Implementing and benchmarking dynamically corrected gates on superconducting devices using space curve quantum control (2504.09767v1)

Abstract: We use Space Curve Quantum Control (SCQC) to design, experimentally demonstrate, and benchmark dynamically corrected single-qubit gates on IBM hardware, comparing their performance to that of the standard gates provided by IBM. Our gates are designed to dynamically suppress both detuning and pulse-amplitude noise, with gate times as short as 88 ns. We compare our gates against those of IBM on two separate IBM devices and across sets of up to 18 qubits. Randomized benchmarking is done utilizing our detuning- and amplitude-robust gates in randomized Clifford circuits containing up to 4000 gates. Our gates achieve error-per-Clifford rates that reach as low as 7$\times10^{-5}$ ($\pm10^{-6}$) and which remain nearly constant as the compound noise is increased up to 4% amplitude noise and up to a detuning noise of 342 kHz; this is in contrast to the IBM gates, which exhibit rates that drop to order $10^{-3}$ across this range. This range is consistent with the commonly reported frequency fluctuations and with the upper bound of the statistical uncertainty in gate calibration. In addition, we investigate the performance across larger noise ranges of up to 20% amplitude and 3.5 MHz detuning noise using quantum process tomography. Finally, we experimentally demonstrate how SCQC can be tailored to different practical use cases by trading off amplitude-robustness for ultrafast 60 ns dephasing-only robust pulses. Our work establishes experimental guidelines for implementing SCQC-designed dynamically corrected gates on a broad range of qubit hardware to limit the effect of noise-induced errors and decoherence.

Implementing and Benchmarking Dynamically Corrected Gates on Superconducting Devices

The paper presents a comprehensive paper on the implementation and benchmarking of dynamically corrected single-qubit gates using Space Curve Quantum Control (SCQC) on IBM's superconducting quantum hardware. In an attempt to overcome the challenges posed by environmental noise, which remains a significant hurdle in quantum computing, especially in superconducting qubits, the authors explore the utilization of SCQC to design quantum gates that are robust against typical noise sources like detuning and amplitude fluctuations.

The authors introduce and employ SCQC to generate control pulses that facilitate noise-robust gates. These gates are tested on real quantum hardware provided by IBM, and their performance is evaluated against IBM's standard gates through extensive randomized benchmarking and quantum process tomography. What stands out about this methodology is its geometric approach, which maps the problem of noise-robust quantum gate design to finding closed space curves in Euclidean space. This mapping allows for the extraction of control fields from the geometric properties like curvature and torsion of these curves.

The paper reveals that the SCQC-designed gates can achieve error-per-Clifford rates as low as $7 \times 10^{-5}$ in the presence of up to 4% amplitude noise and detuning noise levels as high as 342 kHz. Comparatively, IBM's standard gates experience an increase in error to the order of $10^{-3}$ within the same noise parameters. This finding underscores the efficacy of the SCQC approach in enhancing the robustness of quantum gates against composite noise environments typically encountered in superconducting qubit devices.

Furthermore, the paper explores the versatility and adaptability of the SCQC approach. It demonstrates that SCQC can be tailored to specific hardware constraints by adjusting the robustness trade-offs to suit different experimental requirements. For instance, by reducing the robustness against amplitude noise, the authors show how gate duration can be minimized, achieving ultrafast gates that still retain significant detuning noise resilience.

The practical implications of this research are noteworthy. The introduction of SCQC-designed gates presents a promising pathway toward improving quantum gate fidelity in noisy environments—a critical prerequisite for achieving fault-tolerant quantum computation. From a theoretical perspective, the work contributes to the understanding of noise resilience in quantum control protocols, offering a geometric framework that could be extended beyond single-qubit gates or superconducting platforms.

Looking forward, the methodologies demonstrated in this paper could see further refinement and application in broader contexts, such as multi-qubit systems or alternative quantum computing platforms, including spin qubits. The success of SCQC in superconducting devices also suggests its potential applicability in other quantum systems where noise represents a limiting factor.

By addressing these fundamental challenges, this research contributes significantly to the journey toward practical and scalable quantum computation. The integration of SCQC-designed gates into current quantum computing architectures could significantly reduce the experimental overhead associated with frequent gate calibrations, thereby streamlining quantum operations on large-scale devices and paving the way for more robust quantum information processing capabilities.