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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 37 records · Page 2

Chemical calculations on Cray computers

The influence of recent developments in supercomputing on computational chemistry is discussed with particular reference to Cray computers and their pipelined vector/limited parallel architectures. After reviewing Cray hardware and software the performance of different elementary program structures are examined, and effective methods for improving program performance are outlined. The computational strategies appropriate for obtaining optimum performance in applications to quantum chemistry and dynamics are discussed. Finally, some discussion is given of new developments and future hardware and software improvements.

Taylor, Peter R.↗

Chemical calculations on Cray computers

The influence of recent developments in supercomputing on computational chemistry is discussed with particular reference to Cray computers and their pipelined vector/limited parallel architectures. After reviewing Cray hardware and software the performance of different elementary program structures are examined, and effective methods for improving program performance are outlined. The computational strategies appropriate for obtaining optimum performance in applications to quantum chemistry and dynamics are discussed. Finally, some discussion is given of new developments and future hardware and software improvements.

Taylor, Peter R.↗

Blueprint for DOE Quantum Supercomputing: Ensuring U.S. Leadership in the Quantum Decade

Quantum computing stands at the threshold of a transformative decade, where the field will evolve from small-scale demonstrations toward practical scientific computing at scale. This Blueprint identifies fault-tolerant quantum computers (FTQCs) as a viable, scalable, and broadly applicable path to achieving “quantum scientific utility,” defined as solving scientifically valuable problems beyond the reach of conventional, classical computers. This capability is expected to show scientific demonstrations in the late 2020s and to mature in the early-to-mid 2030s. This Blueprint outlines a strategy to prepare the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for FTQCs and their integration into the U.S. national scientific computing infrastructure. Its purpose is to identify the steps, milestones, and research directions necessary for DOE to enable initial deployment of FTQCs in 2028 as a scientific tool for the nation and mature this capability into the 2030s. DOE has a long history of supporting quantum information science and technology, contributing significantly to research advancements, training a quantum-ready workforce, and providing access to early small-scale quantum hardware. Given recent demonstrations of logical operations on error-corrected logical qubits and the advancement of commercial hardware roadmaps, DOE should begin preparations for large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing deployment for DOE science missions. This Blueprint proposes that DOE focus on (1) deploying first-generation scientifically relevant quantum computers with at least 100 logical qubits and performing at least 10,000 to 100,000 hard logical operations in scientifically relevant calculations; (2) developing essential FTQC programming competencies, system software, and facility readiness; and (3) investing in cutting edge focused R&D that fosters breakthroughs in scientific applications, algorithms, and logical architectures needed to accelerate the advent of scientific utility. This effort will position DOE to transition to larger systems: production-scale quantum computers that comprise 1,000 to 10,000 logical qubits, perform 1 to 10 billion hard logical operations, and execute scientifically useful computations at scale. Achieving these goals will require DOE facilities to evolve with urgency to support scientific campaigns that integrate quantum and classical computing resources into efficient workflows, novel software and firmware environments for compiling and routing quantum programs on FTQC machines, and suitable infrastructure for quantum hardware. It will also require further development and optimization of scientific applications from the fields of materials science, quantum chemistry, and high-energy and nuclear physics. The Blueprint calls for transformative R&D and collective action to accelerate the advent of scientific quantum utility and bring it within reach by 2028.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

qcal v0.0.1

qcal is a software package for calibration, characterization, and benchmarking of quantum gates. It was developed to operate full-stack superconducting quantum systems at the Advanced Quantum Testbed.

Hashim, Akel [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborator↗

Towards exact finite temperature electronic structure in solids and molecules (Final Technical Report)

This report describes the University of Iowa portion of a project that is now continuing at Michigan State University. We are developing novel methods, algorithms, and software to enable simulations of molecules and materials at high temperature. This is a key challenge in chemistry and materials science. By refining an approach called Density Matrix Quantum Monte Carlo (DMQMC), we developed faster and more accurate ways to conduct these simulations. These advances will help us understand how temperature affects the behavior of electrons, chemical bonds, and phase transitions in solids and molecules. These breakthroughs are especially important for applications where light and heat drive chemical reactions, superconductivity, and materials used in energy and sensing. In addition, this project involved the development of the open-source HANDE-QMC software package, supporting the broader community in benchmarking and developing finite-temperature electronic structure methods.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

