Quantum Information Science for Energy Sector Applications
TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo, Washington, DC, June 13-16, 2022
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TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo, Washington, DC, June 13-16, 2022
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The quantum Fisher information (QFI) quantifies the ultimate precision of estimating a parameter from a quantum state and can be regarded as a reliability measure of a quantum system as a quantum sensor. However, estimation of the QFI for a mixed state is in general a computationally demanding task. In this paper we present a variational quantum algorithm called variational quantum Fisher information estimation (VQFIE) to address this task. By estimating lower and upper bounds on the QFI, based on bounding the fidelity, VQFIE outputs a range in which the actual QFI lies. This result can then be used to variationally prepare the state that maximizes the QFI, for the application of quantum sensing. In contrast to previous approaches, VQFIE does not require knowledge of the explicit form of the sensor dynamics. We simulate the algorithm for a magnetometry setup and demonstrate the tightening of our bounds as the state purity increases. For this example, we compare our bounds with literature bounds and show that our bounds are tighter.
The search for anyons is a field of immense interest owing to its potential application in the field of quantum information. Quantum critical Kondo impurities constitute one possible platform for their realization and topological Kondo effect (TKE) by virtue of remaining critical in the presence of perturbations, seems to be especially promising in this regard. In this paper we discuss practical steps for a realization of TKE with a relatively high Kondo temperature $\mathbf{T}$ k . Its central feature is the so-called Majorana-Cooper box (MCB) and we argue that a particular type of iron-based topological superconductor is especially suitable for realization of TKE. Once MCB is available one needs to connect it to external metallic leads to produce TKE. A relatively high value of the Kondo temperature $\mathbf{T}$ k is then aided by a large superconducting gap of the iron-based superconductor. We give estimates for $\mathbf{T}$ k , for the cases of both isotropic and anisotropic exchange couplings of MCB with the leads.
We report the quantum Fisher information (QFI) plays a crucial role in quantum information theory and in many practical applications such as quantum metrology. However, computing the QFI is generally a computationally demanding task. In this work we analyze a lower bound on the QFI which we call the sub-quantum Fisher information (sub-QFI). The bound can be efficiently estimated on a quantum computer for an n-qubit state using 2n qubits. The sub-QFI is based on the super-fidelity, an upper bound on Uhlmann's fidelity. We analyze the sub-QFI in the context of unitary families, where we derive several crucial properties including its geometrical interpretation. In particular, we prove that the QFI and the sub-QFI are maximized for the same optimal state, which implies that the sub-QFI is faithful to the QFI in the sense that both quantities share the same global extrema. Based on this faithfulness, the sub-QFI acts as an efficiently computable surrogate for the QFI for quantum sensing and quantum metrology applications. Finally, we provide additional meaning to the sub-QFI as a measure of coherence, asymmetry, and purity loss.
We introduce a data-informed quantum-classical dynamics (DIQCD) approach for predicting the evolution of an open quantum system. The equation of motion in DIQCD is a Lindblad equation with a flexible, time-dependent Hamiltonian that can be optimized to fit sparse and noisy data from local observations of an extensive open quantum system. We demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of DIQCD for both experimental and simulated quantum devices. We show that DIQCD can predict entanglement dynamics of ultracold molecules (calcium fluoride) in optical tweezer arrays. DIQCD also successfully predicts carrier mobility in organic semiconductors (rubrene) with accuracy comparable to nearly exact numerical methods.
Quantum science and technology is a focal point of research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Quantum-coherent devices offer the potential for unprecedented precision in sensing and the ability to directly simulate complex quantum phenomena that have no known efficient classical algorithms. Thus, development and implementation of quantum technologies is expected to have a significant impact on our ability to address some of the most complex national security problems. LLNL maintains projects involving a broad spectrum of Quantum Information Science (QIS) research activities including investigating sources of decoherence, the 3DQ microscope, studies into quantum interconnects, 3-D printed ion traps, fusion energy and nuclear physics simulations, modeling for data-starved environments, and quantum sensing, including accelerometry and timing.
