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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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Hybrid Oscillator-Qubit Quantum Processors: Instruction Set Architectures, Abstract Machine Models, and Applications

This tutorial offers a pedagogical guide to hybrid quantum processors that integrate discrete-variable (DV) qubits and continuous-variable (CV) oscillators. Aimed at computer scientists, engineers, and physicists, it provides an overview of the experimental, algorithmic, and architectural aspects of this novel and rapidly developing hardware model. Experimental realizations of this model include superconducting, trapped-ion, and neutral-atom platforms. By combining DV and CV components, hybrid oscillator-qubit processors enable a powerful new paradigm that offers complementary strengths for quantum control, error correction, computation, and simulation. Working toward the goal of a full-stack system connecting applications to CV-DV hardware, we define and formulate abstract machine models and instruction set architectures. These essential abstractions enable codesign of hardware and software, and resource estimation for exploring the potential of current and future hardware for computational and simulation tasks. Using these abstractions, we present both new and existing examples that illustrate the benefits of hybrid CV-DV processors relative to traditional DV-only hardware in computation as well as quantum simulation of physical models. Examples include algorithms for transferring states between DV and CV systems, performing the quantum Fourier transform, and simulation of lattice gauge theories. Relative to qubit-only hardware, the bosonic degrees of freedom natively available in hybrid architectures can substantially reduce the circuit complexity of simulations for physical models containing bosons. A key technique is the extension of quantum signal processing ideas to CV-DV systems. This work is intended to serve as a timely and comprehensive guide to this relatively unexplored yet promising approach to quantum computation and to provide a road map to guide future development.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Syncopated dynamical decoupling to suppress crosstalk in quantum circuits

Theoretically understanding and experimentally characterizing and modifying the underlying Hamiltonian of a quantum system is of utmost importance in achieving high-fidelity quantum gates for quantum computing. Here, in this work, we explore the use of dynamical decoupling (DD) in characterizing and suppressing undesired two-qubit couplings as well as the underlying single-qubit decoherence, both significant hurdles to achieving precise quantum control and realizing quantum computing on many hardware prototypes. Through discrete search of DD sequences, we identify sequences that protect against decoherence and selectively target unwanted two-qubit interactions of general form. On a transmon-qubit-based superconducting quantum device, we identify separate white and 1/𝑓 noise components underlying the single-qubit decoherence and a static ZZ coupling between pairs of qubits. A family of syncopated DD sequences is found and their efficiency is demonstrated in two-qubit benchmarking experiments. The syncopated decoupling technique significantly boosts performance in a realistic algorithmic quantum circuit.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2018

Optimal structure and parameter learning of Ising models

Reconstruction of the structure and parameters of an Ising model from binary samples is a problem of practical importance in a variety of disciplines, ranging from statistical physics and computational biology to image processing and machine learning. The focus of the research community shifted toward developing universal reconstruction algorithms that are both computationally efficient and require the minimal amount of expensive data. Here, we introduce a new method, interaction screening, which accurately estimates model parameters using local optimization problems. The algorithm provably achieves perfect graph structure recovery with an information-theoretically optimal number of samples, notably in the low-temperature regime, which is known to be the hardest for learning. Here, the efficacy of interaction screening is assessed through extensive numerical tests on synthetic Ising models of various topologies with different types of interactions, as well as on real data produced by a D-Wave quantum computer. Finally, this study shows that the interaction screening method is an exact, tractable, and optimal technique that universally solves the inverse Ising problem.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Qudit Dynamical Decoupling on a Superconducting Quantum Processor

Multilevel qudit systems are increasingly being explored as alternatives to traditional qubit systems due to their denser information storage and processing potential. However, qudits are more susceptible to decoherence than qubits due to increased loss channels, noise sensitivity, and crosstalk. To address these challenges, we develop protocols for dynamical decoupling (DD) of qudit systems based on the Heisenberg-Weyl group. We implement and experimentally verify these DD protocols on a superconducting transmon processor that supports qudit operation based on qutrits (d = 3) and ququarts (d = 4). Specifically, we demonstrate single-qudit DD sequences to decouple qutrits and ququarts from system-bath-induced decoherence. Here we also introduce two-qudit DD sequences designed to suppress the detrimental cross-Kerr couplings between coupled qudits. This allows us to demonstrate a significant improvement in the fidelity of time-evolved qutrit Bell states. Our results highlight the utility of leveraging DD to enable scalable qudit-based quantum computing.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Code conversion with the quantum Golay code for a universal transversal gate set

