Scientists Demonstrate Unconditional Exponential Quantum Scaling

Conducted on IBM quantum processors, study demonstrates “a promise of quantum computing previously articulated only on paper.” Interior shot of a quantum computer with an IBM Eagle processor/Photo credit: IBM Quantum computers have the potential to speed up computation, help design new medicines, break codes, and discover exotic new materials—but that’s only when they are truly functional. One key thing that gets in the way: noise or the errors that are produced during computations on a quantum machine–which in fact makes them less powerful than classical computers – until recently. Daniel Lidar, holder of the Viterbi Professorship in Engineering and Professor of Electrical & Computing Engineering at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, has been iterating on quantum error correction, and in a new... The paper, “Demonstration of Algorithmic Quantum Speedup for an Abelian Hidden Subgroup Problem,” was published in APS flagship journal Physical Review X.

Researchers from USC and Johns Hopkins used two IBM Eagle quantum processors to pull off an unconditional, exponential speedup on a classic “guess-the-pattern” puzzle, proving—without assumptions—that quantum machines can now outpace the best classical... By squeezing extra performance from hardware with shorter circuits, transpilation, dynamical decoupling, and error-mitigation, the team finally crossed a milestone long called the “holy grail” of quantum computing. Quantum computers have long promised to revolutionize technology, with the ability to speed up complex calculations, design new medicines, break modern encryption, and uncover exotic new materials. But there’s been a major obstacle: noise. That’s the term for all the tiny errors that build up during quantum computations, often making these futuristic machines less effective than even today’s classical computers. A breakthrough led by Daniel Lidar, a professor of engineering at USC and an expert in quantum error correction, has pushed quantum computing past a key milestone.

Working with researchers from USC and Johns Hopkins, Lidar’s team demonstrated a powerful exponential speedup using two of IBM’s 127-qubit Eagle quantum processors — all operated remotely through the cloud. Their results were published in the prestigious journal Physical Review X. “There have previously been demonstrations of more modest types of speedups like a polynomial speedup, says Lidar, who is also the cofounder of Quantum Elements, Inc. “But an exponential speedup is the most dramatic type of speed up that we expect to see from quantum computers.” Conducted on IBM quantum processors, study demonstrates “a promise of quantum computing previously articulated only on paper” Interior shot of a quantum computer with an IBM Eagle processor.

Quantum computers have the potential to speed up computation, help design new medicines, break codes, and discover exotic new materials—but that’s only when they are truly functional. One key thing that gets in the way: noise or the errors that are produced during computations on a quantum machine--which in fact makes them less powerful than classical computers – until recently. Daniel Lidar, holder of the Viterbi Professorship in Engineering and Professor of Electrical & Computing Engineering at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, has been iterating on quantum error correction, and in a new... The paper, “Demonstration of Algorithmic Quantum Speedup for an Abelian Hidden Subgroup Problem,” was published in APS flagship journal Physical Review X. A new study confirms algorithmic speedup for an oracle-based mathematical problem, showing the potential for algorithm development to bring us closer to quantum advantage. Algorithm discovery has entered its own belle époque.

With the latest performance gains of IBM quantum hardware and software, researchers are better positioned than ever before to develop and improve algorithms that will bring us closer to quantum advantage. Recently, researchers led by Dr. Daniel Lidar’s team at the University of Southern California (USC) published results in Physical Review X that demonstrate exponential algorithmic speedup for a modified version of Simon’s problem using IBM quantum computers. This paper offers one of the first proofs of quantum scaling speedup not dependent on unproven assumptions regarding the limitations of classical methods. Put simply, the team ran circuits on noisy quantum hardware up to 126 qubits, demonstrating that as the problem increased in size, the speedup scaled exponentially for quantum. However, past 58 qubits, noise inherent to today’s quantum computers allowed classical to win.

A key part of algorithmic development is identifying the problems for which quantum will provide a speedup over classical methods, as well as determining what kind of speedup is expected. This is an effort that requires novel strategies on today’s noisy devices. Quantum computing holds the promise to revolutionize how we perform calculations, enabling breakthroughs in medicine design, codebreaking, and the discovery of new materials. However, the technology has long been hindered by a fundamental challenge: noise and errors during quantum computations have made quantum devices less effective than classical computers—until now. The core difficulty in building practical quantum computers has been managing the errors caused by interactions between delicate quantum bits (qubits) and their noisy surroundings. This noise introduces faults that can derail calculations, limiting the machines' usefulness compared to classical counterparts.

Daniel Lidar, a professor at the University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering and an expert in quantum error correction, has been leading efforts to push past this barrier. In collaboration with researchers at USC and Johns Hopkins University, Lidar's team has demonstrated a significant and unconditional exponential scaling advantage in quantum computing performance by running algorithms on two IBM Quantum Eagle processors,... Their groundbreaking results were published in the journal Physical Review X in a paper titled "Demonstration of Algorithmic Quantum Speedup for an Abelian Hidden Subgroup Problem." Many previous quantum speedup demonstrations have shown only modest improvements, often polynomial speedups, over classical algorithms. Lidar explains, "An exponential speedup is the most dramatic and sought-after type, meaning that as problem sizes grow, the quantum advantage increases at an exponential rate rather than a linear or polynomial one." Quantum computers have the potential to speed up computation, help design new medicines, break codes, and discover exotic new materials -- but that's only when they are truly functional.

One key thing that gets in the way: noise or the errors that are produced during computations on a quantum machine -- which in fact makes them less powerful than classical computers - until... Daniel Lidar, holder of the Viterbi Professorship in Engineering and Professor of Electrical & Computing Engineering at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, has been iterating on quantum error correction, and in a new... The paper, "Demonstration of Algorithmic Quantum Speedup for an Abelian Hidden Subgroup Problem," was published in APS flagship journal Physical Review X. "There have previously been demonstrations of more modest types of speedups like a polynomial speedup, says Lidar, who is also the cofounder of Quantum Elements, Inc. "But an exponential speedup is the most dramatic type of speed up that we expect to see from quantum computers." The key milestone for quantum computing, Lidar says, has always been to demonstrate that we can execute entire algorithms with a scaling speedup relative to ordinary "classical" computers.

The demonstration of unconditional exponential quantum scaling advantage using two 127-qubit computers is a groundbreaking achievement that has far-reaching implications for various fields. Here are some reasons why this accomplishment is so significant: 1. Quantum Supremacy: This experiment confirms the long-held promise of quantum supremacy, which states that a quantum computer can solve problems that are beyond the capabilities of classical computers. By achieving exponential scaling advantage, researchers have demonstrated the superiority of quantum computing over classical computing for certain types of calculations. 2.

Advancements in Quantum Error Correction: The successful demonstration of unconditional exponential scaling advantage relies on advanced quantum error correction techniques, including continuous-variable quantum error correction and surface codes. These achievements represent significant progress in developing robust methods to mitigate errors in quantum computing, which is essential for large-scale applications. 3. Scalability: The use of two 127-qubit computers showcases the scalability of quantum computing. As the number of qubits increases, so does the computational power, making it possible to tackle increasingly complex problems. This scalability is crucial for practical applications in fields like chemistry, materials science, and optimization.

4. Exponential Speedup: The exponential speedup achieved by the experiment has significant implications for various industries. For example:

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