Implementing a Variational Quantum Eigensolver using Superconducting Qubits

ORAL

Abstract

The problem of eigenvalue determination lies at the heart of a number of applications and technologies ranging from structural analysis to quantum simulation, and in particular quantum chemistry. While quantum computers promise to provide exponential improvements over classical techniques in our ability to solve these problems, there are significant technological challenges that must first be overcome. The variational quantum eigensolver (VQE)\footnote{A. Peruzzo, J. McClean et al., \textbf{Nat. Comms.} 5, 4213 (2014)}, is a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm designed to utilize both quantum and classical resources to find variational solutions to eigenvalue and optimization problems not accessible to traditional classical computers. We present initial steps towards the practical implementation of the VQE using superconducting qubits with reference to the extraction of the hydrogen energy spectrum. We explore the algorithm's ability to go beyond ground state estimation to determine molecular excited electronic states and investigate its intrinsic robustness to non-systematic sources of decoherence.

*This work was supported by the Department of Energy.

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Authors

  • James Colless

    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley CA 94720, USA
    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley CA 94720, USA.

  • Vinay Ramasesh

    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley CA 94720, USA.

  • Dar Dahlen

    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley CA 94720, USA.

  • Machiel Blok

    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley CA 94720, USA.
    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory,Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley

  • Irfan Siddiqi

    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley CA 94720, USA
    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley CA 94720, USA.
    • University of California, Berkeley
    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory
    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory,Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    • Quantum Nanoelectronics Lab, Center for Quantum Coherent Sciences, UC Berkeley

  • Jarrod McClean

    • Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley CA 94720, USA.
    • Lawrence Berkeley National Labs
    • Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Jonathan Carter

    • Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley CA 94720, USA.
    • Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Wibe de Jong

    • Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley CA 94720, USA.
    • Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory