Abstract The ability to implement any desired quantum logic gate on a quantum processing unit is equivalent to evolution-operator controllability of the qubits. Conversely, controllability analysis can be used to minimize the resources, i.e. the number of external controls and qubit–qubit couplings, required for universal quantum computing. Standard controllability analysis, consisting in the construction of the dynamical Lie algebra, is, however, impractical already for a comparatively small number of qubits. Here, we show how to leverage an alternative approach, based on a graph representation of the Hamiltonian, to determine controllability of arrays of coupled qubits. We provide a complete computational framework and exemplify it for arrays of five qubits, inspired by the ibmq_quito architecture. We find that the number of controls can be reduced from five to one for complex qubit–qubit couplings and to two for standard qubit–qubit couplings.
Abstract The ability to implement any desired quantum logic gate on a quantum processing unit is equivalent to evolution-operator controllability of the qubits. Conversely, controllability analysis can be used to minimize the resources, i.e. the number of external controls and qubit–qubit couplings, required for universal quantum computing. Standard controllability analysis, consisting in the construction of the dynamical Lie algebra, is, however, impractical already for a comparatively small number of qubits. Here, we show how to leverage an alternative approach, based on a graph representation of the Hamiltonian, to determine controllability of arrays of coupled qubits. We provide a complete computational framework and exemplify it for arrays of five qubits, inspired by the ibmq_quito architecture. We find that the number of controls can be reduced from five to one for complex qubit–qubit couplings and to two for standard qubit–qubit couplings.
Operator controllability refers to the ability to implement an arbitrary unitary in SU(N) and is a prerequisite for universal quantum computing. Controllability tests can be used in the design of quantum devices to reduce the number of external controls. Their practical use is hampered, however, by the exponential scaling of their numerical effort with the number of qubits. Here, we devise a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm based on a parametrized quantum circuit. We show that controllability is linked to the number of independent parameters, which can be obtained by dimensional expressivity analysis. We exemplify the application of the algorithm to qubit arrays with nearest-neighbour couplings and local controls. Our work provides a systematic approach to the resource-efficient design of quantum chips.
Universal quantum computing requires the ability to perform every unitary operation, i.e., evolution operator controllability. In view of developing resource-efficient quantum processing units (QPUs), it is important to determine how many local controls and qubit-qubit couplings are required for controllability. Unfortunately, assessing the controllability of large qubit arrays is a difficult task, due to the exponential scaling of Hilbert space dimension. Here we show that it is sufficient to connect two qubit arrays that are evolution operator controllable by a single entangling two-qubit gate in order to obtain a composite qubit array that is evolution operator controllable. The proof provides a template to build up modular QPUs from smaller building blocks with reduced numbers of local controls and couplings. We illustrate the approach with two examples, consisting of 10, respectively 127 qubits, inspired by IBM quantum processors.
Operator controllability refers to the ability to implement an arbitrary unitary in SU(N) and is a prerequisite for universal quantum computing. Controllability tests can be used in the design of quantum devices to reduce the number of external controls. Their practical use is hampered, however, by the exponential scaling of their numerical effort with the number of qubits. Here, we devise a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm based on a parametrized quantum circuit. We show that controllability is linked to the number of independent parameters, which can be obtained by dimensional expressivity analysis. We exemplify the application of the algorithm to qubit arrays with nearest-neighbour couplings and local controls. Our work provides a systematic approach to the resource-efficient design of quantum chips.
