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Title: A language and hardware independent approach to quantum–classical computing

Abstract

Heterogeneous high-performance computing (HPC) systems offer novel architectures which accelerate specific workloads through judicious use of specialized coprocessors. A promising architectural approach for future scientific computations is provided by heterogeneous HPC systems integrating quantum processing units (QPUs). To this end, we present XACC (eX treme-scale ACC elerator) — a programming model and software framework that enables quantum acceleration within standard or HPC software workflows. XACC follows a coprocessor machine model that is independent of the underlying quantum computing hardware, thereby enabling quantum programs to be defined and executed on a variety of QPUs types through a unified application programming interface. Moreover, XACC defines a polymorphic low-level intermediate representation, and an extensible compiler frontend that enables language independent quantum programming, thus promoting integration and interoperability across the quantum programming landscape. In this work we define the software architecture enabling our hardware and language independent approach, and demonstrate its usefulness across a range of quantum computing models through illustrative examples involving the compilation and execution of gate and annealing-based quantum programs.

Authors:
ORCiD logo; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR); ORNL Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
OSTI Identifier:
1463055
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1468161
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725; AC05-00OR22750
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
SoftwareX
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: SoftwareX Journal Volume: 7 Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 2352-7110
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; quantum computing; quantum software

Citation Formats

McCaskey, A. J., Dumitrescu, E. F., Liakh, D., Chen, M., Feng, W., and Humble, T. S. A language and hardware independent approach to quantum–classical computing. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1016/j.softx.2018.07.007.
McCaskey, A. J., Dumitrescu, E. F., Liakh, D., Chen, M., Feng, W., & Humble, T. S. A language and hardware independent approach to quantum–classical computing. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2018.07.007
McCaskey, A. J., Dumitrescu, E. F., Liakh, D., Chen, M., Feng, W., and Humble, T. S. Mon . "A language and hardware independent approach to quantum–classical computing". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2018.07.007.
@article{osti_1463055,
title = {A language and hardware independent approach to quantum–classical computing},
author = {McCaskey, A. J. and Dumitrescu, E. F. and Liakh, D. and Chen, M. and Feng, W. and Humble, T. S.},
abstractNote = {Heterogeneous high-performance computing (HPC) systems offer novel architectures which accelerate specific workloads through judicious use of specialized coprocessors. A promising architectural approach for future scientific computations is provided by heterogeneous HPC systems integrating quantum processing units (QPUs). To this end, we present XACC (eX treme-scale ACC elerator) — a programming model and software framework that enables quantum acceleration within standard or HPC software workflows. XACC follows a coprocessor machine model that is independent of the underlying quantum computing hardware, thereby enabling quantum programs to be defined and executed on a variety of QPUs types through a unified application programming interface. Moreover, XACC defines a polymorphic low-level intermediate representation, and an extensible compiler frontend that enables language independent quantum programming, thus promoting integration and interoperability across the quantum programming landscape. In this work we define the software architecture enabling our hardware and language independent approach, and demonstrate its usefulness across a range of quantum computing models through illustrative examples involving the compilation and execution of gate and annealing-based quantum programs.},
doi = {10.1016/j.softx.2018.07.007},
journal = {SoftwareX},
number = C,
volume = 7,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2018},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2018}
}

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