Don’t understand Quantum Volume? How to Measure Quantum Computing Performance

August 24, 2020 by Rusty Flint

Don't understand Quantum Volume? How to Measure Quantum Computing Performance

Recent announcement in quantum computing progress are using a metric known as Quantum Volume, not simply the number of qubits. The more complex metric is perhaps not as obvious and not as headline grabbing. But what does it actually mean? Both Honeywell and IBM are using Quantum Volume despite IBM inventing the term.

The recent announcement that IBM has achieved a Quantum Volume of 64 comes hot on the heels of the announcement from Honeywell that also achieved a quantum volume of 64. In a bit of a competitive Quantum Volume jousting, Honeywell is using IBM’s measure of quantum volume to beat it to the punch to getting a quantum volume of 64. But for many, other than taking the volume as a back-box measure is not sufficient, they want to understand what it actually means. Rather than explain it here, the Qiskit blog has a well written article on Quantum Volume.

Rusty Flint

Rusty is a science nerd. He's been into science all his life, but spent his formative years doing less academic things. Now he turns his attention to write about his passion, the quantum realm. He loves all things Physics especially. Rusty likes the more esoteric side of Quantum Computing and the Quantum world. Everything from Quantum Entanglement to Quantum Physics. Rusty thinks that we are in the 1950s quantum equivalent of the classical computing world. While other quantum journalists focus on IBM's latest chip or which startup just raised $50 million, Rusty's over here writing 3,000-word deep dives on whether quantum entanglement might explain why you sometimes think about someone right before they text you. (Spoiler: it doesn't, but the exploration is fascinating.