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arXiv:2607.16410

Quantum-Centric Geometry Optimization with Wave-Function-Based Embedding

Danil Kaliakin, Akhil Shajan, Fangchun Liang, Zhen Li, Kenneth M. Merz

quant-phphysics.chem-phSubmitted Jul 17, 2026• Announced Jul 21, 2026• 0 citations
v1 · Jul 17, 2026v2 · Aug 5, 2026
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Abstract

The EWF-(FCI,SQD) method, a wave-function-based embedding approach combining full configuration interaction (FCI) and sample-based quantum diagonalization (SQD), is a promising new tool for the simulation of molecular systems. However, applications of EWF-(FCI,SQD) have so far been limited to single-point calculations, whereas the study of complex chemical processes requires the ability to explore potential energy surfaces. In this work, we demonstrate geometry optimization with EWF-(FCI,SQD), scaling our simulations to molecules as large as menthone and benzidine within the STO-3G basis set. Without fragmentation, these systems comprise 73 and 82 molecular orbitals respectively, presenting an intractable Hilbert space for conventional exact or high-level subspace solvers and establishing a clear necessity for fragmentation-based methodologies. The underlying fragment SQD simulations in the EWF-(FCI,SQD) geometry optimizations use up to 70 qubits. The resulting geometries show exceptional accuracy relative to the classical reference, with deviations below 4 picometers.

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The EWF-(FCI,SQD) method, a wave-function-based embedding approach combining full configuration interaction (FCI) and sample-based quantum diagonalization (SQD), is a promising new tool for the simulation of molecular systems. However, applications of EWF-(FCI,SQD) have so far been limited to single-point calculations, whereas the study of complex chemical processes requires the ability to explore potential energy surfaces. In this work, we demonstrate geometry optimization with EWF-(FCI,SQD), scaling our simulations to molecules as large as menthone and benzidine within the STO-3G basis set. Without fragmentation, these systems comprise 73 and 82 molecular orbitals respectively, presenting an intractable Hilbert space for conventional exact or high-level subspace solvers and establishing a clear necessity for fragmentation-based methodologies. The underlying fragment SQD simulations in the EWF-(FCI,SQD) geometry optimizations use up to 70 qubits. The resulting geometries show exceptional accuracy relative to the classical reference, with deviations below 4 picometers.
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We present a large-scale experimental study of quantum-computing-based molecular simulation carried out on IQM's Sirius 24-qubit superconducting processor, utilizing up to 16 operational qubits. The work employs Sample-based Quantum Diagonalization (SQD) together with the Local Unitary Cluster Jastrow (LUCJ) ansatz to estimate ground-state energies for a set of benchmark molecules, including H2_22​, LiH, BeH2_22​, H2_22​O, and NH3_33​. In addition, we introduce a Linear-CNOT variant of the Unitary Coupled-Cluster Singles and Doubles (LCNot-UCCSD) ansatz within the SQD workflow, trading higher circuit depth for reduced classical preprocessing. A comparison between these ansätze is provided, clarifying their respective strengths, limitations, and suitability for near-term quantum hardware. We further explore potential energy landscapes through 1D scans for H2_22​ and HeH+^++ using both STO-3G and 6-31G basis sets, and for LiH and BeH2_22​ in STO-3G. Extending beyond this, we demonstrate the experimental construction of a full 2D potential energy surface for the water molecule on quantum hardware, mapped over a 32 ×\times× 32 grid in bond length and bond angle. To move beyond small benchmark systems, we combine SQD(LUCJ) with Density Matrix Embedding Theory (DMET) to compute active-space energies for a set of ligand-like molecules, as well as the pharmacologically relevant amantadine system. Across all studies, the majority of quantum-computed energies agree with reference FCI results, as well as with DMET-CASCI energies for embedded systems, to within chemical accuracy for the chosen basis sets. These results demonstrate the reliability of sample-based diagonalization approaches and underscore the potential of hybrid embedding strategies for extending quantum simulations to increasingly complex molecular systems, while also highlighting their practicality on current IQM quantum hardware.
Quantum and hybrid quantum-classical algorithms have the potential to improve the accuracy and scale of quantum chemistry and impact a broad range of applications such as drug discovery and catalysis. In particular, subspace methods such as sample-based quantum diagonalization (SQD) can already tackle classically challenging systems. However, practical algorithms that go beyond the computation of electronic ground and excited states are still scarce. Here, we introduce the variable-geometry sample-based quantum diagonalization (VGSQD) algorithm, which extends SQD to variable molecular geometries by reusing quantum samples from a reference geometry at displaced ones, thus significantly reducing quantum computational cost. Using circuits of up to 124 qubits on ibm-quebec, an IBM Heron r2 quantum processor, we determine the equilibrium geometry and energy of the weakly bound, strongly correlated beryllium dimer, as well as the water molecule. Finally, we extend VGSQD to chemical reactions and compute the minimum energy path and energy barrier of a hydrogen exchange reaction. The results are comparable with state-of-the-art classical methods such as CCSD(T) and DMRG. This work broadens the scope of quantum algorithms for chemistry, from energies to geometry optimization and reaction pathways, both essential for practical applications.
Computing ground-state properties of molecules is a promising application for quantum computers operating in concert with classical high-performance computing resources. Quantum embedding methods are a family of algorithms particularly suited to these computational platforms: they combine high-level calculations on active regions of a molecule with low-level calculations on the surrounding environment, thereby avoiding expensive high-level full-molecule calculations and allowing the distribution of computational cost across multiple and heterogeneous computing units. Here, we present the first density matrix embedding theory (DMET) simulations performed in combination with a sample-based quantum diagonalization (SQD) method. We employ the DMET-SQD formalism to compute the ground-state energy of a ring of 18 hydrogen atoms and the relative energies of the chair, half-chair, twist-boat, and boat conformers of cyclohexane. The full-molecule 41- and 89-qubit simulations are decomposed into 27- and 32-qubit active-region simulations, which we carry out on the ibm_cleveland device, obtaining results in agreement with reference classical methods. Our DMET-SQD calculations mark tangible progress in the size of active regions that can be accurately tackled by near-term quantum computers and are an early demonstration of the potential for quantum-centric simulations to accurately treat the electronic structure of large molecules, with the ultimate goal of tackling systems such as peptides and proteins.
This work presents the implementation of a fragment-based, quantum-centric supercomputing workflow for computing molecular electronic structure using quantum hardware. The workflow is applied to predict the relative energies of two conformers of the 300-atom Trp-cage miniprotein. The methodology employs wave function-based embedding (EWF) as the underlying fragmentation framework, in which all atoms in the system are explicitly included in the CI treatment. CI calculations for individual fragments are performed using either sample-based quantum diagonalization (SQD) for challenging fragments or full configuration interaction (FCI) for trivial fragments. To assess the accuracy of SQD for fragment CI calculations, EWF-(FCI,SQD) results are compared against EWF-MP2 and EWF-CCSD benchmarks. Overall, the results demonstrate that large-scale electronic configuration interaction (CI) simulations of protein systems containing hundreds or even thousands of atoms can be realized through the combined use of quantum and classical computing resources.