MolSym : A Python package for handling symmetry in molecular quantum chemistry

A consideration of the point group symmetry of molecules is often advantageous from a computational efficiency standpoint and sometimes necessary for the correct treatment of chemical physics problems. Many modern electronic structure software packages include a treatment of symmetry, but these are sometimes incomplete or unusable outside of that program’s environment. Therefore, we have developed the MolSym package for handling molecular symmetry and its associated functionalities to provide a platform for including symmetry in the implementation and development of other methods. Features include point group detection, molecule symmetrization, arbitrary generation of symmetry element sets and character tables, and symmetry adapted linear combinations of real spherical harmonic basis functions, Cartesian displacement coordinates, and internal coordinates. We present some of the advantages of using molecular symmetry as achieved by MolSym, particularly with respect to Hartree–Fock theory, and the reduction of finite difference displacements in gradient/Hessian computations. Furthermore, this package is designed to be easily integrated into other software development efforts and may be extended to further symmetry applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Benchmarking quantum computers

The rapid pace of development in quantum computing technology has sparked a proliferation of benchmarks to assess the performance of quantum computing hardware and software. However, not all benchmarks are of equal merit. Good ones empower scientists, engineers, programmers and users to understand the power of a computing system, whereas bad ones can misdirect research and inhibit progress. In this Perspective, we survey the science of quantum computer benchmarking. Here, we discuss the role of benchmarks and benchmarking and how good benchmarks can drive and measure progress towards the long-term goal of useful quantum computations, known as quantum utility. We explain how different kinds of benchmark quantify the performance of different parts of a quantum computer, discuss existing benchmarks, examine recent trends in benchmarking, and highlight important open research questions in this field.

Proctor, Timothy James [Sandia National Laboratori↗

Quantum Entanglement Molecular Absorption Spectrum Simulator

Quantum Entanglement Molecular Absorption Spectrum Simulator (QE-MASS) is a computer program for simulating two photon molecular-absorption spectroscopy using quantum-entangled photons. More specifically, QE-MASS simulates the molecular absorption of two quantum-entangled photons generated by the spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) of a fixed-frequency photon from a laser. The two-photon absorption process is modeled via a combination of rovibrational and electronic single-photon transitions, using a wave-function formalism. A two-photon absorption cross section as a function of the entanglement delay time between the two photons is computed, then subjected to a fast Fourier transform to produce an energy spectrum. The program then detects peaks in the Fourier spectrum and displays the energy levels of very short-lived intermediate quantum states (or virtual states) of the molecule. Such virtual states were only previously accessible using ultra-fast (femtosecond) laser systems. However, with the use of a single-frequency continuous wave laser to produce SPDC photons, and QEMASS program, these short-lived molecular states can now be studied using much simpler laser systems. QE-MASS can also show the dependence of the Fourier spectrum on the tuning range of the entanglement time of any externally introduced optical-path delay time. QE-MASS can be extended to any molecule for which an appropriate spectroscopic database is available. It is a means of performing an a priori parametric analysis of entangled photon spectroscopy for development and implementation of emerging quantum-spectroscopic sensing techniques. QE-MASS is currently implemented using the Mathcad software package.

Nguyen, Quang-Viet↗

cclib 2.0: An updated architecture for interoperable computational chemistry

Interoperability in computational chemistry is elusive, impeded by the independent development of software packages and idiosyncratic nature of their output files. The cclib library was introduced in 2006 as an attempt to improve this situation by providing a consistent interface to the results of various quantum chemistry programs. The shared API across programs enabled by cclib has allowed users to focus on results as opposed to output and to combine data from multiple programs or develop generic downstream tools. Initial development, however, did not anticipate the rapid progress of computational capabilities, novel methods, and new programs; nor did it foresee the growing need for customizability. Here, we recount this history and present cclib 2, focused on extensibility and modularity. We also introduce recent design pivots—the formalization of cclib’s intermediate data representation as a tree-based structure, a new combinator-based parser organization, and parsed chemical properties as extensible objects.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

[MODIS Investigation]

The objectives of the last six months were: Continue analysis of Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) bio-optical mooring data, Recover instrumentation from JGOFS cruises in the Southern Ocean and analyze data Maintain documentation of MOCEAN algorithms and software for use by MOCEAN and GLI teams Continue chemostat experiments on the relationship of fluorescence quantum yield to environmental factors. Continue to develop and expand browser-based information system for in situ bio-optical data Work Analysis of Field Data from Hawaii We are continuing to analyze bio-optical data collected at the Hawaii Ocean Time Series mooring. The HOT bio-optical mooring was recovered in May 1998. After retrieving the data, the sensor package was serviced and redeployed. We now have over 18 months of data. These are being analyzed as part of a larger study of mesoscale processes at this JGOFS time series site. We have had some failures in the data logger which have affected the fluorescence channels. These are being repaired. We also had an instrument housing failure, and minor modifications have been made to avoid subsequent problems. In addition, Ricardo Letelier is funded as part of the SeaWiFS calibrator/validation effort (through a subcontract from the University of Hawaii, Dr. John Porter), and he is collecting bio-optical and fluorescence data as part of the HOT activity.

