Effects of statistical sampling errors on Variational Quantum Eigensolver algorithm

Quantum computers offer opportunities to advance quantum-level computational chemistry by estimating accurate ground and excited states of molecules of general interest. Variational quantum eigensolvers (VQE) are considered to be the main workhorse for calculations on the near-term quantum computers. VQEs may also be utilized to prepare the initial states for phase estimation algorithms in the fault-tolerant era of quantum computing. However, calculations even on a perfect quantum computer would require effective handling of statistical sampling errors, which is an inherent component of quantum computation. In this study, we investigate the effects of sampling errors on leading VQE ansatzes in finding molecular ground-states. This study provides insights into the scalability and accuracy of VQE calculations in quantum chemistry.