Near-term applications of superconducting digital quantum simulation

Quantum simulation, as a practical application of noisy quantum computing, has aided the study of exotic quantum matters and the implementation of algorithms that outperform classical approaches. Superconducting qubits, one of the most promising candidates for realizing universal quantum computing, possess state-of-the-art features like easy integration of qubits, long coherence time, and high-fidelity single- and two-qubit gates. These characteristics have enabled applications of digital quantum simulation in the fields of physics, chemistry, and computer science. In this review, we first present the basic concepts of superconducting qubits, quantum gates, and digital quantum simulations. We also explore recent progress in digital quantum simulations using superconducting qubits, especially in relation to quantum chemistry, quantum matters, combinatorial optimization, and quantum machine learning. Finally, we address the current challenges of digital quantum simulation with superconducting qubits, and provide a perspective on the future of the field.