The [[7,1,3]] Steane code and [[23,1,7]] quantum Golay code have been identified as good candidates for fault-tolerant quantum computing via code concatenation. These two codes have transversal implementations of all Clifford gates but require some other scheme for fault-tolerant T gates. Using magic states, Clifford operations, and measurements is one common scheme, but magic-state distillation can have a large overhead. Code conversion is one avenue for implementing a universal gate set fault tolerantly without the use of magic-state distillation. Analogously to how the [[7,1,3]] Steane code can be fault tolerantly converted to and from the [[15,1,3]] Reed-Muller code which has a transversal T gate, the [[23,1,7]] Golay code can be converted to a [[95,1,7]] triorthogonal code with a transversal T gate. Further, a crucial ingredient of this procedure is the [[49,1,5]] triorthogonal code, which can itself be seen as being related to the self-dual [[17,1,5]] two-dimensional color code. Additionally, a method for code conversion based on a transversal CNOT between the codes, rather than stabilizer measurements, is described.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Fast optimization algorithms and the cosmological constant

Denef and Douglas have observed that in certain landscape models the problem of finding small values of the cosmological constant is a large instance of a problem that is hard for the complexity class NP (Nondeterministic Polynomial-time). The number of elementary operations (quantum gates) needed to solve this problem by brute force search exceeds the estimated computational capacity of the observable Universe. Here in this paper, we describe a way out of this puzzling circumstance: despite being NP-hard, the problem of finding a small cosmological constant can be attacked by more sophisticated algorithms whose performance vastly exceeds brute force search. In fact, in some parameter regimes the average-case complexity is polynomial. We demonstrate this by explicitly finding a cosmological constant of order 10 -120 in a randomly generated 10 9 -dimensional Arkani-Hamed–Dimopoulos–Kachru landscape.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Universality of a truncated sigma-model

Bosonic quantum field theories, even when regularized using a finite lattice, possess an infinite dimensional Hilbert space and, therefore, cannot be simulated in quantum computers with a finite number of qubits. A truncation of the Hilbert space is then needed and the physical results are obtained after a double limit: one to remove the truncation and another to remove the regulator (the continuum limit). A simpler alternative is to find a model with a finite dimensional Hilbert space belonging to the same universality class as the continuum model (a “qubitization”), so only the space continuum limit is required. A qubitization of the 1 + 1 dimensional asymptotically free O(3) nonlinear σ-model based on ideas of non-commutative geometry was previously proposed [1] and, in this paper, we provide evidence that it reproduces the physics of the σ-model both in the infrared and the ultraviolet regimes.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2026

Entanglement-fidelity limits of photonically networked atomic qubits from recoil and timing

The remote entanglement of two atomic quantum memories through photonic interactions is accompanied by atomic momentum recoil. When the interactions occur at different times, such as from the random emission over the lifetime of the atomic excited state, the difference in recoil timing can expose “which-path” information and ultimately lead to decoherence. Time-bin encoded photonic qubits can be particularly sensitive to asynchronous recoil timing. In this paper we study the limits of entanglement fidelity in atomic systems due to recoil and other timing imbalances and show how these effects can be suppressed or even eliminated through proper experimental design.

Quantum communication↗
DOE OSTI2019

Examples of symmetry-preserving truncations in tensor field theory

We consider the tensor formulation of the nonlinear O(2) sigma model and its gauged version (the compact Abelian Higgs model), on a D-dimensional cubic lattice, and show that tensorial truncations are compatible with the general identities derived from the symmetries of these models. This means that the universal properties of these models can be reproduced with highly simplified formulations desirable for implementations with quantum computers or for quantum simulations experiments. We discuss the extensions to global non-Abelian symmetries, discrete symmetries and pure gauge Abelian models.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2026

Commuting embeddings for parallel strategies in non-local games

Non-local games provide a versatile framework for probing quantum correlations and for benchmarking the power of entanglement. In finite dimensions, the standard method for playing several games in parallel requires a tensor product of the local Hilbert spaces, which scales additively in the number of qubits. In this work, we show that this additive cost can be reduced by exploiting algebraic embeddings. We introduce two forms of compressions. First, when a referee selects one game from a finite collection of games at random, the game quantum strategy can be implemented using a maximally entangled state of dimension equal to the largest individual game, thereby eliminating the need for repeated state preparations. Second, we establish conditions under which several games can be played simultaneously in parallel on fewer qubits than the tensor product baseline. These conditions are expressed in terms of commuting embeddings of the game algebras. Moreover, we provide a constructive framework for building such embeddings. Using tools from Lie theory, we show that aligning the various game algebras into a common Cartan decomposition enables such a qubit reduction. Beyond the theoretical contribution, our framework casts NLGs as algebraic primitives for distributed and resource-constrained quantum computations and suggested NLGs as a comparable device-independent dimension witness.