Quantum energy teleportation (QET) is the phenomenon in which locally inaccessible energy is activated as extractable work through collaborative local operations and classical communication (LOCC) with an entangled partner. It closely resembles the more well-known quantum information teleportation (QIT) where quantum information can be sent through an entangled pair with LOCC. It is tempting to ask how QET is related to QIT. Here we report a first study of this connection. Despite the apparent similarity, we show that these two phenomena are not only distinct but moreover are mutually competitive. We show a perturbative trade-off relation between their performance in a thermal entangled chaotic many-body system, in which both QET and QIT are simultaneously implemented through a traversable wormhole in an emergent spacetime. Motivated by this example, we study a generic setup of two entangled qudits and prove a universal non-perturbative trade-off bound. It shows that for any teleportation protocol, the overall performance of QET and QIT together is constrained by the entanglement resource. We discuss some explanations of our results.
This project covered research in theoretical high energy physics at Brandeis University by PI Albion Lawrence and Co-PIs Matthew Headrick and Howard Schnitzer. The work of Albion Lawrence covered quantum field theoretic models of cosmic inflation and of quintessence-type dark energy, consistent with constraints on quantum gravity; the dynamics of open quantum systems, with an eye towards applications to holography; and the application of quantum information theory – particularly measures of quantum entanglement – to quantum field theories and quantum gravity. The work of Matthew Headrick covered the intersection of quantum information theory and quantum gravity, with a focus on the holographic encoding of quantum information theoretic concepts such as entanglement and computational complexity in field theory. Headrick also achieved significant technical results in closed string field theory. The work of Howard Schnitzer covered the computation of quantum information theoretic quantities in quantum field theories.
Teleporting physical quantities to remote locations remains a key challenge for quantum information science and technology. Quantum teleportation has enabled the transfer of quantum information, but teleportation of quantum physical quantities has not yet been realized. Here we report the realization and observation of quantum energy teleportation on real superconducting quantum hardware. We achieve this by using several IBM superconducting quantum computers. The results are consistent with the exact solution of the theory and are improved by the mitigation of measurement error. Quantum energy teleportation requires only local operations and classical communication. Furthermore, our results provide a realistic benchmark that is fully achievable with current quantum computing and communication technologies.
The primary goals of the projects supported by this grant involved developing methods to detect and control electronic states that can aid in the construction of quantum-information devices, including quantum computers. Two types of materials are needed to create these electronic states: superconductors and topological insulators. The interplay of the quantum mechanics of these materials can give rise to elusive states known as Majorana fermions. Majorana Fermions have incredible potential for quantum technology; they can in principle encode quantum information non-locally, and can thus form the basis of especially robust qubits – the basic building blocks of quantum computers. A centerpiece goal of this work was to develop a Majorana detection tool called a Scanning Majorana Microscope. This tool was successfully developed.
A longstanding question in quantum gravity regards the localization of quantum information; one way to formulate this question is to ask how subsystems can be defined in quantum-gravitational systems. The gauge symmetry and necessity of solving the gravitational constraints appear to imply that the answers to this question here are different than in finite quantum systems, or in local quantum field theory. Specifically, the constraints can be solved by providing a “gravitational dressing” for the underlying field-theory operators, but this modifies their locality properties. It has been argued that holography itself may be explained through this role of the gauge symmetry and constraints, at the nonperturbative level, but there are also subtleties in constructing a holographic map in this approach. There are also claims that holography is implied even by perturbative solution of the constraints. This short note provides further examination of these questions, and in particular investigates to what extent perturbative or nonperturbative solution of the constraints implies that information naïvely thought to be localized can be recovered by asymptotic measurements, and the relevance of this in defining subsystems. In the leading perturbative case, the relevant effects are seen to be exponentially suppressed and asymptotically vanishing, for massive fields. These questions are, for example, important in sharply characterizing the unitarity problem for black holes.
Trapped atomic ions find wide applications ranging from precision measurement to quantum information science and quantum computing. Beryllium ions are widely used due to the light mass and convenient atomic structure of beryllium; however, conventional ion loading from thermal ovens exerts undesirable gas loads for a prolonged duration. Here, we demonstrate a method to rapidly produce pure linear chains of beryllium ions with pulsed laser ablation, serving as a starting point for large-scale quantum information processing. Our method is fast compared to thermal ovens, reduces the gas load to only 10 -12 Torr (10 -10 Pa) level, yields a short recovery time of a few seconds, and also eliminates the need for a deep ultraviolet laser for photoionization. We also study the loading dynamics, which show non-Poissonian statistics in the presence of sympathetic cooling. In addition, we apply feedback control to obtain defect-free ion chains with desirable lengths.