Abbott, Mark R.↗

An end-to-end workflow for executing a classically bootstrapped variational quantum algorithm on an academic quantum computer

Academic quantum computing platforms often face unique challenges in executing quantum workloads due to fragmented software environments and limited engineering support. Unlike commercial ecosystems, academic devices typically evolve without full-stack integration in mind, making it difficult to run complex applications—such as variational quantum algorithms (VQA)—reliably and efficiently. Issues such as incompatible software layers and lack of automated job management significantly increase the overhead of theory-experiment collaboration. To address these challenges, we develop a modular, end-to-end workflow that decouples application-layer code from low-level hardware control, automates circuit submission and result collection, and supports fine-grained circuit-level job scheduling and recovery. The architecture employs a dual-end application programming interface (API) design, enabling robust operation across unstable or resource-constrained hardware backends. For practical use, the framework is lightweight and user-friendly, allowing rapid prototyping of full-stack workflows using basic Python tools. We validate this workflow on a high-fidelity trapped-ion quantum computer by demonstrating a variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) experiment with a classically bootstrapped ansatz initialization technique. The system successfully executed over 60,000 circuits across multiple molecular test cases with minimal human intervention, highlighting the framework’s effectiveness in enabling reproducible, resilient quantum experimentation in academic settings.

Clifford↗

[MODIS Investigation]

The objective of the last six months were: (1) Continue analysis of Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) bio-optical mooring data, and Southern Ocean bio-optical drifter data; (2) Complete development of documentation of MOCEAN algorithms and software for use by MOCEAN team and GLI team; (3) Deploy instrumentation during JGOFS cruises in the Southern Ocean; (4) Participate in test cruise for Fast Repetition Rate (FRR) fluorometer; (5) Continue chemostat experiments on the relationship of fluorescence quantum yield to environmental factors; and (6) Continue to develop and expand browser-based information system for in situ bio-optical data. We are continuing to analyze bio-optical data collected at the Hawaii Ocean Time Series mooring as well as data from bio-optical drifters that were deployed in the Southern Ocean. A draft manuscript has now been prepared and is being revised. A second manuscript is also in preparation that explores the vector wind fields derived from NSCAT measurements. The HOT bio-optical mooring was recovered in December 1997. After retrieving the data, the sensor package was serviced and redeployed. We have begun preliminary analysis of these data, but we have only had the data for 3 weeks. However, all of the data were recovered, and there were no obvious anomalies. We will add second sensor package to the mooring when it is serviced next spring. In addition, Ricardo Letelier is funded as part of the SeaWiFS calibration/validation effort (through a subcontract from the University of Hawaii, Dr. John Porter), and he will be collecting bio-optical and fluorescence data as part of the HOT activity. This will provide additional in situ measurements for MODIS validation. As noted in the previous quarterly report, we have been analyzing data from three bio-optical drifters that were deployed in the Southern Ocean in September 1996. We presented results on chlorophyll and drifter speed. For the 1998 Ocean Sciences meeting, a paper will be presented on this data set, focusing on the diel variations in fluorescence quantum yield. Briefly, there are systematic patterns in the apparent quantum yield of fluorescence (defined as the slope of the line relating fluorescence/chlorophyll and incoming solar radiation). These systematic variations appear to be related to changes in the circulation of the Antarctic Polar Front which force nutrients into the upper ocean. A more complete analysis will be provided in the next Quarterly report.

Abbott, Mark R.↗

QUANT-NET Control Plane Framework (QNCP) v1.0.0

The QUANT-NET Control Plane (QNCP) provides a software framework for expressing and managing quantum network resources. It may be used to orchestrate a physical quantum testbed with real device driver implementations, or it may be used as a proving ground when developing new protocols and management functions. In practice, both approaches may be useful when undertaking research and development in emerging quantum testbeds. While a number of control systems have been developed for specific quantum platform demonstrations, an openly available and general solution for operating quantum networks has not emerged. QNCP is designed to fill this gap. The framework has been designed to provide extensible, modular capabilities that include scheduling, routing, monitoring, and pluggable protocols. A number of reference implementations in each module category have been included in the installable packages; however, the intent is that each of these modules may be extended or re-implemented to meet the needs of the particular deployment or research need. The software is currently being used in the QUANT-NET testbed project, which spans resources between LBNL and UC Berkeley Physics.