Commuting embeddings↗
DOE OSTI2026

Real-time estimators for scattering observables: A full account of finite-volume errors for quantum simulation

The real-time correlators of quantum field theories can be directly probed through new approaches to simulation, such as quantum computing and tensor networks. This provides a new framework for computing scattering observables in lattice formulations of strongly interacting theories, such as lattice quantum chromodynamics. In this paper, we prove that the proposal of real-time estimators of scattering observables is universally applicable to all scattering observables of gapped quantum field theories. All finite-volume errors are exponentially suppressed, and the rate of this suppression is controlled by the regulator considered, namely, a displacement of the spectrum of the theory into the complex plane. A partial restoration of Lorentz symmetry by averaging over different boosts gives an additional suppression of finite volume errors. Our results also apply to the simulation of wave packet scattering, where a similar averaging is performed to construct the wave packets that regulate the finite volume effects. This result represents a necessary key step toward determining a broad class of scattering observables via quantum computing that are currently inaccessible via classical computing. Such observables are relevant for various applications, including hadron spectroscopy, hadron structure, and precision tests of the Standard Model. We also comment on potential applications of our results to traditional computational schemes.

Burbano, Ivan M. [University of California, Berkel↗
DOE OSTI2026

Analog and symbolic computation through the Koopman framework

We develop a Koopman operator framework for studying the computational structure of dynamical systems. Specifically, we show that the resolvent of the Koopman operator provides a natural abstraction of halting, yielding a ‘Koopman halting problem’ that is recursively enumerable in general. For symbolic systems, such as those defined on Cantor space, this operator formulation captures reachability between clopen sets, while for equicontinuous systems we prove that the Koopman halting problem is decidable. Our framework demonstrates that absorbing (halting) states in coarse-grained finite automata correspond to Koopman eigenfunctions with eigenvalue one, while cycles in the transition graph impose spectral constraints associated with periodic dynamics. These results provide a unifying perspective on computation in symbolic and analog systems, showing how computational universality is reflected in operator spectra, invariant subspaces, and algebraic structures. Beyond symbolic dynamics, this operator-theoretic lens opens pathways to analyze the computational properties of a broader class of dynamical systems, including polynomial and analog models, and suggests that computational hardness may admit dynamical signatures in terms of Koopman spectral structure.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Lepton flavor asymmetries: from the early Universe to BBN

Large primordial lepton flavor asymmetries with almost vanishing total baryon-minus-lepton number can evade the usual BBN and CMB constraints if neutrino oscillations lead to perfect flavor equilibration. Solving the momentum averaged quantum kinetic equations (QKEs) describing neutrino oscillations and interactions, we perform the first systematic investigation of this scenario, uncovering a rich flavor structure in stark contradiction to the assumption of simple flavor equilibration. We find (i) a particular direction in flavor space, ∆ne ≃ – 2/3 (– 1)∆n μ for normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy, in which the flavor equilibration is efficient and primordial asymmetries are essentially unconstrained, (ii) a minimal washout factor, ∆$n_{e}^{2}$| BBN ≤ 0.03 (0.016) ∑ α ∆$n_{α}^{2}$| ini yielding a conservative estimate for the allowed primordial asymmetries in a generic flavor direction, and (iii) particularly strong or weak washout if one of the initial flavor asymmetries vanishes due to non-adiabatic muon- or electron-driven MSW transitions. These results open up the possibility of a first-order QCD phase transition facilitated by large lepton asymmetries as well as baryogenesis from large and compensated ∆n e = ∆n μ asymmetries. Our systematic approach of deriving momentum averaged QKEs includes collision terms beyond the damping approximation, energy transfer between the neutrino and electron-photon plasma, and provides a fast and reliable way to investigate the impact of primordial lepton asymmetries at the time of BBN. We publicly release the Mathematica code COFLASY-M on https://github.com/mariofnavarro/COFLASY which solves the QKEs numerically.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Beyond-classical computation in quantum simulation

Quantum computers hold the promise of solving certain problems that lie beyond the reach of conventional computers. However, establishing this capability, especially for impactful and meaningful problems, remains a central challenge. Here, we show that superconducting quantum annealing processors can rapidly generate samples in close agreement with solutions of the Schrödinger equation. We demonstrate area-law scaling of entanglement in the model quench dynamics of two-, three-, and infinite-dimensional spin glasses, supporting the observed stretched-exponential scaling of effort for matrix-product-state approaches. We show that several leading approximate methods based on tensor networks and neural networks cannot achieve the same accuracy as the quantum annealer within a reasonable time frame. Thus, quantum annealers can answer questions of practical importance that may remain out of reach for classical computation.

