Summary

Rigetti Computing has released Forest 1.0, a comprehensive quantum/classical computing programming and execution environment, featuring a cloud-based Quantum Virtual Machine, real quantum chip interaction, and significant advancements in quantum integrated circuit technology.

Abstract

Rigetti Computing has announced the public beta of Forest 1.0, marking a significant milestone in quantum computing. This full-stack platform enables developers to create and execute hybrid quantum/classical algorithms, simulate up to 30 qubits, and interact with actual quantum processors via cloud services. The company has also opened Fab-1, the world's first commercial quantum chip foundry, which utilizes advanced semiconductor processing tools and rapid iteration cycles to enhance quantum chip performance. New two-qubit gate schemes have been developed, promising faster and more scalable quantum computing capabilities. Rigetti has also formed a collaboration with Sandia National Labs for rigorous quantum chip characterization and has welcomed notable industry experts to their team. Forest 1.0 is built on Quil, an instruction language for hybrid quantum/classical computing, and comes with pyQuil, a suite of Python tools for Quil programming. An interactive demo showcases the potential of quantum computers in solving complex NP-hard problems using algorithms like the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm.

Opinions

Rigetti Computing positions itself as a leader in the quantum computing industry with its full-stack approach and the opening of Fab-1.
The company emphasizes the importance of rapid iteration cycles in the development of complex technologies, viewing Fab-1 as a key strategic advantage.
The introduction of new two-qubit gates based on direct parametric modulation is seen as a significant technical milestone, potentially improving scalability and performance of quantum chips.
Collaboration with Sandia National Labs' QCVV team reflects a commitment to using the most rigorous characterization methods for quantum hardware.
The addition of experienced leaders like Nagesh Vodrahalli, Marcus da Silva, and Colm Ryan to the Rigetti team is expected to drive further innovation and technical advancement.
The development of Forest 1.0 and its associated tools like Quil and pyQuil demonstrates Rigetti's focus on creating accessible and powerful quantum computing software.
The interactive demo serves to illustrate the practical applications of quantum computing in tackling currently intractable problems, highlighting the company's vision for the future impact of their technology.

Rigetti Computing headquarters in Berkeley, CA.

Introducing Forest 1.0

Today, I’m extremely excited to announce the public beta availability of Forest 1.0, the world’s first full-stack programming and execution environment for quantum/classical computing. You can use Forest to develop algorithms for quantum/classical hybrid computing, and you can use it to learn how quantum computers and algorithms really work. You can simulate those algorithms on up to 30 qubits using our Quantum Virtual Machine, or QVM™, running in the cloud. And you can interact with real quantum chips using simple function calls that execute on an active system.

Rigetti Computing is a full-stack quantum computing company, and Forest is a full-stack product. So I’d like to highlight some of the key technical milestones that underpin Forest at both the hardware and software level.

Fab-1

We’ve developed a highly coherent and scalable quantum integrated circuit architecture. Two key ingredients are a new fab process for superconducting through-silicon vias, and a low-temperature bonding process for 3D integration.

To further accelerate our progress in design and manufacturing capabilities, about a year ago we decided to make a strategic investment to build the world’s first commercial quantum integrated circuit fab, called Fab-1. Today, we are officially marking the opening of this new facility (see photo below).

Fab-1 is based on the latest semiconductor processing tools and technology, but, unlike traditional fabs, operates in rapid-iteration mode. Today, we can produce an entirely new design for a 3D integrated quantum circuit in about 2 weeks. Because of the exponential value of iteration cycles in the development of any complex technology, I expect Fab-1 to be a key driver and strategic advantage in our march towards ever greater processing power (more qubits, faster gate times) and performance (longer coherence times, lower error rates, greater connectivity) from quantum chips over the coming years.

Nagesh Vodrahalli has joined the company in the role of VP of Process Technology, leading Fab-1 and our overall fab strategy. Nagesh brings decades of executive and technology leadership in advanced semiconductor manufacturing and 3D integration, including time at Intel, HP, and Altera.

Rigetti Computing’s Fab-1, the world’s first commercial quantum chip fab.

New Two-Qubit Gates

We’ve developed and demonstrated a new two-qubit gate scheme based on direct parametric modulation of qubit frequencies. This gate scheme can be faster and more selective than previous methods, making it better suited for scaled-up chips with many qubits. Details are available in 3 papers describing the theory and experimental implementations on 2-qubit and 8-qubit processors. A software upgrade to Forest to unlock this functionality will be available later this year.

Characterizing the performance of quantum chips is a complex and subtle process. To ensure that we are using the most rigorous and efficient characterization routines — and that those routines are adapted or extended to practical, cutting edge hardware — we have entered into a collaboration with the Quantum Characterization, Verification, and Validation (QCVV) team at Sandia National Labs. The team, led by Robin Blume-Kohout, is one of the leading independent groups in the world in QCVV. The collaboration is underway, and we expect initial results this year.

We are excited to announce the addition of two leading quantum computing researchers. Marcus da Silva has joined the company, managing our device design and theory team, and Colm Ryan has joined our quantum engineering team.

Nagesh Vodrahalli (left) and Jeff Cordova (right) have joined our leadership team.

Colm Ryan (left) and Marcus da Silva (right) have joined our quantum engineering team.

Software and Applications

Forest is built on top of Quil™, the first instruction language for hybrid quantum/classical computing. Hybrid quantum/classical algorithms take advantage of the best aspects of a classical computer and a quantum computer simultaneously. Classical computers are best at rote sequences of arithmetic, while quantum computers are best at manipulating extremely large ensembles of information at once.

Quil is an open and portable instruction set, using a shared memory model that is optimized for near-term algorithms and hardware. Forest 1.0 includes pyQuil, a set of open-source python tools for building and running Quil programs. You can see more about how Quil and pyQuil work in this video.

To help illustrate how quantum computers might one day be used to solve problems that are currently impossible, we have built an interactive demo showing how an example algorithm, the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm, uses quantum mechanics to find optimization-based solutions to NP-hard problem types, such as MAX-CUT.

Developing quantum computing software is one of the most fascinating and challenging emerging fields of engineering. Today, that field is at the foundational stage, where learning and discovery are at a premium. Our full-stack strategy allows us to run faster, more tightly coupled iteration cycles between hardware, software, and applications.

Jeff Cordova has joined the company as VP of Software Engineering to lead the development of our quantum operating system and quantum cloud services infrastructure.

8-qubit quantum processors manufactured by Rigetti Computing.

What’s Next?

Products are built by systems of people functioning together as a team. Existing companies, when faced with profound technological change, must adapt an existing machine to produce a new kind of work output. Startups have the opportunity and imperative to build a fundamentally new kind of machine to produce that new work output.

Rigetti Computing is a new kind of machine, and Forest 1.0 is an example of its work output. We are centered around rapid iteration design-fab-test cycles, powered by incredible scientists and engineers that further build and refine the machine every day.

In the past 18 months, the output from those internal iteration cycles has accelerated. We’ve gone from single-qubit devices to fully-functional 8-qubit systems that are now in the final stages of validation. These systems will be made available on Forest later this year.