Quantum phase estimation is a central primitive in quantum algorithms and sensing, where performance is governed by the sensitivity of measurement signals to the target parameter. While existing methods have developed increasingly sophisticated inference and adaptive design strategies, the signal family used for phase learning is often largely pre-specified. Here we propose a programmable signal design framework for quantum phase estimation based on quantum signal processing, which enables the measurement signal to be tailored to the current uncertainty region. We cast phase estimation as a max-min optimization problem over admissible signals and introduce a sensitivity efficiency parameter that quantifies information gain per query depth. The resulting iterative algorithm combines optimized quantum signal transformations with structured classical inference, retaining Heisenberg-limited scaling while improving sensitivity efficiency and practical resource prefactors. Numerical results show reduced estimation variance compared with standard protocols such as robust phase estimation. Our framework also extends to Hamiltonian eigenvalue estimation in higher dimensions and establishes a quantum-classical co-design paradigm through programmable signal shaping.
Quantum phase estimation is a central primitive in quantum algorithms and sensing, where performance is governed by the sensitivity of measurement signals to the target parameter. While existing methods have developed increasingly sophisticated inference and adaptive design strategies, the signal family used for phase learning is often largely pre-specified. Here we propose a programmable signal design framework for quantum phase estimation based on quantum signal processing, which enables the measurement signal to be tailored to the current uncertainty region. We cast phase estimation as a max-min optimization problem over admissible signals and introduce a sensitivity efficiency parameter that quantifies information gain per query depth. The resulting iterative algorithm combines optimized quantum signal transformations with structured classical inference, retaining Heisenberg-limited scaling while improving sensitivity efficiency and practical resource prefactors. Numerical results show reduced estimation variance compared with standard protocols such as robust phase estimation. Our framework also extends to Hamiltonian eigenvalue estimation in higher dimensions and establishes a quantum-classical co-design paradigm through programmable signal shaping.
Abstract Quantum effects like entanglement and coherent amplification can be used to drastically enhance the accuracy of quantum parameter estimation beyond classical limits. However, challenges such as decoherence and time-dependent errors hinder Heisenberg-limited amplification. We introduce Quantum Signal-Processing Phase Estimation algorithms that are robust against these challenges and achieve optimal performance as dictated by the Cramér-Rao bound. These algorithms use quantum signal transformation to decouple interdependent phase parameters into largely orthogonal ones, ensuring that time-dependent errors in one do not compromise the accuracy of learning the other. Combining provably optimal classical estimation with near-optimal quantum circuit design, our approach achieves a standard deviation accuracy of 10−4 radians for estimating unwanted swap angles in superconducting two-qubit experiments, using low-depth ( < 10) circuits. This represents up to two orders of magnitude improvement over existing methods. Theoretically and numerically, we demonstrate the optimality of our algorithm against time-dependent phase errors, observing that the variance of the time-sensitive parameter φ scales faster than the asymptotic Heisenberg scaling in the small-depth regime. Our results are rigorously validated against the quantum Fisher information, confirming our protocol’s ability to achieve unmatched precision for two-qubit gate learning.
Leveraging quantum effects in metrology such as entanglement and coherence allows one to measure parameters with enhanced sensitivity. However, time-dependent noise can disrupt such Heisenberg-limited amplification. We propose a quantum-metrology method based on the quantum-signal-processing framework to overcome these realistic noise-induced limitations in practical quantum metrology. Our algorithm separates the gate parameter φ~(single-qubit Z phase) that is susceptible to time-dependent error from the target gate parameter θ~(swap-angle between |10> and |01> states) that is largely free of time-dependent error. Our method achieves an accuracy of 10−4 radians in standard deviation for learning θ in superconducting-qubit experiments, outperforming existing alternative schemes by two orders of magnitude. We also demonstrate the increased robustness in learning time-dependent gate parameters through fast Fourier transformation and sequential phase difference. We show both theoretically and numerically that there is an interesting transition of the optimal metrology variance scaling as a function of circuit depth d from the pre-asymptotic regime d≪1/θ to Heisenberg limit d→∞. Remarkably, in the pre-asymptotic regime our method's estimation variance on time-sensitive parameter φ scales faster than the asymptotic Heisenberg limit as a function of depth, Var(φ^)≈1/d4. Our work is the first quantum-signal-processing algorithm that demonstrates practical application in laboratory quantum computers.
