With the potential of quantum algorithms to solve intractable classical problems, quantum computing is rapidly evolving, and more algorithms are being developed and optimized. Expressing these quantum algorithms using a high-level language and making them executable on a quantum processor while abstracting away hardware details is a challenging task. First, a quantum programming language should provide an intuitive programming interface to describe those algorithms. Then a compiler has to transform the program into a quantum circuit, optimize it, and map it to the target quantum processor respecting the hardware constraints such as the supported quantum operations, the qubit connectivity, and the control electronics limitations. In this article, we propose a quantum programming framework named OpenQL, which includes a high-level quantum programming language and its associated quantum compiler. We present the programming interface of OpenQL, we describe the different layers of the compiler and how we can provide portability over different qubit technologies. Our experiments show that OpenQL allows the execution of the same high-level algorithm on two different qubit technologies, namely superconducting qubits and Si-Spin qubits. Besides the executable code, OpenQL also produces an intermediate quantum assembly code, which is technology independent and can be simulated using the QX simulator.
With the potential of quantum algorithms to solve intractable classical problems, quantum computing is rapidly evolving, and more algorithms are being developed and optimized. Expressing these quantum algorithms using a high-level language and making them executable on a quantum processor while abstracting away hardware details is a challenging task. First, a quantum programming language should provide an intuitive programming interface to describe those algorithms. Then a compiler has to transform the program into a quantum circuit, optimize it, and map it to the target quantum processor respecting the hardware constraints such as the supported quantum operations, the qubit connectivity, and the control electronics limitations. In this article, we propose a quantum programming framework named OpenQL, which includes a high-level quantum programming language and its associated quantum compiler. We present the programming interface of OpenQL, we describe the different layers of the compiler and how we can provide portability over different qubit technologies. Our experiments show that OpenQL allows the execution of the same high-level algorithm on two different qubit technologies, namely superconducting qubits and Si-Spin qubits. Besides the executable code, OpenQL also produces an intermediate quantum assembly code, which is technology independent and can be simulated using the QX simulator.
The rapid progress quantum devices have made in recent years has led to the need for systems that bridge the gap between quantum algorithms and quantum hardware. To this purpose different full-stack quantum programming platforms have been developed, providing high level languages for expressing quantum algorithms and providing compilers for making those quantum algorithms executable on a given quantum device. OpenQL is one such a platform, with support for compiling a variety of quantum program inputs into a quantum circuit, ready to be executed on the targeted quantum hardware. OpenQL is an evolving tool in which new features are constantly added to improve its performance and extend its functionality. In order to enhance OpenQL and provide some extra support to the researchers using OpenQL for their experiments, a visualization tool with three main functionalities has been developed in this thesis project. First, a circuit visualizer, with support for both visualizing the circuit output of the OpenQL compiler as an abstract gate representation and a pulse representation, which has been made specifically for quantum hardware running on superconducting qubits. Secondly, a mapping graph visualizer, which allows displaying the logical to physical qubit mapping per program cycle. And lastly a qubit interaction graph generator, which shows the required interactions between qubits of a given quantum algorithm.
This article presents the definition and implementation of a quantum computer architecture to enable creating a new computational device-a quantum computer as an accelerator. A key question addressed is what such a quantum computer is and how it relates to the classical processor that controls the entire execution process. In this article, we present explicitly the idea of a quantum accelerator that contains the full stack of the layers of an accelerator. Such a stack starts at the highest level describing the target application of the accelerator. The next layer abstracts the quantum logic outlining the algorithm that is to be executed on the quantum accelerator. In our case, the logic is expressed in the universal quantum-classical hybrid computation language developed in the group, called OpenQL, which visualized the quantum processor as a computational accelerator. The OpenQL compiler translates the program to a common assembly language, called cQASM, which can be executed on a quantum simulator. The cQASM represents the instruction set that can be executed by the microarchitecture implemented in the quantum accelerator. In a subsequent step, the compiler can convert the cQASM to generate the eQASM, which is executable on a particular experimental device incorporating the platform-specific parameters. This way, we are able to distinguish clearly the experimental research toward better qubits, and the industrial and societal applications that need to be developed and executed on a quantum device. The first case offers experimental physicists with a full-stack experimental platform using realistic qubits with decoherence and error-rates, whereas the second case offers perfect qubits to the quantum application developer, where there is neither decoherence nor error-rates. We conclude the article by explicitly presenting three examples of full-stack quantum accelerators, for an experimental superconducting processor, for quantum accelerated genome sequencing and for near-term generic optimization problems based on quantum heuristic approaches. The two later full-stack models are currently being actively researched in our group.
This paper presents the definition and implementation of a quantum computer architecture to enable creating a new computational device - a quantum computer as an accelerator. A key question addressed is what such a quantum computer is and how it relates to the classical processor that controls the entire execution process. In this paper, we present explicitly the idea of a quantum accelerator which contains the full stack of the layers of an accelerator. Such a stack starts at the highest level describing the target application of the accelerator. The next layer abstracts the quantum logic outlining the algorithm that is to be executed on the quantum accelerator. In our case, the logic is expressed in the universal quantum-classical hybrid computation language developed in the group, called OpenQL, which visualised the quantum processor as a computational accelerator. The OpenQL compiler translates the program to a common assembly language, called cQASM, which can be executed on a quantum simulator. The cQASM represents the instruction set that can be executed by the micro-architecture implemented in the quantum accelerator. We propose that the industrial and societal application developers use perfect qubits that have no decoherence or error-rates. The perfect qubits offers facilities to the quantum application developer and they are not blocked by issues such as decoherence.
This paper presents the definition and implementation of a quantum computer architecture to enable creating a new computational device - a quantum computer as an accelerator In this paper, we present explicitly the idea of a quantum accelerator which contains the full stack of the layers of an accelerator. Such a stack starts at the highest level describing the target application of the accelerator. Important to realise is that qubits are defined as perfect qubits, implying they do not decohere and perform good quantum gate operations. The next layer abstracts the quantum logic outlining the algorithm that is to be executed on the quantum accelerator. In our case, the logic is expressed in the universal quantum-classical hybrid computation language developed in the group, called OpenQL. We also have to start thinking about how to verify, validate and test the quantum software such that the compiler generates a correct version of the quantum circuit. The OpenQL compiler translates the program to a common assembly language, called cQASM. We need to develop a quantum operating system that manages all the hardware of the micro-architecture. The layer below the micro-architecture is responsible of the mapping and routing of the qubits on the topology such that the nearest-neighbour-constraint can be be respected. At any moment in the future when we are capable of generating multiple good qubits, the compiler can convert the cQASM to generate the eQASM, which is executable on a particular experimental device incorporating the platform-specific parameters. This way, we are able to distinguish clearly the experimental research towards better qubits, and the industrial and societal applications that need to be developed and executed on a quantum device.
Abstract Quantum computing offers transformative capabilities by exploiting quantum mechanical principles to solve problems that are intractable for classical systems, particularly in areas like cryptography, optimization, and data analysis. However, most current quantum programming languages operate at a low level, requiring in-depth expertise in quantum mechanics and circuit theory, which presents a barrier to wider adoption. In this work, we introduce Qutes, a high-level quantum programming language that simplifies the development of quantum algorithms while preserving the flexibility needed for advanced applications. Qutes abstracts low-level quantum operations through intuitive syntax and high-level constructs, enabling developers to express complex algorithms without detailed circuit knowledge. Built atop Qiskit, Qutes transpiles seamlessly into executable code, ensuring compatibility with real quantum hardware. We present the architecture, language design, and hybrid classical-quantum integration of Qutes, and demonstrate its use through implementations of canonical quantum algorithms. Our results highlight Qutes’ potential to democratize quantum programming by lowering the entry threshold and accelerating prototyping for researchers and developers alike.
We introduce isQ, a new software stack for quantum programming in an imperative programming language, also named isQ. The aim of isQ is to make programmers write quantum programs as conveniently as possible. In particular:1)The isQ language and its compiler contain many useful features, including but not limited to: classical control flow, such as recursion; decomposition of self-defined unitary gates; and oracle programming and its circuit realization.2)To make it flexible, an isQ program can be compiled into several different kinds of intermediate representation and assemblies, including QIR, eQASM, OpenQASM 3.0, and QCIS (specially tailored for the superconducting quantum hardware at USTC).3)Besides interfacing isQ with real superconducting hardware, a QIR simulator is also developed for the demonstration and testing of isQ programs.isQ software stack encompasses abundant compiler optimizations of high-level quantum programs. To realize it, a distinct MLIR dialect name isQ-IR is proposed.