At the Federico II a new quantum algorithm thanks to the 'Partenope' computer

Acting simultaneously on the optimization of individual logic operations and the configuration of quantum processors to improve the implementation of algorithms. This is the approach that has enabled the research group at the Center for Superconducting Quantum Computation at the University of Naples Federico II to achieve unprecedented performance in the execution of Quantum Gaussian Sampling - QGS (Quantum Gaussian Sampling), a type of quantum algorithm used to simulate probability distributions with potential applications in a wide range of frontier fields, such as Quantum Machine Learning, Cryptography and Quantum Finance. Matured as part of a collaboration between Università Federico II, Intesa San Paolo and startup G2Q, the result was made possible through the use of 'Partenope,' the 25-qubit superconducting quantum computer hosted at Federico II and funded by ICSC - Centro Nazionale di Ricerca in High performance Computing, Big Data and Quantum Computing, a platform that aims to promote the development of hardware and software solutions for quantum computing and the creation of an Italian supply chain dedicated to these technologies.

Together with well-established and recognized expertise in superconducting quantum electronics, the Superconducting Quantum Computation Center of the Federico II University now relies on a system that is unique in Italy and competitive at the international level, which includes, in addition to 'Partenope,' various cryostats and measurement electronics for qubit control and readout. An infrastructure entirely designed on the basis of modularity and integrability criteria, able to guarantee, unlike the cloud solutions available on the market, an immediate response to the needs of innovation through the possibility of control and intervention on every component of the calculator both at the hardware and software level.

"The current scenario of quantum computing," explains Francesco Tafuri, head of the Center for Superconducting Quantum Computation at the Federico II University and researcher of Spoke 10 'Quantum Computing' of the ICSC National Center, "is marked by computers still subject to errors and architectural limitations. Relying therefore on closed systems, termed 'black boxes,' can be extremely limiting and penalizing, since inaccessibility to hardware prevents flexible updates and limits algorithmic performance, which is conditioned by processor configuration. On the contrary, the design philosophy adopted by our group for the realization of 'Partnenope' provides the possibility to have control over each modular component of the quantum computer and thus to explore together with companies and researchers algorithmic solutions that allow to make the most of the quantum machine made available."

The extreme flexibility, coupled with the high reliability achieved by 'Partenope' thanks to processor calibration processes based on international standards and the reduction in noise levels achieved through the development of a complex measurement system, therefore determined the choice of the Federico II Superconducting Quantum Computation Center as the platform for the implementation and optimization of the QGS algorithm developed by Intesa Sanpaolo and G2Q. The resulting collaboration thus succeeded in perfecting the implementation of the algorithm from both a hardware and software perspective, paving the way for more effective and efficient executions for this type of computation.

"The project," specifies Davide Corbelletto, team leader of Intesa Sanpaolo 's Quantum Competence Center, "stems from a need of Intesa Sanpaolo, which had already attempted to execute algorithms similar to QGS on other types of quantum processors, however, clashing with some constraints at the machine level, on which it had not been possible until now to intervene directly. A problem that has found a solution precisely thanks to the deep understanding of the working mechanisms of the 'Partenope' processor and the algorithmic optimization skills of the Federico II and G2Q Computing researchers, which have made it possible not only to generate the expected normal distributions, but above all to control their characteristic parameters. A result that takes on a particular relevance for Quantum Finance, which aims to tackle potentially very complex problems, such as credit risk modeling or derivative pricing, more quickly and accurately, and which demonstrates how collaboration between the public and private sectors represents an added value for innovation and the development of concrete solutions in the quantum field that can translate into a competitive advantage for the actors of the Country System."

With this latest achievement, the Superconducting Quantum Computation Center of the University of Naples Federico II University is thus confirmed as a strategic hub of the Italian quantum ecosystem and a successful example of the innovation model pursued and promoted by the ICSC National Center within the PNRR. An innovation model that, thanks to the availability of a resource such as 'Partenope', rests on public-private collaboration and the training of specialized professionals capable of contributing to the development of quantum computing and the growth of a national supply chain dedicated to this frontier technology.

THE RESEARCH GROUPS

The Quantum Computing Napoli (QCN) group at the Federico II University is a recognized international hub in the study of fundamental transport processes in superconducting systems, such as the Josephson effect, the heart of qubits made with this engineering paradigm. Since 2019, following the first measurements of superconducting qubits in Italy, the group has achieved remarkable results in the characterization of quantum superconducting devices and the creation of new hardware components, entering fully into the European quantum computing network. The working group has up to 20 members involved in various research activities. Working on experiments on characterization and implementation of quantum algorithms are: PhD students Carlo Cosenza, Alessandro Sarno, Viviana Stasino, and staff members Halima Giovanna Ahmad, Davide Massarotti and Francesco Tafuri.

G2Q Computing is an Italian deep-tech startup specializing in the development of innovative algorithms that enable the exploitation of NISQ quantum computers for Optimization and Machine Learning problems. The company also designs architectures that can parallelize computation between classical and quantum machines by integrating noise reduction techniques.

Coordinated by Davide Corbelletto, the Quantum Competence Center of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group's Chief Data, AI and Technology Governance Area has been engaged since 2020 in industrial research related to the possible applications of quantum technologies to financial services. In particular, one of the main purposes of the competence center is to evaluate and explore the potential advantage that quantum computing promises to offer both in terms of speed of problem solving and accuracy of the solutions found.

In the project with the Federico II, G2Q Computing and Intesa Sanpaolo contributed to the design of the QGS algorithm, paying particular attention to its robustness and reliability on real hardware. The working group consists of 10 members and Clément Besoin, Mehdi El Bakraoui, Leonardo Chhabra, Valeria Zaffaroni, Francesca Cibrario and Giacomo Ranieri participated in this activity.