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Implementation of improved quantum search algorithms on IBM quantum processors

Kun Zhang, Pooja Rao, Kwangmin Yu, Hyunkyung Lim, V. E. Korepin

Published Feb 2, 2021• 1 citation
OpenAlex

Abstract

Despite the advent of Grover's algorithm for the unstructured search, its successful implementation on near-term quantum devices is still limited. We apply three strategies to reduce the errors associated with implementing quantum search algorithms. Our improved search algorithms have been implemented on the IBM quantum processors. Using them, we demonstrate three- and four-qubit search algorithm with higher success probabilities compared to previous works. We present the successful execution of the five-qubit search on the IBM quantum processor for the first time. The results have been benchmarked using the degraded ratio, which is the ratio between the experimental and the theoretical success probabilities. The fast decay of the degraded ratio supports our divide-and-conquer strategy. Our proposed strategies are also useful for implementation of quantum search algorithms in the post-NISQ era.

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Despite the advent of Grover's algorithm for the unstructured search, its successful implementation on near-term quantum devices is still limited. We apply three strategies to reduce the errors associated with implementing quantum search algorithms. Our improved search algorithms have been implemented on the IBM quantum processors. Using them, we demonstrate three- and four-qubit search algorithm with higher success probabilities compared to previous works. We present the successful execution of the five-qubit search on the IBM quantum processor for the first time. The results have been benchmarked using the degraded ratio, which is the ratio between the experimental and the theoretical success probabilities. The fast decay of the degraded ratio supports our divide-and-conquer strategy. Our proposed strategies are also useful for implementation of quantum search algorithms in the post-NISQ era.
We present experimental results on running 4-qubit unstructured search on IBM quantum processors. Our best attempt attained probability of success around 24.5%. We try several algorithms and use the most recent developments in quantum search to reduce the number of entangling gates that are currently considered the main source of errors in quantum computations. Comparing theoretical expectations of an algorithm performance with the actual data, we explore the hardware limits, showing sharp, phase-transition-like degradation of performance on quantum processors. We conclude that it is extremely important to design hardware-aware algorithms and to include any other low level optimizations on NISQ devices.
Abstract Quantum search algorithm (also known as Grover's algorithm) lays the foundation for many other quantum algorithms. Although it is very simple, its implementation is limited on noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) processors. Grover's algorithm was designed without considering the physical resources, such as depth, in the real implementations. Therefore, Grover's algorithm can be improved for NISQ devices. In this paper, we demonstrate how to implement quantum search algorithms better on NISQ devices. We present detailed benchmarks of the five-qubit quantum search algorithm on different quantum processors, including IBMQ, IonQ, and Honeywell quantum devices. We report the highest success probability of the five-qubit search algorithm compared to previous works. Our results show that designing the error-aware quantum search algorithms is possible, which can maximally harness the power of NISQ computers.
We present experimental results on running 4-qubit unstructured search on IBM quantum processors. Our best attempt attained probability of success around 24.5%. We try several algorithms and use the most recent developments in quantum search to reduce the number of entangling gates that are currently considered the main source of errors in quantum computations. Comparing theoretical expectations of an algorithm performance with the actual data, we explore the hardware limits, showing sharp, phase-transition-like degradation of performance on quantum processors. We conclude that it is extremely important to design hardware-aware algorithms and to include any other low level optimizations on NISQ devices.
Unstructured searching, which is to find the marked element from a given unstructured data set, is a widely studied problem in computer science. It is well known that Grover algorithm provides a quadratic speedup to solve unstructured search problem compared with the classical algorithm. This algorithm has received a lot of attention due to the strong versatility. In this manuscript, we report experimental results of searching a unique target from 16 elements on five different quantum devices of IBM quantum Experience (IBMQ). We first implement the original Grover algorithm on these devices. However, the experiment probability of success of finding the correct target is almost the same as random choice. We then optimize the quantum circuit size of the search algorithm. The oracle operator and diffusion operator are two of the most costly operators in Grover algorithm. For the 16-element quantum search algorithm, both the oracle operator and diffusion operator consist of a triple controlled [Formula: see text] gate ([Formula: see text]) and some single-qubit gates. So we optimize the implementation of the [Formula: see text] gate according to the qubits layout of different quantum devices. On the ibmq_santiago, the experimental success rate of the 16-element quantum search algorithm is increased to [Formula: see text] by the optimization, which is better than all the published experiments implemented on IBMQ devices. For other IBMQ devices, the experimental success rate of 16-element quantum search also has been significantly improved. We then try to further reduce the size of the quantum circuit by modifying the Grover algorithm, with a tolerable loss of the theoretical success probability. On ibmq_quito, the experimental success rate is further improved from 25.23% to 27.56% after optimization. These experimental results show the importance of circuit optimization and algorithm optimization in the Noisy-Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) era.
Grover's quantum search algorithm provides a proven quadratic speedup over classical linear search for unstructured databases. While its theoretical advantage is well established, experimental validation on real noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) hardware remains limited by noise, decoherence, and hardware constraints. In this work, we present an experimental comparison between classical linear search and Grover's quantum search algorithm executed on IBM Quantum real superconducting hardware using Qiskit Runtime. A four-qubit implementation corresponding to a 16-element search space is evaluated across multiple experimental runs. The results demonstrate consistent amplitude amplification, achieving an average success probability of 54.25% and an amplification factor of 8.68× over random guessing. Although classical execution remains faster in wall-clock time due to quantum hardware overhead, the experiment empirically validates the algorithmic advantage of Grover's search and quantifies the performance gap between ideal and real quantum processors in the NISQ era.
Through the application of concepts derived from quantum mechanics, quantum computers assert that they are capable of doing certain tasks with more efficiency than classical computers. For the purpose of accelerating the process of solving unstructured search problems, a well-known quantum technique known as Grover’s algorithm, is utilized. As part of this investigation, the IBM Q 5 Tenerife is compared to the quantum hardware that is already available from IBM, and the feasibility of adopting Grover’s approach is evaluated. An analysis of the algorithm’s component pieces, such as the diffusion operator and the oracle, is included in this presentation. Additionally, simulation and experimental data are also included. The findings that we obtained demonstrate that the accuracy of the 3-qubit Grover’s approach is improved when it is executed. In contrast, the 4-qubit Grover’s technique demonstrates a rise in accuracy that is not as noticeable as the other algorithm. The execution time of the 3-qubit Grover’s approach is successfully reduced from 84.33 second to just 5 second by both of the methods, which is something that should be included in the discussion.