Shor's factorization algorithm, as one of the most significant achievements in quantum computing, exhibits an exponential speedup compared to the corresponding classical algorithm. In Shor's factorization algorithm, modular exponentiation is one of the most computationally intensive components, which relies on the modular addition building block. This work aims to explore novel designs for enhancing the efficiency of quantum modular addition. In particular, we introduce a novel quantum modular addition framework based on carry-save architecture, which facilitates the conversion of multiple 2-addend quantum operations within modular addition into a single 3-addend operation, thereby reducing the computational depth. Compared to the most efficient existing quantum modular addition, our design has achieved an impressive result - a reduction in Toffoli Depth by up to 33.33%, while maintaining comparable Toffoli Count and Qubit Count. This research underscores the potential of carry-save architecture as a promising technique for accelerating quantum modular arithmetic as well as advancing the development of quantum computing in general.
Shor's factorization algorithm, as one of the most significant achievements in quantum computing, exhibits an exponential speedup compared to the corresponding classical algorithm. In Shor's factorization algorithm, modular exponentiation is one of the most computationally intensive components, which relies on the modular addition building block. This work aims to explore novel designs for enhancing the efficiency of quantum modular addition. In particular, we introduce a novel quantum modular addition framework based on carry-save architecture, which facilitates the conversion of multiple 2-addend quantum operations within modular addition into a single 3-addend operation, thereby reducing the computational depth. Compared to the most efficient existing quantum modular addition, our design has achieved an impressive result - a reduction in Toffoli Depth by up to 33.33%, while maintaining comparable Toffoli Count and Qubit Count. This research underscores the potential of carry-save architecture as a promising technique for accelerating quantum modular arithmetic as well as advancing the development of quantum computing in general.
In recent decades, quantum computing has witnessed remarkable progress, achieved through various advancements across the technology stack, such as quantum error-correcting codes and quantum algorithms. It is noteworthy that several promising algorithms incorporate quantum arithmetic circuits as fundamental building blocks. However, the inherent properties of quantum circuits challenge the efficiency of quantum arithmetic circuits, prompting creative solutions. While several quantum arithmetic circuits have been proposed, there is still a substantial gap in quantum arithmetic circuits optimization. For example, methods for integrating classical techniques such as high radix strategy into quantum designs still remain underexplored, highlighting a significant space for further advancement. This thesis aims to improve the performance of quantum arithmetic designs by integrating classical arithmetic circuit design techniques. Specifically, this thesis contains the following research: (1) The utilization of classical higher radix strategy to enhance quantum addition, reducing overall cost by lowering T-depth and T-count. The proposed design outperforms existing quantum carry-lookahead adders. (2) The application of Ling structure, achieving a reduced Toffoli-depth of 4log(n/2). (3) The exploration of the Kogge-Stone architecture, resulting in the lowest Toffoli-depth of log(n) for quantum adders. (4) The development of an efficient modular addition framework using carry-save architecture, demonstrating a 33.3% improvement in Toffoli depth compared to existing designs. (5) The design of an optimized quantum non-restoring divider framework. (6) A comprehensive overview of current advancements in quantum arithmetic designs, offering insights into potential research directions. These proposed designs are mapped to real-world quantum hardware architectures, including Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum systems, to validate their functionality and evaluate efficiency. Their applications in quantum machine learning and cryptography further underscore the broader impact of these improvements. Overall, this thesis makes significant advancements in reducing quantum circuit depth and improving resource efficiency, contributing to the development of scalable and efficient large-scale quantum circuits. By adapting classical design strategies to quantum circuits, it not only enhances various quantum circuit designs but also fosters further exploration at the intersection of classical and quantum computing.
Rapid progress in the design of scalable, robust quantum computing necessitates efficient quantum circuit implementation for algorithms with practical relevance. For several algorithms, arithmetic kernels, in particular, division plays an important role. In this manuscript, we focus on enhancing the performance of quantum slow dividers by exploring the design choices of its sub-blocks, such as, adders. Through comprehensive design space exploration of state-of-the-art quantum addition building blocks, our work have resulted in an impressive achievement: a reduction in Toffoli Depth of up to 93.90%, accompanied by substantial reductions in both Toffoli and Qubit Count of up to 92.12% and 99.38%, respectively. This paper offers crucial perspectives on efficient design of quantum dividers, and emphasizes the importance of adopting a systematic design space exploration approach.
