Foundations of Quantum Chemistry

A.R. DENARO

Nikos L. Doltsinis

Nathan A. Baker, Brian Bilodeau, Chi Chen +23 more

We present QDK/Chemistry, a software toolkit for quantum chemistry workflows targeting quantum computers. The toolkit addresses a key challenge in the field: while quantum algorithms for chemistry have matured considerably, the infrastructure connecting classical electronic structure calculations to quantum circuit execution remains fragmented. QDK/Chemistry provides this infrastructure through a modular architecture that separates data representations from computational methods, enabling researchers to compose workflows from interchangeable components. In addition to providing native implementations of targeted algorithms in the quantum-classical pipeline, the toolkit builds upon and integrates with widely used open-source quantum chemistry packages and quantum computing frameworks through a plugin system, allowing users to combine methods from different sources without modifying workflow logic. This paper describes the design philosophy, current capabilities, and role of QDK/Chemistry as a foundation for reproducible quantum chemistry experiments.

Charles T. Sebens

Rishab Dutta

Strong electron correlation is ubiquitous in chemistry and physics. The importance of strong correlation in diverse chemical systems and the failure of traditional electronic structure methods to capture it motivate the current work. We highlight the role of electron pairing in strong correlation and introduce conceptually appealing wavefunction ansätze that can accurately describe strong pairing interactions. Our work builds the foundations of a new generation of quantum chemistry methods which would expand the space of many-electron systems that are accurately understood.