Q-CTRL and Oxford Quantum Circuits Partner and Deliver Rapid Performance Improvements with Complex Algorithms

By Carolyn Mathas

There is a definite increase in the level of collaboration across the quantum industry—part of a global effort to achieve “frictionless” performance in today’s quantum computers. Partner to improve algorithm performance Q-CTRL And Oxford Quantum Circuit (OQC) announced the goal of the partnership is to solve complex, previously unattainable problems, mainly due to errors caused by interference in the environment, causing algorithms that do not exist on quantum computers to fail. Already, the initial result of their collaboration is a huge increase in hardware performance.

Q-CTRL CEO and founder Michael Biercuk has called quantum hardware the weak point of quantum computing, given its vulnerability to errors. Error suppression deals with changing qubit values ​​and phases and handling errors at the level closest to the hardware. Q-CTRL brings partnership into its fault suppression Fire Opal software designed to reduce hardware errors and instability, while OQC hardware is scalable and hardware Coaxmon technology enables running of more complex algorithms by increasing algorithmic performance. Coaxmon OQC features a three-dimensional architecture that removes key components from the chip for increased simplicity, flexibility, engineerability, and scalability. Her 8-quibit machine, code-named Lucy is stable—once the Q-CTRL software calibrates it, drift is mitigated for a long time before another calibration is needed.

So far, initial benchmarking results when a sampled subset of the Q-CTRL error suppression are used on OQC hardware, show a dramatic increase in accuracy and achievable circuit depth. Performance gains increase with the qubit count, even when complex algorithms have a greater number of gates, such as the Quantum Fourier Transform (QFT). For example, early Q-CTRL benchmarking results show a more than 140x increase in the probability of success versus nearly zero success with an 8-qubit quantum computer using the Bernstein-Vazirani algorithm.

According to the partners, “OQC’s uniquely innovative and scalable hardware and industry-leading performance management solution Q-CTRL form the foundation for additional partners in the future to contribute new streamlined workflows and high-impact algorithms.” This partnership is another tribute to the value of collaboration within the industry.

Partners hope to break existing limitations on the types of algorithms that can be solved with existing devices. In its initial stages, the partnership will expand performance benchmarking of integrated technologies. Target industries for partners include chemicals, finance, and manufacturing.

Customers will be able to access the Q-CTRL software integrated with the Lucy OQC system via Amazon Bracket Pulse later this year. Pulse bracket enables the development of quantum applications using analog pulses–instructions that control QPU qubits to achieve a deeper level of control.

See the full press release on Q-CTRL website.

July 20, 2023