Polyatomic molecules provide complex internal structures that are ideal for applications in quantum information science, quantum simulation and precision searches for physics beyond the standard model. A key feature of polyatomic molecules is the presence of parity-doublet states. These structures, which generically arise from the rotational and vibrational degrees of freedom afforded by polyatomic molecules, are a powerful feature to pursue diverse quantum science applications. Linear triatomic molecules contain ℓ-type parity-doublet states in the vibrational bending mode, which are predicted to exhibit robust coherence properties. Here we report optically trapped CaOH molecules prepared in ℓ-type parity-doublet states and realize a bare qubit coherence time of $T$$^{*}_{2}$, which is longer than the 0.36 s lifetime of the bending mode. We suppress differential Stark shifts by cancelling ambient electric fields using molecular spectroscopy and characterize parity-dependent trap shifts, which are found to limit the coherence time. Furthermore, the parity-doublet coherence times achieved in this work are a defining milestone for the use of polyatomic molecules in quantum science.
Molecular magnets have received significant attention because of their potential applications in quantum information and quantum computing. A delicate balance of electron correlation, spin–orbit coupling (SOC), ligand field splitting, and other effects produces a persistent magnetic moment within each molecular magnet unit. The discovery and design of molecular magnets with improved functionalities would be greatly aided by accurate computations. However, the competition among the different effects poses a challenge for theoretical treatments. Electron correlation plays a central role since d- or f-element ions, which provide the magnetic states in molecular magnets, often require explicit many-body treatments. SOC, which expands the dimensionality of the Hilbert space, can also lead to non-perturbative effects in the presence of strong interaction. Furthermore, molecular magnets are large, with tens of atoms in even the smallest systems. We show how an ab initio treatment of molecular magnets can be achieved with auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo, in which electron correlation, SOC, and material specificity are included accurately and on an equal footing. Furthermore, the approach is demonstrated by an application to compute the zero-field splitting of a locally linear Co 2+ complex.
Quantum information processing demands efficient quantum light sources (QLS) capable of producing high-fidelity single photons or entangled photon pairs. Single epitaxial quantum dots (QDs) have long been proven to be efficient sources of deterministic single photons; however, their production via molecular-beam epitaxy presents scalability challenges. Conversely, colloidal semiconductor QDs offer scalable solution processing and tunable photoluminescence, but suffer from broader linewidths and unstable emissions. This leads to spectrally inseparable emission from exciton (X) and biexciton (XX) states, complicating the production of single photons and triggered photon pairs. Here, in this work, we demonstrate that colloidal semiconductor quantum shells (QSs) achieve significant spectral separation (∼75–80 meV) and long temporal stability of X and XX emissive states, enabling the observation of exciton-biexciton bunching in colloidal QDs. Our low-temperature single-particle measurements show cascaded XX-X emission of single photon pairs for over 200 s, with minimal overlap between X and XX features. The X-XX distinguishability allows for an in-depth theoretical characterization of cross-correlation strength, placing it in perspective with photon pairs of epitaxial counterparts. These findings highlight a strong potential of semiconductor quantum shells for applications in quantum information processing.
Here, we present a lower bound on the quantum Fisher information (QFI) which is efficiently computable on near-term quantum devices. This bound itself is of interest, as we show that it satisfies the canonical criteria of a QFI measure. Specifically, it is essentially a QFI measure for subnormalized states, and hence it generalizes the standard QFI in this sense. Our bound employs the generalized fidelity applied to a truncated state, which is constructed via the m largest eigenvalues and their corresponding eigenvectors of the probe quantum state ρ θ . Focusing on unitary families of exact states, we analyze the properties of our proposed lower bound, and demonstrate its utility for efficiently estimating the QFI.
Out-of-time-ordered correlators (OTOCs) are a key observable in a wide range of interconnected fields including many-body physics, quantum information science, and quantum gravity. Measuring OTOCs using near-term quantum simulators will extend our ability to explore fundamental aspects of these fields and the subtle connections between them. Here, we demonstrate an experimental method to measure OTOCs at finite temperatures and use the method to study their temperature dependence. These measurements are performed on a digital quantum computer running a simulation of the transverse field Ising model. Our flexible method, based on the creation of a thermofield double state, can be extended to other models and enables us to probe the OTOC’s temperature-dependent decay rate. Measuring this decay rate opens up the possibility of testing the fundamental temperature-dependent bounds on quantum information scrambling.