SHF: Small: Tackling Mapping and Scheduling Problems for Quantum Program Compilation

Quantum computing has the potential of enabling the next revolution in computing. It can quickly solve problems that no classical computer could solve in any feasible amount of time. Recently, the impressive advances in quantum hardware have brought quantum computing from theoretical curiosity to technical reality. However, there is a significant gap

between the theory of quantum algorithms and the realization of the algorithms on physical devices. To bridge this gap, this proposal focuses on providing a compiler framework for translating high-level algorithm specifications to low-level hardware-compliant code. It enables programmers to take advantage of quantum

computers without having to obtain significant domain expertise in the low-level hardware details. In particular, this proposal focuses on the mapping and scheduling problems in the compilation process for superconducting quantum computers. Superconducting technology, as the leading technology for quantum hardware implementation, has

multiple types of constraints that prevent the realization of the full potential of theoretical quantum algorithms. The mapping and scheduling process deals with the practical constraints of superconducting qubits, and are the most challenging problems during quantum program translation. This proposal formally addresses the mapping/scheduling problems and models them as

graph-theoretic/AI problems. It not only advances the state of the art in the field of quantum program compilation, but also pushes the boundary of the traditional graph-theoretic and AI fields by linking them with unique challenges in quantum compilers. Ultimately it spurs the productivity of quantum

programmers and unleashes the massive computing power of quantum computing that will fuel the technical and economical innovations in society.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.