Assessing the Stability of Noisy Quantum Computation

TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges noise introduces to quantum computation, emphasizing the importance of stability, accuracy, and reproducibility, and provides definitions and bounds to assess quantum program reliability.

Contribution

It introduces clear definitions for stability and accuracy in quantum computing and emphasizes the need for statistical analysis to improve confidence in quantum results.

Findings

Provides operational bounds on quantum program outputs

Highlights the importance of statistical analysis in quantum computing

Emphasizes the need for reproducibility and reliability assessments

Abstract

Quantum computation has made considerable progress in the last decade with multiple emerging technologies providing proof-of-principle experimental demonstrations of such calculations. However, these experimental demonstrations of quantum computation face technical challenges due to the noise and errors that arise from imperfect implementation of the technology. Here, we frame the concepts of computational accuracy, result reproducibility, device reliability and program stability in the context of quantum computation. We provide intuitive definitions for these concepts in the context of quantum computation that lead to operationally meaningful bounds on program output. Our assessment highlights the continuing need for statistical analyses of quantum computing program to increase our confidence in the burgeoning field of quantum information science.