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At least 775 records · Page 43
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Extending the Frontier of Quantum Computers with Qutrits

Here, we advocate for a fundamentally different way to perform quantum computation by using three-level qutrits instead of qubits. In particular, we substantially reduce the resource requirements of quantum computations by exploiting a third state for temporary variables (ancilla) in quantum circuits. Past work with qutrits has demonstrated only constant factor improvements, owing to the log 2 (3) binary-to-ternary compression factor. We present a novel technique using qutrits to achieve a logarithmic runtime decomposition of the Generalized Toffoli gate using no ancilla - an exponential improvement over the best qubit-only equivalent. Our approach features a 70× improvement in total two-qudit gate count over the qubit-only decomposition. This results in improvements for important algorithms for arithmetic and QRAM. Simulation results under realistic noise models indicate over 90% mean reliability (fidelity) for our circuit, versus under 30% for the qubit-only baseline. These results suggest that qutrits offer a promising path toward extending the frontier of quantum computers.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Novel Spatial-Temporal Variational Quantum Circuit to Enable Deep Learning on NISQ Devices

Quantum computing presents a promising approach for machine learning with its capability for extremely parallel computation in high-dimension through superposition and entanglement. Despite its potential, existing quantum learning algorithms, such as Variational Quantum Circuits (VQCs), face challenges in handling more complex datasets, particularly those that are not linearly separable. What’s more, it encounters the deployability issue, making the learning models suffer a drastic accuracy drop after deploying them to the actual quantum devices. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes a novel spatial-temporal design, namely “ST-VQC”, to integrate nonlinearity in quantum learning and improve the robustness of the learning model to noise. Specifically, ST-VQC can extract spatial features via a novel block-based encoding quantum sub-circuit coupled with a layer-wise computation quantum sub-circuit to enable temporal-wise deep learning. Additionally, a SWAP-Free physical circuit design is devised to improve robustness. These designs bring a number of hyperparameters. After a systematic analysis of the design space for each design component, an automated optimization framework is proposed to generate the ST-VQC quantum circuit. The proposed ST-VQC has been evaluated on two IBM quantum processors, ibm-cairo with 27 qubits and ibmq-lima with 7 qubits to assess its effectiveness. The results of the evaluation on the standard dataset for binary classification show that ST-VQC can achieve over 30% accuracy improvement compared with existing VQCs on actual quantum computers. Moreover, on a non-linear synthetic dataset, the STVQC outperforms a linear classifier by 27.9%, while the linear classifier using classical computing outperforms the existing VQC by 15.58%.

Li, Jinyang↗
DOE OSTI2025

Visual Analytics of Crosstalk in Quantum Hardware

Crosstalk remains a major obstacle to building scalable and fault-tolerant quantum computers. Conventional diagnostic techniques-often based on numerical simulation or statistical modeling-struggle to scale with hardware complexity and offer limited interpretability. In this work, we present a visual analytics framework for diagnosing qubit crosstalk using lightweight, circuit-based models integrated with an interactive user interface. Our approach quantifies correlations between active and idle qubits under parameterized single- and twoqubit operations, enabling detection of both spatial and gateinduced crosstalk. The system incorporates qubit topology and gate performance data to support sector-based exploration and correlation mapping. This tool assists users in identifying correlated error sources, informing qubit placement strategies, and guiding noise-aware circuit design.

Chae, Junghoon [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000206016746)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Controlled gate networks: theory and application to eigenvalue estimation

We introduce a new scheme for quantum circuit design called controlled gate networks. Rather than trying to reduce the complexity of individual unitary operations, the new strategy is to toggle between all of the unitary operations needed with the fewest number of gates. We present the general theory of controlled gate networks and show that, under quite general conditions, it can significantly reduce the number of two-qubit gates needed to produce linear combinations of unitary operators. The first example we consider is a variational subspace calculation for a two-qubit system. The second example is estimating the eigenvalues of a two-qubit Hamiltonian via the rodeo algorithm (Choi et al. in Phys Rev Lett 127(4):040505, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.040505) using operators that we call controlled reversal gates. We use the Quantinuum H1-2 and IBM Perth devices to realize the quantum circuits. The third example is the application of controlled gate networks to the controlled time evolution of a free nucleon on a three-dimensional lattice. For all of the examples, we show very substantial reductions in the number of two-qubit gates required. Our work demonstrates that controlled gate networks are a useful tool for reducing gate complexity in quantum algorithms for quantum many-body problems such as those relevant to nuclear physics.

