Exploiting first-generation quantum computers

背景：本杰明教授的团队(qtechtheory.org)有一个正在进行的理论项目，该项目使用分析技术和传统超级计算机的组合来预测第一代量子计算机的行为，包括它们的局限性和缺陷。其目的是为这些强大但不完美的系统找到应用程序。世界各地的许多研究小组正在接近实现一种极其强大的新技术的第一代：量子计算机。建造这样一台机器意味着学习控制量子比特(量子比特)。人们正在尝试不同的方法：量子比特可能是单个原子，也可能是钻石中的纳米结构，也可能是超导回路。但它们都有一个共同点：我们可以实现的控制远远低于我们对传统计算机中比特的控制。因此，与我们可靠的传统技术相比，第一代量子计算机将是不完美的，但它们仍有可能远远强大得多。这个理论项目将使用分析技术和传统的超级计算机来了解第一代量子计算机的行为，包括它们的局限性和缺陷。该项目的主要目标将是识别新材料和化学发现等应用，这些应用可能能够在近期的量子计算机上成功运行，尽管它存在缺陷。作为对此的自然补充，当一项研究得出结论，即特定类别的问题不太可能被量子计算机加速时，这也是一个值得报道的有价值的结果。获得新兴量子设备的能力的有用度量也是一个潜在的感兴趣的主题；IBM引入的称为“量子体积”的度量就是这样一个例子，但由于各种原因，希望有多个基准。这项研究将既包括分析的纸笔理论，也包括使用传统计算机模拟量子机的数值建模；对于后一目标，该小组拥有Quest系列软件包，可以尽可能地进行有效的模拟。随着越来越有用的量子原型硬件在线可用，这些系统(到目前为止太小和不完美，无法使用)很可能也会被使用。该项目可用的资源包括牛津ARC(高级研究计算)设施，特别是~GB 1M计算和GPU节点集群，这些节点已经作为NQIT中心的一部分获得，并将作为量子计算和模拟的新中心的一部分获得。主要的支持将来自牛津大学的西蒙·本杰明教授，主办小组包括14名从事相关领域工作的个人，其中包括牛津大学的博士后巴林特·科佐尔博士。该项目属于EPSRC的“量子技术”类别。

Context: Prof Benjamin's group (qtechtheory.org) has an ongoing theory project which uses a combination of analytic techniques together with conventional supercomputers to predict the behaviour of 1st generation quantum computers including their limitations and flaws. The aim is to find applications for these powerful but imperfect systems. Many research groups around the world are getting close to realizing the first generation of a profoundly powerful new class of technology: quantum computers. Building such a machine means learning to control qubits (quantum bits). Different approaches are being tried: qubits may be individual atoms, or nanostructures in diamond, or superconducting loops. But all have one thing in common: the control we can achieve is far lower than the control we have over bits in conventional computers. The first generation of quantum computers will therefore be imperfect, by comparison to our reliable conventional technologies, but they will still have the potentially to be vastly more powerful. This theory project will use both analytic techniques and conventional supercomputers to understand the behaviour of 1st generation quantum computers including their limitations and flaws. The primary goals of the project will be to identify applications, such as novel materials and chemistry discovery, which may be able to run successfully on a near-term quantum computer despite its imperfections. As a natural complement to this, when a study results in the conclusion that a specific class of problems are unlikely to be accelerated by quantum computers, then this is also a valuable outcome to be reported. It is also a potential theme of interest to obtain useful measures of the power of emerging quantum devices; the metric called "quantum volume" introduced by IBM is one such example but for various reasons it is desirable to have a plurality of benchmarks. The research will include both analytic "pen and paper" theory as well as numerical modelling using conventional computers to simulate quantum machines; for the latter goal the group has the QuEST family of software packages that allow efficient simulation to the extent possible. As increasingly useful quantum prototype hardware becomes available online, it is likely that these systems (which have hitherto been too small and imperfect to be useful) will also be used.Resources available to the project include the Oxford ARC (Advanced Research Computing) facility and specifically the ~£1M cluster of compute and GPU nodes that have been acquired as part of the NQIT hub and will be acquired as part of the new Hub in Quantum Computing and Simulation. Primary support will come from Prof. Simon Benjamin (Oxford) and the host group includes 14 individuals working in related areas including postdoc Dr Balint Koczor at Oxford.This project falls under the EPSRC category "quantum technologies".