In this post, we’ll walk through our architectural approach — a structure designed to make quantum computing more accessible, modular, and scalable.
Building for the Quantum User
At the top of the stack, we find the hardware-independent layers. These are the tools and abstractions that allow users — scientists, engineers, and domain experts — to design quantum solutions without worrying about the quirks of any particular device.
- APIs for Domain-Specific Integration: These APIs allow quantum capabilities to be embedded directly into workflows like finance, pharmaceuticals, logistics, and materials science, without requiring end users to have deep quantum expertise.
- Quantum Application Libraries: Beneath the APIs are rich libraries containing pre-built algorithms and application templates, streamlining tasks like optimization, simulation, and machine learning.
- Quantum Structures: This layer provides quantum abstractions that enable developers to reason about quantum systems and construct sophisticated algorithms.
- Q operations, specified as Hamiltonians, oracles, tensor networks, rotations etc.
- Q data, which represent quantum states with support on abstract Hilbert spaces, defined explicitly, or through descriptions that capture entanglement structure (such as a collection of Bell pairs or a matrix product state), or implicitly through the application of a unitary to a computational basis state
- Q logic, such as compute/uncompute patterns, controlled operations, execution conditions based on symmetries
- High-Level Quantum Circuits: At this layer, quantum programs are described as circuits involving relatively small numbers of qubits (~ 10). These circuits serve as a concrete description of a quantum algorithm before it is adapted to specific hardware constraints.
Bridging to Hardware
At a certain point, abstraction must give way to physical reality. This happens at the hardware-specific layers.
- Hardware-Aware Quantum Circuits: These circuits have been compiled to ‘native’ operations that are directly executable on a target quantum device. The compilation accounts for the quirks and constraints of specific quantum devices — such as connectivity limits, error rates, or available gate sets. They are optimized to ensure that programs remain efficient and robust when mapped onto actual hardware. This stage also incorporates error detection, mitigation and correction methods.
- Quantum Hardware APIs: Finally, at the bottom of the stack, we interact directly with the quantum processors themselves. Coherent Computing’s APIs provide a standardized way to send instructions to a diverse range of quantum devices, ensuring portability and flexibility.
This layered structure serves a critical purpose: separation of concerns. By carefully dividing the software into hardware-independent and hardware-specific components, Coherent Computing aims to enable rapid development, broader accessibility, and easier hardware innovation. Users should be able to build complex quantum workflows without ever needing to manage the deep technical challenges of working with quantum devices. At the same time, hardware specialists can focus on improving qubit technologies without constantly rewriting higher-level software.
In short, it’s a design that acknowledges the unique challenges of quantum computing while opening the door to real-world adoption.Coherent Computing is pioneering software platforms that unlock the full potential of quantum hardware.
Get in touch with us to learn more.
