OSC Colloquium: Mohan Sarovar, "Quantum Algorithms and Applications Research at Sandia"

Title

Quantum Algorithms and Applications Research at Sandia

Abstract

The Quantum Algorithms and Applications Collaboratory (QuAAC) is a group of scientists at Sandia National Laboratories working to answer the questions, "what might quantum computers be used for?" and "what kinds of verifiable advantages might they offer over conventional classical computers?". In this talk, I’ll briefly introduce QuAAC and go over some of the research directions we are currently pursuing.

Then in the remainder of the talk I will narrow the focus to one recent result from the group, a scalable protocol for verifying the output of quantum computations. Verification of device output is becoming a prominent problem in quantum computing as hardware matures to scales where classical simulation of executable quantum circuits is impossible. By combining time-reversed dynamics and randomization we have designed a new method, mirror circuit fidelity estimation (MCFE), for verifying output fidelity that can scale to devices with hundred and thousands of qubits. I will explain the new technique, present some demonstrations, and conclude with a discussion of ongoing work in scalable verification and benchmarking.

Bio

Mohan Sarovar is a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories, and Co-Director of the Quantum Algorithms and Applications Collaboratory at Sandia. He obtained a Bachelors and Masters in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University, and a doctorate in Physics from the University of Queensland (Australia) specializing in quantum computing and quantum control. Prior to his position at Sandia he was a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley.

Mohan has broad expertise in quantum information science and technology built up over 20 years of working on quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum simulation and quantum sensing. His current research is focused on developing quantum algorithms for science applications, near-term quantum computing and quantum simulation applications, and developing new techniques for characterizing quantum computers.

Contact

Florian Willomitzer, Colloquium Chair & Professor: colloquium@optics.arizona.edu