Phys.org June 6, 2022
In its current stage of development, quantum computing is still very sensitive to noise and disruptive factors in the environment. To overcome these limitations a team of researchers in the US (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Microsoft, MIT, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Washington University) is developing simulations that provide a glimpse into how quantum computers work. They combined two different types of simulations to create the Northwest Quantum Simulator (NWQ-Sim) to test quantum algorithms. It can help us look beyond the limitations of the existing devices and test algorithms for more sophisticated systems. Qubit decoherence decreased when the qubits were protected from external sources of noise. Their work provides a cheaper and faster way to perform quantum error correction. It potentially brings us closer to demonstrating a computationally useful example of a quantum simulation for quantum field theory on near-term quantum hardware. They plan to look at how radiation disturbs circuits and substrates within a quantum system… read more.
Quantum circuit simulation can reveal the impact of noise on intermediate-scale quantum devices. Credit: Donald Jorgensen | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.