In recent decades, the field of quantum computing has experienced remarkable progress. This progress is marked by the superior performance of many quantum algorithms compared with their classical counterparts, with Shor's algorithm serving as a prominent illustration. Quantum arithmetic circuits, which are the fundamental building blocks in numerous quantum algorithms, have attracted much attention. Despite extensive exploration of various designs in the existing literature, researchers remain keen to develop novel designs and improve existing ones. In this review article, we aim to provide a systematically organized and easily comprehensible overview of the current state of the art in quantum arithmetic circuits. Specifically, this study covers fundamental operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and modular exponentiation. We delve into the detailed quantum implementations of these prominent designs and evaluate their efficiency considering various objectives. We also discuss potential applications of the presented arithmetic circuits and suggest future research directions.This article is part of the theme issue 'Emerging technologies for future secure computing platforms'.
Quantum modular adders are one of the most fundamental yet versatile quantum computation operations. They help implement the functions of higher complexity, such as subtraction and multiplication, which are used in applications, such as quantum cryptanalysis, quantum image processing, and securing communication. To the best of our knowledge, there is no existing design of quantum modulo (2n+1) adder (QMA). In this work, we propose four quantum adders targeted specifically for modulo (2n+1) addition. These adders can provide both regular and modulo (2n+1) sum concurrently, enhancing their application in residue number system-based arithmetic. Our first design, QMA1, is a novel quantum modulo (2n+1) adder. The second proposed adder, QMA2, optimizes the utilization of quantum gates within the QMA1, resulting in 37.5% reduced CNOT gate count, 46.15% reduced CNOT depth, and 26.5% decrease in both Toffoli gates and depth. We propose a third adder QMA3 that uses zero resets, a dynamic circuits-based feature that reuses qubits, leading to 25% savings in qubit count. Our fourth design, QMA4, demonstrates the benefit of incorporating additional zero resets to achieve a purer∣0$\rangle $state, reducing quantum state preparation errors. Notably, we conducted experiments using 5-qubit configurations of the proposed modulo (2n+1) adders on the IBM Washington, a 127-qubit quantum computer based on the Eagle R1 architecture, to demonstrate a 28.8% reduction in QMA1’s error of which do the following: 1) 18.63% error reduction happens due to gate/depth reduction in QMA2; 2) 2.53% drop in error due to qubit reduction in QMA3; and 3) 7.64% error decreased due to application of additional zero resets in QMA4.
Shor's algorithm represents the main threat of quantum computers to cryptography. In order to precisely understand its feasibility, many authors have worked towards reducing its costs, either at the logical level (assuming a fault-tolerant architecture), or at the physical level (taking into account the constraints of envisioned hardware). In particular, recent works by Chevignard et al. (CRYPTO 2024) and Gidney (arXiv 2025) used improved arithmetic to significantly reduce the qubit cost of factoring RSA public keys.
Even more recently, Babbush et al. (arXiv 2026) improved the cost of computing elliptic curve discrete logarithms, with a reduction of a factor 2 to 3 in gate count and qubit count compared to a previous work by Litinski (arXiv 2023). Their result relies on optimized point addition circuits on elliptic curves over prime fields. However they did not reveal their logical quantum circuits, relying instead on a zero-knowledge proof.
In this paper, we detail a quantum logical circuit architecture which gives similar results as Babbush et al., with a slightly higher number of qubits (around 1.5% increase) and a slightly smaller Toffoli gate count (between 6.5% and 10% reduction) for the curve secp256k1. We also give gate counts for a generic variant of the circuit, which is valid for any prime field.
Efficient quantum arithmetic circuits are commonly found in numerous quantum algorithms of practical significance. To date, the logarithmic-depth quantum adders include a constant coefficient k ≥ 2 while achieving the Toffoli-Depth of k log n + 𝒪(1). In this work, 160 alternative compositions of the carry-propagation structure are comprehensively explored to determine the optimal depth structure for a quantum adder. By extensively studying these structures, it is shown that an exact Toffoli-Depth of log n + 𝒪(1) is achievable. This presents a reduction of Toffoli-Depth by almost 50% compared to the best known quantum adder circuits presented to date. We demonstrate a further possible design by incorporating a different expansion of propagate and generate forms, as well as an extension of the modular framework. Our article elaborates on these designs, supported by detailed theoretical analyses and simulation-based studies, firmly substantiating our claims of optimality within all possible configurations outlined in this work. The results also mirror similar improvements, recently reported in classical adder circuit complexity.