Introducing the IBM Quantum Experience

3.1.1 Introducing the IBM Quantum Experience

Quantum computing is here. Although today's quantum processors are modest in size, the complexity continues to grow every year. The time is ripe for us to build a community of new quantum learners and change the way we think about computing. The IBM Quantum team has put together this User Guide to help you understand the quantum world. Our goal with the IBM Quantum Experience is for you to learn about quantum computing, compose your own experiments, run them in simulation, and even run them in on the world’s first fully-controllable quantum processor through the IBM Cloud. 

The IBM Quantum Experience consists of

• ·         a set of tutorials that will lead you from understanding the basics of simple single-qubit experiments (Section II) to more complicated multi-qubit experiments (Section III), and then towards more advanced ideas in the area of quantum algorithms (Section IV) and quantum error correction (Section V).

• ·         the quantum Composer, which is a graphical user interface where you can compose your very own quantum score, much like a composer composes a music score.

• ·         a simulator that can be used to test your quantum scores.

• ·         access to a real live quantum processor running in one of the IBM Quantum Computing labs, where your quantum scores can be played. 

• ·         in the near future: a quantum community where your quantum scores, ideas, and experiences can be discussed and shared.

We do note that our IBM Quantum Experience is currently in a "Preview" phase as we engage with you the broader community to help refine its functionality and improve the overall interface. We have a bug tracker which you can access with the little bug icon at the bottom of each page. Please let us know your thoughts and opinions so that we can gather feedback to continually develop this experience, or please share with us any cool scores and results you might have observed!

To make sure we provide everyone a chance to use the real device, we have established a Units currency system. If you have joined the IBM Quantum Experience as a Standard User, you have full access to our simulation capabilities as well as previously run cached results from the device. When you work through and complete the tutorials, you will be rewarded with Units to run real-time experiments on the quantum processor hardware. This system allows us to manage queuing of the experiments that are run; at the moment we have just a single quantum processor connected to the cloud, and we'll have to properly time-allocate the instruction sets that are sent to it. Furthermore, you will notice that there will be  intermittent periods when the real processor will be under maintenance and calibration. When your Units are used up, you can request for a replenish in the "Account" information page. There, you will notice also the chance for you to request an upgrade of your User status. Share with us your story, and tell us why you'd like to become an Expert User of the Quantum Experience. 

For those who wish to jump to how the IBM Quantum Experience works, skip to the quantum Composer. If you wish to improve your understanding of the quantum world first, please continue reading the next few sections, where we will embark on a wild and fascinating journey that starts with a qubit.  

We would like to acknowledge the work done under the IARPA Multi-Qubit Coherent Operations program as well as the LPS Quantum Characterization Validation & Verification program. The research performed in those programs have contributed to making this Quantum Experience possible. 

Thank you,

Jay Gambetta, Jerry Chow, and the IBM Quantum team