An Intel Quantum Software Development Kit for Efficient Execution of Variational Algorithms

Variational algorithms are some of the most promising workloads for quantum computing systems. We have developed a full-stack Intel Quantum Software Development Kit (SDK) with an LLVM-based C++ compiler and system software workflow that enables the usage of a single self-contained source file, consisting of both the classical optimizer and the quantum program, to execute variational algorithms on a simulated qubit backend. We demonstrate the operational accuracy of this full-stack computational stack by executing a variational algorithm to generate thermofield double states [1, 2]. Our SDK automatically calculates and feeds back new variational parameters for each algorithm pass. We demonstrate excellent agreement with independently generated reference data in the case of ansatzes with both increased number of qubits and variational parameters.

 

[1] J. Wu and T. Hsieh, Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 220502, (2019)

[2] R. Sagastizabal et al., npj Quantum Inf. 7, 30 (2021)