# US 2019/0318259 A1 · Constructing and programming quantum hardware for robust quantum annealing processes

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- Number: US 2019/0318259 A1
- Document ID: US20190318259A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/453,477
- Filed: 2019-06-26
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2014-01-06
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Applicants: Google LLC
- Inventors: Masoud Mohseni; Hartmut Neven
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190318259A1

## CPC

- G06N 10/70: Quantum error correction, detection or prevention, e.g. surface codes or magic state distillation
- G06F 15/82: data or demand driven
- G06F 17/11: for solving equations {, e.g. nonlinear equations, general mathematical optimization problems (optimization specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04)}
- G06N 7/01: Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
- G06N 10/00: Quantum computing, i.e. information processing based on quantum-mechanical phenomena
- G06N 10/20: Models of quantum computing, e.g. quantum circuits or universal quantum computers
- G06N 10/40: Physical realisations or architectures of quantum processors or components for manipulating qubits, e.g. qubit coupling or qubit control
- G06N 10/60: Quantum algorithms, e.g. based on quantum optimisation, quantum Fourier or Hadamard transforms
- G06N 20/00: Machine learning
- H10N 60/12: Josephson-effect devices
- H10N 60/128: {having three or more electrodes, e.g. transistor-like structures}
- H10N 60/805: {for Josephson-effect devices}
- G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Among other things, an apparatus comprises quantum units; and couplers among the quantum units. Each coupler is configured to couple a pair of quantum units according to a quantum Hamiltonian characterization of the quantum by the coupler.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
quantum units; and
couplers among the quantum units, each coupler being configured to couple a pair of quantum units,
wherein the quantum units and the couplers are configured to be characterized by a quantum annealer and a quantum governor, and
wherein the quantum units and the couplers are configured such that the quantum governor suppresses excitations of the quantum annealer from an instantaneous ground state to a higher energy state during a first period of time in a quantum annealing process, and facilitates relaxation of the quantum annealer from higher energy states to lower energy states or the ground state during a second period of time in the quantum annealing process.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the quantum annealer experiences four phases in the quantum annealing process, including initialization, excitation, relaxation, and freezing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first period of time comprises the initialization and excitation phases.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second period of time comprises the relaxation and freezing phases.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein in the first period of time, the quantum governor creates a mismatch between average phonon energy of a bath in which the quantum units and the couplers are located and an average energy level spacing of the quantum annealer to suppress unwanted excitations.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein in the second period of time, the quantum governor enhances thermal fluctuations by creating an overlap between spectral densities of the quantum annealer and a bath in which the quantum units and the couplers are located.