Software-based quantum program and resource optimisation – SoftQPRO

Quantum computers can theoretically solve problems out of reach of classical computers. We aim at easing the crucial back and forth interactions between the theoretical approach to quantum computing and the technological efforts made to implement the quantum computer. Our software-based quantum program and resource optimisation (SoftQPRO) project consists in developing high level techniques based on static analysis, certification, transformations of quantum graphical languages, and optimisation techniques to obtain a compilation suite for quantum programming languages. We will target various computational model back-ends (e.g. QRAM, measurement-based quantum computations) as well as classical simulation. Classical simulation is central in the development of the quantum computer, on both ends: as a way to test quantum programs but also as a way to test quantum computer prototypes. For this reason we aim at designing sophisticated simulation techniques on classical high-performance computers (HPC).

This ambitious and original project lies at the interface of three main topics: quantum computation, programming languages and formal methods, and high-performance computing. The proposed consortium answers this challenge by bringing in together 3 complementary academic (LORIA, LRI, and CEA) and 1 industrial (Atos-Bull) partners, experts from diverse horizons, specialists in various aspects of these complementary topics.

The goal is to bridge the theoretical approaches of quantum computing and technological efforts, by developing a full, and certified, compilation chain in order to program the quantum computer. With this project we also aim at the diffusion of its outcomes by offering, among other actions, online IDEs to the tools and methods developed along the project. As the simulation capability is key for the adoption by end-users, Bull commits to provide end-users a cloud-based access to the HPC simulation engine after the end of the project, subject to acceptance of terms of use.