Efficient calculation of Green's functions on quantum computers via simultaneous circuit perturbation

Abstract: We propose a novel, ancilla-free algorithm to compute Retarded Green's Functions (RGFs) on quantum computers. Our proposal is based on real-time evolution and specifically designed circuit components, which we refer to as circuit perturbations, acting as a direct representation of the external perturbative force within the quantum circuit in a linear response framework. First, we establish a direct analytical connection between the evaluation of circuit derivatives and the computation of RGFs. We then build on this connection to devise a new approach involving multiple simultaneous time perturbations. Our method does not require long-range connections and is efficient in terms of circuit calls, allowing us to compute the RGFs at different times simultaneously. We benchmark the protocol on the one-dimensional Heisenberg and Fermi-Hubbard models, comparing the resulting dynamical correlations and spectral functions with exact diagonalization. The results demonstrate good quantitative agreement with the predicted solutions even under realistic noise models, highlighting the practical potential of our method for studying complex dynamical phenomena on near-term quantum devices.