arXiv subjects

Bibek Pokharel

Publications and source records attributed to Bibek Pokharel.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Scalable Measurement Error Mitigation via Iterative Bayesian Unfolding

Measurement error mitigation (MEM) techniques are postprocessing strategies to counteract systematic read-out errors on quantum computers (QC). Currently used MEM strategies face a tradeoff: methods that scale well with the number of qubits return negative probabilities, while those that guarantee a valid probability distribution are not scalable. Here, we present a scheme that addresses both of these issues. In particular, we present a scalable implementation of iterative Bayesian unfolding, a standard mitigation technique used in high-energy physics experiments. We demonstrate our method by mitigating QC data from experimental preparation of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states up to 127 qubits and implementation of the Bernstein-Vazirani algorithm on up to 26 qubits.

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arXiv2022

Demonstration of algorithmic quantum speedup

Quantum algorithms theoretically outperform classical algorithms in solving problems of increasing size, but computational errors must be kept to a minimum to realize this potential. Despite the development of increasingly capable quantum computers (QCs), an experimental demonstration of a provable algorithmic quantum speedup employing today's non-fault-tolerant, noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices has remained elusive. Here, we unequivocally demonstrate such a speedup, quantified in terms of the scaling with the problem size of the time-to-solution metric. We implement the single-shot Bernstein-Vazirani algorithm, which solves the problem of identifying a hidden bitstring that changes after every oracle query, utilizing two different 27-qubit IBM Quantum (IBMQ) superconducting processors. The speedup is observed on only one of the two QCs (ibmq_montreal) when the quantum computation is protected by dynamical decoupling (DD) -- a carefully designed sequence of pulses applied to the QC that suppresses its interaction with the environment, but not without DD. In contrast to recent quantum supremacy demonstrations, the quantum speedup reported here does not rely on any additional assumptions or complexity-theoretic conjectures and solves a bona fide computational problem, in the setting of a game with an oracle and a verifier.

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arXiv2021

Inter-generational comparison of quantum annealers in solving hard scheduling problems

We compare the performance of four quantum annealers, the D-Wave Two, 2X, 2000Q, and Advantage in solving an identical ensemble of a parametrized family of scheduling problems. These problems are NP-complete and, in fact, equivalent to vertex coloring problems. They are also practically motivated and closely connected to planning problems from artificial intelligence. We examine factors contributing to the performance differences while separating the contributions from hardware upgrades, support for shorter anneal times, and possible optimization of ferromagnetic couplings. While shorter anneal times can improve the time to solution (TTS) at any given problem size, the scaling of TTS with respect to the problem size worsens for shorter anneal times. In contrast, optimizing the ferromagnetic coupling improves both the absolute TTS and the scaling. There is a statistically significant improvement in performance between D-Wave Two and 2X and from all older generation annealers to Advantage, even when operated under identical anneal time and ferromagnetic couplings. However, the performance improvement from 2X to 2000Q requires the anneal time and ferromagnetic couplings to be optimized. Overall, owing to these inter-generational hardware improvements and optimizations, the scaling exponent reduces from $1.01 \pm 0.01$ on Two to $0.173 \pm 0.009$ on Advantage.

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arXiv2021

Predicting non-Markovian superconducting qubit dynamics from tomographic reconstruction

Non-Markovian noise presents a particularly relevant challenge in understanding and combating decoherence in quantum computers, yet is challenging to capture in terms of simple models. Here we show that a simple phenomenological dynamical model known as the post-Markovian master equation (PMME) accurately captures and predicts non-Markovian noise in a superconducting qubit system. The PMME is constructed using experimentally measured state dynamics of an IBM Quantum Experience cloud-based quantum processor, and the model thus constructed successfully predicts the non-Markovian dynamics observed in later experiments. The model also allows the extraction of information about cross-talk and measures of non-Markovianity. We demonstrate definitively that the PMME model predicts subsequent dynamics of the processor better than the standard Markovian master equation.