Bee-Lindgren, Max [Georgia Institute of Technology↗
DOE OSTI2023

Qompress: Efficient Compilation for Ququarts Exploiting Partial and Mixed Radix Operations for Communication Reduction

Quantum computing is in an era of limited resources. Current hardware lacks high fidelity gates, long coherence times, and the number of computational units required to perform meaningful computation. Contemporary quantum devices typically use a binary system, where each qubit exists in a superposition of the 0 and 1 states. Furthermore, it is often possible to access the 2 or even 3 states in the same physical unit by manipulating the system in different ways. In this work, we consider automatically encoding two qubits into one four-state ququart via a compression scheme. We use quantum optimal control to design efficient proof-of-concept gates that fully replicate standard qubit computation on these encoded qubits.

compilation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Three Birds with One Stone: Improving Performance, Convergence, and System Throughput with NEST

Variational quantum algorithms (VQAs) have the potential to demonstrate quantum utility on near-term quantum computers. However, these algorithms often get executed on the highest-fidelity qubits and computers to achieve the best performance, causing low system throughput. Recent efforts have shown that VQAs can be run on low-fidelity qubits initially and high-fidelity qubits later on to still achieve good performance. We take this effort forward and show that carefully varying the qubit fidelity map of the VQA over its execution using our technique, Nest, does not just (1) improve performance (i.e., help achieve close to optimal results), but also (2) lead to faster convergence. We also use Nest to co-locate multiple VQAs concurrently on the same computer, thus (3) increasing the system throughput, and therefore, balancing and optimizing three conflicting metrics simultaneously.

qaoa↗
DOE OSTI2022

Three-Photon Optical Pumping for Trapped Ion Quantum Computing

In this report we describe the testing of a novel scheme for state preparation of trapped ions in a quantum computing setup. This technique optimally would allow for similar precision and speed of state preparation while allowing for individual addressability of single ions in a chain using technology already available in a trapped ion experiment. As quantum computing experiments become more complicated, mid-experiment measurements will become necessary to achieve algorithms such as quantum error correction. Any mid-experiment measurement then requires the measured qubit to be re-prepared to a known quantum state. Currently this involves the protected qubits to be moved a sizeable distance away from the qubit being re-prepared which can be costly in terms of experiment length as well as introducing errors. Theoretical calculations predict that a three-photon process would allow for state preparation without qubit movement with similar efficiencies to current state preparation methods.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Single-Photon Detector & Counter for Transduction

Over the recent years, quantum computers have procured the attention of the public, largely due to their fast factoring capabilities and potential for efficient simulation of quantum dynamics \cite{RevModPhys.79.135}. This interest, coupled with advances in quantum transduction, could lead to the realization of a quantum distributed network, effectively linking dilution fridges across vast distances. Presently, there are several qubit systems developed for encoding quantum information. They primarily fall into two categories: those exploiting optical frequencies for excitation, and those operating at microwave frequencies. Optical frequency qubit systems include trapped ions, neutral atoms, quantum dots, and solid-state defects. Microwave frequency qubit system encompass superconducting qubits (transmon) and spins in crystals. Among these, transmons are particularly intriguing due to their low-loss of photons at microwave frequencies. The Josephson effect within a superconducting circuit enables high-fidelity quantum operations \cite{Microwave-optical_quantum_frequency_conversion}. Thus, it is non-trivial to develop an apparatus for efficiently bridging microwave and optical frequency regimes.

Bautista-Cortezano, Pablo↗
DOE OSTI2024

Optimal Control for Fourier Transform on Qudits

In this work, we develop a protocol to find the optimal control pulse for implementing the Quantum Fourier Transform (QFT) on qudit-based hardware. We focus on two types of controls: (1) qubit-qudit dispersive coupling with qubit and qudit drives, and (2) qubit-qudit system with tunable coupling and qubit drive. We observe that for both systems, the minimum gate time grows linearly as a function of the size of the logical space. We find that the latter system supports faster pulses, requiring 45% shorter pulse time.

Ha, Triet↗
DOE OSTI2025

Quantum Information for Fusion Energy Sciences (Final Technical Report)

The simulation of plasma dynamics is a critical area of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) due to it’s usefulness in predicting, controlling, and confining plasmas in the context of potential fusion reactors. The simulation of plasmas is a computationally difficult problem in both classical and quantum physics, motivating investigation into the potential of quantum computers to simulate these systems. This project took several concrete steps towards this goal by developing tools for improving the control, characterization, and calibration of quantum gates on a superconducting quantum computer, developing error suppression and mitigation tools to reduce errors on the quantum computer, and utilizing these advancements to simulate reduced models of plasma dynamics on the quantum computer. In order to efficiently simulate plasma physics, an optimal control method which synthesizes, directly at the pulse level, any quantum gate on qubit and qutrit systems was developed. Using four superconducting transmon quantum processors at Rigetti and LLNL, it was demonstrated that any arbitrary quantum gate on qubits and qutrits could be implemented with high fidelity, leading to a significantly reduced length of a gate sequence. A problem of interest in FES is the nonlinear optical process of laser pulse compression within a plasma. Since quantum physics is linear, simulating nonlinear operations is not naturally feasible on a quantum computer, however it is possible to simulated a quantized version of the nonlinear process. A quantization approach to convert nonlinear wave-wave interaction problems to Hamiltonian simulation problems was developed and demonstrated using two qubits on a Rigetti device. In this experiment, a number of error suppression and mitigation techniques were investigated to determine how best to utilize the finite quantum resources. This study provides an example of how plasma problems may be solved on near-term, noisy quantum computing platforms and identified a promising set of techniques. Building on the insights of these experiments, the investigation turned to linear electron-plasma wave physics. A connection was identified between a local one-dimensional lattice spin model and linear wave phenomena, allowing a plasma physics problem to be efficiently mapped to the quantum computer. In this framework, reflection and transmission of plasma waves at a sharp boundary was studied, as well as the propagation of waves through an inhomogeneous plasma medium. In addition to the suite of error suppression and mitigation techniques developed, this experiment introduced the use of a digital-analog gate scheme designed to efficiently simulate the plasma Hamiltonian. With hardware available at the conclusion of the project, simulation at the scale of 9 qubits and 15 timesteps (60 entangling layers) was achieved.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Review of Quantum Computing Technologies in Power System Optimization

As modern power grids increasingly integrate variable renewable generation, distributed energy resources, and energy storage systems, classical optimization techniques are facing unprecedented challenges. This review examines the emerging application of quantum computing to overcome these challenges in power system optimization, including optimal power flow (OPF), unit commitment (UC), economic dispatch (ED), and intelligent switching and topology optimization (IS-TO). Recent research has introduced various quantum methodologies—such as gate-based, annealing-based, variational algorithms, and quantum-inspired algorithms—to address the combinatorial complexity inherent in grid reconfiguration and energy management. The review summaries the quantum algorithms, quantum devices and the power system test cases, highlighting hybrid quantum–classical strategies that leverage the complementary strengths of both paradigms. Some quantum advantages have been observed, including theoretical speedup, accurate simulation results, scalable qubit usage, efficient QUBO mapping. In particular, the review emphasizes the importance of integrating quantum optimization techniques with classical control frameworks, these hybrid approaches demonstrate the potential to improve real-time grid management and operational reliability. A significant portion of the analysis is devoted to the practical limitations of current quantum devices. Present-day quantum hardware, operating in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era, remains highly sensitive to noise and limited in qubit connectivity, which constrains the scale and accuracy of implemented algorithms. The review delves into specific challenges such as the need for qubit-efficient encoding techniques and error mitigation strategies that are critical for handling real-world grid optimization problems. In addition, the work draws attention to the performance discrepancies between theoretical quantum speedups and experimental validations, underscoring the importance of rigorous benchmark studies using representative power grid test cases. In summary, this review highlights both the promise and limitations of quantum computing for power system optimization. It provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art technologies, categorizes recent advancements in algorithm design, and discusses practical considerations for implementation, and serves as an informative resource on current research. Future research directions include developing robust hybrid frameworks, advancing qubit-efficient formulations, and scaling up experimental demonstrations to confirm the theoretical advantages of quantum methods in large-scale power system operations.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Polarization-dependent photoluminescence of Ce-implanted MgO and MgAl 2 O 4

Since the qubit's performance of solid-state spin centers depends highly on the host material, spin centers using new host materials may offer new qubit applications. We investigate the optical properties of Ce-implanted MgO and MgAl 2 O 4 as potential materials holding the optically accessible qubit. We find that the photoluminescence of Ce-implanted MgAl 2 O 4 is more than 10 times brighter than that of Ce-implanted MgO and observe polarization-dependent emission of Ce center in MgAl 2 O 4 with 2% at 4 K under 500 mT, suggesting that the properties required for initializing and reading the state of the spin qubit have been achieved.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

One and Two Dimensional Quantum Lattice Algorithms for Maxwell Equations in Inhomogeneous Scalar Dielectric Media I: Theory

