Several of the group’s papers in the last year have focused on the theory behind so-called hybrid quantum algorithms — where a conventional computer and a quantum coprocessor work in tandem. These methods are typically variational because the quantum machine has a number of parameters (essentially, knobs that can be adjusted) and the conventional machine determines how to vary the parameters to find the right settings to solve a given problem.
One promising application is simulation of other systems, to predict molecular dynamics for example. Recent papers by group members Xiao Yuan, Suguru Endo and SCB, along with collaborators Qi Zhao and Ying Li, aim towards a general account of simulation with this approach. ‘Variational quantum simulation of general processes‘ and ‘Theory of variational quantum simulation‘ are both available on the arxiv preprint server. Meanwhile we have started to explore how we could compile, or recompile, such algorithms from one form to another. We have an earlier post about this, and the image above comes from the corresponding paper.