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arXiv2021

Phase transitions in the frustrated Ising ladder with stoquastic and nonstoquastic catalysts

The role of nonstoquasticity in the field of quantum annealing and adiabatic quantum computing is an actively debated topic. We study a strongly-frustrated quasi-one-dimensional quantum Ising model on a two-leg ladder to elucidate how a first-order phase transition with a topological origin is affected by interactions of the $\pm XX$-type. Such interactions are sometimes known as stoquastic (negative sign) and nonstoquastic (positive sign) "catalysts". Carrying out a symmetry-preserving real-space renormalization group analysis and extensive density-matrix renormalization group computations, we show that the phase diagrams obtained by these two methods are in qualitative agreement with each other and reveal that the first-order quantum phase transition of a topological nature remains stable against the introduction of both $XX$-type catalysts. This is the first study of the effects of nonstoquasticity on a first-order phase transition between topologically distinct phases. Our results indicate that nonstoquastic catalysts are generally insufficient for removing topological obstacles in quantum annealing and adiabatic quantum computing.

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arXiv2020

Chaos in the quantum Duffing oscillator in the semiclassical regime under parametrized dissipation

We study the quantum dissipative Duffing oscillator across a range of system sizes and environmental couplings under varying semiclassical approximations. Using spatial (based on Kullback-Leibler distances between phase-space attractors) and temporal (Lyapunov exponent-based) complexity metrics, we isolate the effect of the environment on quantum-classical differences. Moreover, we quantify the system sizes where quantum dynamics cannot be simulated using semiclassical or noise-added classical approximations. Remarkably, we find that a parametrically invariant meta-attractor emerges at a specific length scale and noise-added classical models deviate strongly from quantum dynamics below this scale. Our findings also generalize the previous surprising result that classically regular orbits can have the greatest quantum-classical differences in the semiclassical regime. In particular, we show that the dynamical growth of quantum-classical differences is not determined by the degree of classical chaos.

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arXiv2020

Investigating the Chinese Postman Problem on a Quantum Annealer

The recent availability of quantum annealers has fueled a new area of information technology where such devices are applied to address practically motivated and computationally difficult problems with hardware that exploits quantum mechanical phenomena. D-Wave annealers are promising platforms to solve these problems in the form of quadratic unconstrained binary optimization. Here we provide a formulation of the Chinese postman problem that can be used as a tool for probing the local connectivity of graphs and networks. We treat the problem classically with a tabu algorithm and using a D-Wave device. We systematically analyze computational parameters associated with the specific hardware. Our results clarify how the interplay between the embedding due to limited connectivity of the Chimera graph, the definition of logical qubits, and the role of spin-reversal controls the probability of reaching the expected solution.

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arXiv2018

Demonstration of fidelity improvement using dynamical decoupling with superconducting qubits

Quantum computers must be able to function in the presence of decoherence. The simplest strategy for decoherence reduction is dynamical decoupling (DD), which requires no encoding overhead and works by converting quantum gates into decoupling pulses. Here, using the IBM and Rigetti platforms, we demonstrate that the DD method is suitable for implementation in today's relatively noisy and small-scale cloud based quantum computers. Using DD, we achieve substantial fidelity gains relative to unprotected, free evolution of individual superconducting transmon qubits. To a lesser degree, DD is also capable of protecting entangled two-qubit states. We show that dephasing and spontaneous emission errors are dominant in these systems, and that different DD sequences are capable of mitigating both effects. Unlike previous work demonstrating the use of quantum error correcting codes on the same platforms, we make no use of post-selection and hence report unconditional fidelity improvements against natural decoherence.

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arXiv2016

Dynamical complexity in the quantum to classical transition

We study the dynamical complexity of an open quantum driven double-well oscillator, mapping its dependence on effective Planck's constant $\hbar_{eff}\equivβ$ and coupling to the environment, $Γ$. We study this using stochastic Schrodinger equations, semiclassical equations, and the classical limit equation. We show that (i) the dynamical complexity initially increases with effective Hilbert space size (as $β$ decreases) such that the most quantum systems are the least dynamically complex. (ii) If the classical limit is chaotic, that is the most dynamically complex (iii) if the classical limit is regular, there is always a quantum system more dynamically complex than the classical system. There are several parameter regimes where the quantum system is chaotic even though the classical limit is not. While some of the quantum chaotic attractors are of the same family as the classical limiting attractors, we also find a quantum attractor with no classical counterpart. These phenomena occur in experimentally accessible regimes.

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