A quantum computer is similar to an ordinary computer, except that instead of bits it uses two-level quantum systems (qubits), and the usual logical operations on bits are replaced with noiseless quantum dynamics in the form of unitary gates or Hamiltonian interactions. Many sets of resources that are universal for quantum computation (that is, capable of implementing any quantum computation) have been found, but general conditions for universality are still only partially understood. Improving our understanding of these conditions contributes to two broad goals. On the one hand, understanding what class of physical systems is suitable for quantum computation allows us choose the systems that are most easily controlled or built in the laboratory. On the other hand, identifying the unifying characteristics of such a class provides insight into the fundamental physics responsible for the much greater computational power of quantum computers. The original results presented in this thesis are a contribution to our understanding of the physical requirements for universal quantum computation. These results lead to the identification of a new, large class of universal dynamics. More specifically, the main problem that is addressed is the following: consider a physical system that is made up of a finite number of qubits that are subject to a natural, fixed interaction described by a two-body Hamiltonian. Suppose we have the ability to control the system only by applying fast one-qubit operations. Under what conditions is this system capable of universal quantum computation? The first original result of the thesis is to prove that universal quantum computation is possible under these conditions given the single extra constraint that the Hamiltonian must entangle, or connect, all of the qubits. In other words, since a two-body Hamiltonian is expressible as a sum of coupling terms each of which acts nontrivially on a pair of qubits, consider the graph whose vertices correspond to qubits and whose edges connect qubits that are coupled by a term in the Hamiltonian. Then this Hamiltonian, together with fast one-qubit unitaries, is universal for quantum computation precisely when the corresponding graph is connected. This result suggests many potential generalizations, three of which are explored in this thesis. The first generalization is to show that the same result holds for a two-body Hamiltonian that acts on D-dimensional quantum systems (qudits), given fast one-qudit unitaries. A second extension is to the case of a many-body Hamiltonian, that is, a Hamiltonian that has coupling terms that act on more than two qubits. Again, we find that under mild restrictions, such Hamiltonians are universal provided they are connected and that arbitrary one-qubit unitaries are available. We also discover and explore some surprising structure in many-body Hamiltonians that is associated with the parity of the couplings. A third related problem that is addressed is the question of what two-qubit unitaries are universal for quantum computation. This problem was originally solved by J.-L. and R. Brylinski [BB02], who gave a technical proof of the universality of any two-qudit gate that is not the swap gate or a product of one-qudit unitaries, given one-qudit unitaries as a free resource. We develop an elementary and constructive proof for the case of qubits, and prove that our construction is very close to optimal in the number of uses of the two-qubit gate. Given a qualitative understanding of what dynamical resources are universal for quantum computation, it is natural to consider developing a quantitative measure of the usefulness of quantum dynamics for quantum information processing. This is done in the final chapter of the thesis, in which the beginnings of a quantitative theory of quantum dynamics are developed.
This work introduces a complete and self-consistent framework for quantum computation within the domain of real-valued quantum mechanics. Standard quantum computation is predicated on the manipulation of states in a complex Hilbert space, where a complex phase is a critical resource. We demonstrate that this complex structure is not fundamental but can be fully reproduced by a real-operator algebra. Our formalism is built upon a rigorous algebraic isomorphism between the imaginary unit i and the temporal Hilbert transform operator Ht, which acts as a physical generator of phase. Leveraging this isomorphism, we systematically redefine the fundamental quantum logic gates-including the Pauli, Hadamard, phase rotation, and CNOT gates-entirely within a real operator algebra. We prove that each gate's action on a real-valued qubit state representation is mathematically and operationally equivalent to its conventional complex counterpart. The Pauli-Y, phase, and controlled-phase gates, which are intrinsically complex in the standard model, are shown to correspond to real-operator matrices involving the Hilbert transform. This formulation provides a physically grounded interpretation of quantum logic, where abstract phase manipulation corresponds to the application of a concrete, albeit non-local, integral transform. We demonstrate how this framework correctly reproduces the generation of quantum entanglement and establishes a consistent measurement theory via an Analytic Born Rule in Unified Quantum Mechanics. This work solidifies the viability of a complete real-valued model for quantum information processing and suggests new paradigms for the physical implementation of quantum hardware.
Realizing distributed architectures for quantum computing is crucial to scaling up computational power. A key component of such architectures is a scheduler that coordinates operations over a short-range quantum network required to enable the necessary non-local entangling gates between quantum processing units (QPUs). It is desirable to determine schedules of minimum make span, which in the case of networks with constrained resources hinges on their efficient usage. Here we compare and contrast two approaches to solving the make span minimization problem, an approach based on the resource constrained project scheduling (RCPSP) framework, and another based on a greedy heuristic algorithm. The workflow considered is as follows. Firstly, the computational circuit is partitioned and assigned to different QPUs such that the number of nonlocal entangling gates acting across partitions is minimized while the qubit load is nearly uniform on the individual QPUs, which can be accomplished using, e.g., the METIS solver. Secondly, the nonlocal entangling gate requirements with respect to the partitions are identified, and mapped to network operation sequences that deliver the necessary entanglement between the QPUs. Finally, the network operations are scheduled such that the make span is minimized. As illustrative examples, we analyze the implementation of a small instance of the Quantum Fourier Transform algorithm over instances of a simple hub and spoke (star) network architecture comprised of a quantum switch as the hub and QPUs as spokes, each with a finite qubit resource budget. In one instance, our results show the RCPSP approach outperforming the greedy heuristic. In another instance, we find the two performing equally well. Our results thus illustrate the effectiveness of the RCPSP framework, while also underlining the relevance and usefulness of greedy heuristics.