituent. The method includes performing a
simulation (950) of the quantum network protocol using the
quantum computer, wherein performing the
simulation of the quantum network protocol includes evolving at least some quantum constituents of the
quantum computer from a first
quantum state to a second
quantum state to simulate the sequence of operations of the quantum network protocol.