Pasqal and Kipu Quantum Demonstrate Analog Counterdiabatic Optimization on 100 Qubits
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Pasqal and Kipu Quantum Demonstrate Analog Counterdiabatic Optimization on 100 Qubits Experimental results obtained from solving MIS for a 15 and 27 nodes/qubits graphs, using Pasqal’s Orion Alpha quantum processor Pasqal and Kipu Quantum have published research in npj Unconventional Computing demonstrating the experimental implementation of Analog Counterdiabatic Quantum Computing (ACQC) on neutral-atom processors. The study applies ACQC to the Maximum Independent Set (MIS) problem, a combinatorial optimization task that involves identifying the largest subset of non-adjacent nodes in a graph. The methodology utilizes hardware-specific control waveforms to drive quantum evolution more rapidly than standard adiabatic protocols. The experiments were conducted on systems featuring up to 100 qubits, specifically addressing the trade-off between execution time and solution quality in the presence of limited coherence times. The ACQC protocol addresses non-adiabatic transitions that typically occur during finite-time adiabatic evolution. By analytically calculating the adiabatic gauge potential for the ground-Rydberg Hamiltonian, the researchers derived counterdiabatic corrections for the Rabi frequency, detuning, and phase parameters. Unlike digital implementations that require discrete gate sequences and deep circuits, this analog approach utilizes continuous control of the laser parameters. The corrections are designed to suppress transitions between energy eigenstates, allowing the system to remain closer to the ground state during fast-quench regimes without requiring additional many-body terms or intensive classical optimization loops. Benchmarking against linear and smooth adiabatic protocols showed a threefold increase in convergence speed for the ACQC method. In the 1-microsecond evolution regime, the approximation ratio for a 15-node graph improved from 0.867 under a linear schedule to 0.944 using ACQC. For larger instances on the 100-node Aquila processor, the ACQC protocol maintained a performance advantage of approximately 6% to 8% compared to smooth adiabatic schedules at short evolution times. The success probability—the frequency of identifying an exact MIS solution—increased from 27.8% to 60.0% in specific 1-microsecond evolution scenarios, according to the reported experimental data. The application of ACQC to the MIS problem maps to industrial tasks such as network resilience, logistics scheduling, and resource allocation. Because the protocol relies on native hardware parameters, it is compatible with existing neutral-atom platforms including Pasqal’s Orion Alpha and QuEra’s Aquila devices. The research indicates that these hardware-specific control strategies provide a pathway for enhancing the performance of near-term analog processors. The results suggest that ACQC can be extended to future systems with local detuning and single-qubit addressing capabilities to support a broader class of Hamiltonians for digital-analog hybrid computing. For the full mathematical derivation and experimental performance data, consult the peer-reviewed paper in npj Unconventional Computing here and the technical summary from the research team here. March 18, 2026 Mohamed Abdel-Kareem2026-03-18T12:29:28-07:00 Leave A Comment Cancel replyComment Type in the text displayed above Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.