A quantum lattice algorithm (QLA) is developed for Maxwell equations in scalar dielectric media using the Riemann-Silberstein representation on a Cartesian grid. For x-dependent and y-dependent dielectric inhomogeneities, the corresponding QLA requires a minimum of 8 qubits/spatial lattice site. This is because the corresponding Pauli spin matrices have off-diagonal components which permit the local collisional entanglement of these qubits. However, z-dependent inhomogeneities require a QLA with a minimum of 16 qubits/lattice site since the Pauli spin matrix σz is diagonal. For 2 dimensional inhomogeneities, one can readily couple the 8-8 qubit schemes for x-y variations. z-x and y-z variations can be treated by either a 16-8 qubit scheme or a 16-16 qubit representation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Quantum information processing with majorana bound states in superconducting circuits

In a weak link of two s-wave superconductors (SCs) coupled via a time-reversal-invariant (TRI) topological superconducting (TSC) island, a Josephson current can flow due to Cooper pairs tunneling in and out of spatially separated Majorana Kramers pairs (MKPs), which are doublets of Majorana bound states (MBSs). The sign of the resulting Josephson current is fixed by the joint parity of the four Majorana bound states that make up the MKPs on the TSC island. This parity-controlled Josephson effect can be used as a read-out mechanism for the joint parity in Majorana-based quantum computing. For a TSC island with four terminals, the SC leads can address a Majorana superconducting qubit (MSQ) formed by the charge ground states of the TSC island's terminals. Cooper pair splitting enables single-qubit operations, qubit read-out, as well as two-qubit entangling gates. Hence, TSC islands between SC leads may provide an alternative approach to superconducting quantum computation.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Noise Improvements in Quantum Simulations of sQED using Qutrits

We present an argument for the advantages of using qudits over qubits for scalar Quantum Electrodynamics in $(1+1)$d. We measure the mass gap using an out of time correlator as a function of noise coming from an amplitude damping error channel and a generalized Pauli channel decoherence channel for both qubits and qutrits. For the same error in determination of the mass, the qutrit simulations can tolerate 10 to 100x larger gate noise than a qubit simulations. We find that 20 per-cent accuracy on the mass gap could be possible in the near future with a qutrits but is infeasible using qubits.

Gustafson, Erik↗
DOE OSTI2022

Binary classification with noisy quantum circuits and noisy quantum data

We study the effects of single-qubit noises in the quantum circuit and the corruption in the quantum training data to the performance of binary classification problem. We find that under the presence of errors, the measurement at a qubit is affected only by the noise in the corresponding qubit, and that the errors on other qubits do not affect this outcome. Furthermore, for the task where we fit a binary classifier using a quantum training data, we show that the noise in the data can work as a regularizer, implying that we can benefit from the noise in certain cases. We support our findings with simulations.

Lee, Yonghoon↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dissipation Enables Strongly Detuning-Dependent Interference in Pulsed Dynamical Decoupling

One of the defining features of pulsed dynamical decoupling is its suppression of a driven qubit's sensitivity to static detuning errors between the drive field and qubit resonance. In this paper, we show that dissipation, in the form of excited-state decay, can change this behavior entirely, producing an interference signal with a strong detuning dependence. This signal arises from decay during driven evolution and relies on coherence retained by the qubit after such a decay event. We develop analytical and numerical models that capture the underlying mechanism and observe this same dissipation-induced detuning dependence experimentally in both a free-space strontium atom interferometer and a superconducting transmon qubit system. We also use this dissipation-induced detuning dependence as the basis for a new spectroscopic technique called Dissipative Carr-Purcell Spectroscopy (DCPS) and compare it with a traditional Ramsey sequence. Our results establish a regime of pulsed dynamical decoupling in which dissipation reshapes, rather than merely degrades, coherent control, and we expect these dynamics to be relevant to a wide range of quantum systems.

DeRose, Kenneth [Northwestern U.; Fermilab] (ORCID↗
DOE OSTI2026

Design and Modeling of the Charge Readout of a SiMOS Quantum Dot with a Single Electron Transistor and CryoCMOS

Single electron spin qubits trapped in SiMOS quantum dots are a promising technology for scaling to thousand- or million-qubit systems due to their compatibility with mature CMOS manufacturing processes. A readout system that combines a single electron transistor with a custom cryogenic CMOS amplification and digitization chain offers key advantages by avoiding the use of bulky RF components or room-temperature interconnects. We present design techniques and simulation results for an optimized qubit-SET cryoCMOS interface, culminating in the design of the QNDR1 ASIC, the first cryogenic readout ASIC designed under the Quandarum project, which targets the development of a many-channel spin qubit based detector for use in high energy physics.

Quinn, Adam [Fermilab] (ORCID:0009000605056371)↗