Zhang, Liang [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborator↗

Fragme∩t: An Open‐Source Framework for Multiscale Quantum Chemistry Based on Fragmentation

Fragment-based quantum chemistry offers a means to circumvent the nonlinear computational scaling of conventional electronic structure calculations, by partitioning a large calculation into smaller subsystems then considering the many-body interactions between them. Variants of this approach have been used to parameterize classical force fields and machine learning potentials, applications that benefit from interoperability between quantum chemistry codes. However, there is a dearth of software that provides interoperability yet is purpose-built to handle the combinatorial complexity of fragment-based calculations. To fill this void we introduce “Fragme∩t”, an open-source software application that provides a tool for community validation of fragment-based methods, a platform for developing new approximations, and a framework for analyzing many-body interactions. Fragme∩t includes algorithms for automatic fragment generation and structure modification, and for distance- and energy-based screening of the requisite subsystems. Checkpointing, database management, and parallelization are handled internally and results are archived in a portable database. Interfaces to various quantum chemistry engines are easy to write and exist already for Q-Chem, PySCF, xTB, Orca, CP2K, MRCC, Psi4, NWChem, GAMESS, and MOPAC. Applications reported here demonstrate parallel efficiencies around 96% on more than 1000 processors but also showcase that the code can handle large-scale protein fragmentation using only workstation hardware, all with a codebase that is designed to be usable by non-experts. Fragme∩t conforms to modern software engineering best practices and is built upon well established technologies including Python, SQLite, and Ray. The source code is available under the Apache 2.0 license.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Multiscale Nuclear-Electronic Orbital Quantum Dynamics in Complex Environments

Many renewable energy conversion processes rely on the movement of protons as well as electrons through either electrocatalysis or photoexcitation. The simulation of such processes requires a quantum mechanical description of coupled nuclear-electronic dynamics in a solvent or heterogeneous chemical environment. The overall objective of this project is the development of theoretical and computational capabilities for simulating nuclear-electronic quantum dynamics in complex environments and the creation of high-performance, open-source software. This multiscale framework will enable simulations of the real-time dynamics of nonequilibrium excited state proton-coupled electron transfer, quantum decoherence, vibronic energy transfer, and ultrafast radiolysis, as well as their associated time-resolved multidimensional spectroscopies. An important outcome of this project will be a sustainable, reusable, and interoperable open-source software ecosystem. This software will be designed for emerging exascale and future national leadership computers. Another key outcome will be a multiscale quantum dynamics method and software enabling simulations of nonequilibrium nuclear-electronic quantum dynamics in complex environments.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Exascale-Enabled Models and Algorithms for Microelectronics Applications (MicroEleX) v1

The MicroEleX code package contains a variety of models and algorithms for physical modeling of microelectronic circuitry, including electrostatics, electrodynamics, superconducting physics, micromagnetics, multi-ferroic systems, and quantum transport. MicroEleX leverages the AMReX software framework to provide scalability on GPU-based supercomputing architectures. The code is open source and designed to be algorithmically flexible so developers can incorporate enhanced or customized physics.

Nonaka, Andy↗

The Design of Fault Tolerant Quantum Dot Cellular Automata Based Logic

As transistor geometries are reduced, quantum effects begin to dominate device performance. At some point, transistors cease to have the properties that make them useful computational components. New computing elements must be developed in order to keep pace with Moore s Law. Quantum dot cellular automata (QCA) represent an alternative paradigm to transistor-based logic. QCA architectures that are robust to manufacturing tolerances and defects must be developed. We are developing software that allows the exploration of fault tolerant QCA gate architectures by automating the specification, simulation, analysis and documentation processes.

Armstrong, C. Duane↗

Towards an Imaging Mid-Infrared Heterodyne Spectrometer

We are developing a concept for a compact, low-mass, low-power, mid-infrared (MIR; 5- 12 microns) imaging heterodyne spectrometer that incorporates fiber optic coupling, Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) local oscillator, photomixer array, and Radio Frequency Software Defined Readout (RFSDR) for spectral analysis. Planetary Decadal Surveys have highlighted the need for miniaturized, robust, low-mass, and minimal power remote sensing technologies for flight missions. The drive for miniaturization of remote sensing spectroscopy and radiometry techniques has been a continuing process. The advent of MIR fibers, and MEMS techniques for producing waveguides has proven to be an important recent advancement for miniaturization of infrared spectrometers. In conjunction with well-established photonics techniques, the miniaturization of spectrometers is transitioning from classic free space optical systems to waveguide/fiber-based structures for light transport and producing interference effects. By their very nature, these new devices are compact and lightweight. Mercury-Cadmium-Telluride (MCT) and Quantum Well Infrared Photodiodes (QWIP) arrays for heterodyne applications are also being developed. Bulky electronics is another barrier that precluded the extension of heterodyne systems into imaging applications, and our RFSDR will address this aspect.

Hewagama, T.↗