Abstract Quantum phase estimation (QPE) is a fundamental tool in quantum computing, facilitating efficient simulations of complex problems in quantum chemistry and materials science. While most phase estimation algorithms are deterministic, recent advancements indicate that incorporating randomness can enhance performance. This study introduces a framework for randomized QPE that merges the benefits of randomized compilation with phase estimation algorithms based on quantum signal processing. Our proposed algorithms effectively reduce circuit depths by eliminating the need for precise Hamiltonian time evolution, making them advantageous for digital quantum computers estimating the eigenvalue and eigenvector properties of Hamiltonians. Notably, our findings show that the quantum stochastic drift protocol (qDRIFT)-based randomized algorithm surpasses the original phase estimation with qDRIFT, especially in scaling inverse failure probabilities. We also establish that a circuit depth of O ( log ( M ) ) suffices for estimating M distinct observables. The protocol is executed through multiple iterations of the randomized algorithms combined with classical shadow techniques. Overall, our framework retains many advantages of the randomized compilation technique, making it a compelling solution for challenges in quantum chemistry.
Quantum phase estimation (QPE) is fundamental to quantum algorithms for eigenvalue problems, chemistry simulation, and number-theoretic applications. However, canonical QPE implementations employ controlled unitary operations and quantum Fourier transform, incurring substantial circuit depth and control overhead that severely limit applicability on nearterm quantum hardware. This work develops a novel class of control-free phase estimation algorithms that eliminate both controlled unitaries and QFT by leveraging signal processing principles. Our approach applies uncontrolled powers of the unitary U = e −iHτ to an eigenstate or eigenstate-rich state, measures in multiple bases to capture interference patterns, and reconstructs eigenphases via classical post-processing techniques including Prony's method, compressed sensing, and harmonic inversion. We establish that for eigenstates or states with sparse eigendecomposition, our algorithms achieve phase estimation precision ϵ using Õ(1/ϵ) applications of U , matching standard QPE query complexity up to logarithmic factors while dramatically reducing circuit depth and eliminating control overhead. We provide detailed error analysis characterizing robustness to measurement noise, finite sampling, and state preparation errors. Applications to electronic structure estimation in small molecules and variational quantum eigensolvers demonstrate the practical viability of control-free QPE on both NISQ and early fault-tolerant quantum computers. Our results suggest that signal-processing-based phase estimation may offer more efficient implementations of quantum algorithms on realistic hardware.
Quantum phase estimation (QPE) is a fundamental technique for determining the phase of a quantum state, crucial for various quantum algorithms and quantum measurements. This paper introduces a novel adaptive optimization algorithm, dubbed the "Adaptive Quantum Phase Estimation" (AQPE) algorithm, designed to enhance the efficiency of QPE by dynamically adjusting parameters during the state estimation process. We demonstrate the effectiveness of AQPE through rigorous theoretical analysis and extensive numerical simulations, achieving significantly improved convergence rates compared to traditional optimization techniques. The algorithm leverages a feedback mechanism based on the observed phase error during the estimation, allowing it to iteratively refine the parameter set and ultimately locate the optimal phase estimation. We present preliminary results demonstrating the algorithm's capability to mitigate the challenges associated with conventional QPE, particularly in the presence of noisy data. The implications of this research extend to broader advancements in quantum algorithm design and computational power.
This paper is an algorithmic study of quantum phase estimation with multiple eigenvalues. We present robust multiple-phase estimation (RMPE) algorithms with Heisenberg-limited scaling. The proposed algorithms improve significantly from the idea of single-phase estimation methods by combining carefully designed signal processing routines and an adaptive determination of runtime amplifying factors. They address both the integer-power model, where the unitary U is given as a black box with only integer runtime accessible, and the real-power model, where U is defined through a Hamiltonian H by $U=exp(\ensuremath{-}2\ensuremath{\pi}\mathrm{i}H)$ with any real runtime allowed. These algorithms are particularly suitable for early fault-tolerant quantum computers in the following senses: (1) a minimal number of ancilla qubits are used, (2) an imperfect initial state with a significant residual is allowed, (3) the prefactor in the maximum runtime can be arbitrarily small given that the residual is sufficiently small and a gap among the dominant eigenvalues is known in advance. Even if the eigenvalue gap does not exist, the proposed RMPE algorithms can achieve the Heisenberg limit while maintaining (1) and (2).