King, Andrew D. [D-Wave Quantum Inc., Burnaby, BC ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Trigonometric continuous-variable gates and hybrid quantum simulations of the sine-Gordon model

Hybrid qubit-qumode quantum computing platforms provide a natural setting for simulating interacting bosonic quantum field theories. However, existing continuous-variable gate constructions rely predominantly on polynomial functions of canonical quadratures. In this work, we introduce a complementary universality paradigm based on trigonometric continuous-variable gates, which enable a Fourier-like representation of bosonic operators and are particularly well suited for periodic and non-perturbative interactions. We present an ancilla-based framework for implementing trigonometric gates with arguments given by arbitrary Hermitian functions of qumode quadratures. The protocol yields unitary gates deterministically, and non-unitary gates through probabilistic post-selection. As a concrete application, we develop a hybrid qubit-qumode quantum simulation of the lattice sine-Gordon model. Using these gates, we prepare ground states via quantum imaginary-time evolution, simulate real-time dynamics, compute time-dependent vertex two-point correlation functions, and extract quantum kink profiles under topological boundary conditions. Our results demonstrate that trigonometric continuous-variable gates provide a physically natural framework for simulating interacting field theories on near-term hybrid quantum hardware, while establishing a parallel route to universality beyond polynomial gate constructions. We expect that the trigonometric gates introduced here to find broader applications, including quantum simulations of condensed matter systems, quantum chemistry, and biological models.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Quantum-enhanced detection of viral cDNA via luminescence resonance energy transfer using upconversion and gold nanoparticles

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted global economies and healthcare systems, revealing critical vulnerabilities in both. In response, our study introduces a sensitive and highly specific detection method for cDNA, leveraging Luminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (LRET) between upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and achieves a detection limit of 242 fM for SARS-CoV-2 cDNA. This innovative sensing platform utilizes UCNPs conjugated with one primer and AuNPs with another, targeting the 5′ and 3′ ends of the SARS-CoV-2 cDNA, respectively, enabling precise differentiation of mismatched cDNA sequences and significantly improving detection specificity. Through rigorous experimental analysis, we established a quenching efficiency range from 10.4 % to 73.6 %, with an optimal midpoint of 42 %, thereby demonstrating the superior sensitivity of our method. Our work uses SARS-CoV-2 cDNA as a model system to demonstrate the potential of our LRET-based detection method. This proof-of-concept study highlights the adaptability of our platform for future diagnostic applications. Instrumental validation confirms the synthesis and formation of AuNPs, addressing the need for experimental verification of the preparation of nanomaterial. Our comparative analysis with existing SARS-CoV-2 detection methods revealed that our approach provides a low detection limit and high specificity for target cDNA sequences, underscoring its potential for targeted COVID-19 diagnostics. This study demonstrates the superior sensitivity and adaptability of using UCNPs and AuNPs for cDNA detection, offering significant advances in rapid, accessible diagnostic technologies. Our method, characterized by its low detection limit and high precision, represents a critical step forward in developing next-generation biosensors for managing current and future viral outbreaks. By adjusting primer sequences, this platform can be tailored to detect other pathogens, contributing to the enhancement of global healthcare responsiveness and infectious disease control.

Esmaeili, Shahriar [Institute for Quantum Science ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Comparing quantum annealing and spiking neuromorphic computing for sampling binary sparse coding QUBO problems

We consider the problem of computing a sparse binary representation of an image. Given an image and an overcomplete, non-orthonormal basis, we aim to find a sparse binary vector indicating the minimal set of basis vectors that when added together best reconstruct the given input. We formulate this problem with an L 2 loss on the reconstruction error, and an L 0 loss on the binary vector enforcing sparsity. First, we solve the sparse representation QUBOs by solving them both on a D-Wave quantum annealer with Pegasus chip connectivity, as well as on the Intel Loihi 2 spiking neuromorphic processor using a stochastic Non-equilibrium Boltzmann Machine (NEBM). Second, using Quantum Evolution Monte Carlo with Reverse Annealing and iterated warm starting on Loihi 2 to evolve the solution quality from the respective machines. We demonstrate that both quantum annealing and neuromorphic computing are suitable for solving binary sparse coding QUBOs.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