Adiabatic quantum computing (AQC) is an approach to quantum computing based on the adiabatic theorem. The adiabatic theorem states that if a Hamiltonian, \( \hat{H} \) , changes slowly in time, then a state starting in the ground state will remain in the ground state. By starting with some simple Hamiltonian and evolving it to some \( \hat{H} \) representing the problem to be solved, the lowest energy configuration becomes the solution to the problem.