Low-level programming of quantum computers with Amazon Braket

Current quantum computers are at a stage where they have similarities to early classical computers: huge in footprint, expensive, and experimental, with each of them having a unique design and capabilities. Typically, quantum developers expect to control these devices at the level of global qubit registers and assembly instructions, most often using the abstraction of quantum gates, while also desiring programming constructs such as modularity and control flow. At the same time, to allow further optimization of device performance, hardware providers have given access to pulse-level control, allowing developers to manipulate the analog signals or pulses that drive the qubits of a quantum processor.

In this talk, we will describe how Amazon Braket enables low-level programming of quantum devices. Developers can provide pulse-level instructions, design gates with custom pulse implementations, or modify the pulse implementation of standard gates to optimize their performance. We will also discuss a novel Python-native programming interface which facilitates writing quantum programs in an imperative style at various levels of abstraction, allowing the developer to move beyond unitary quantum circuits toward complex programs with built-in classical logic and control flow.