IBM quantum centric supercomputing
To solve complicated chemical equations, researchers from IBM and RIKEN have made a significant advancement by combining the Fugaku supercomputer with a quantum processor. Because of the closed-loop approach used in this cooperation, the two systems functioned as a single, cohesive entity and exchanged data continuously. The scientists achieved previously unheard-of levels of precision in mapping the electrical structures of iron-sulfur compounds by using a sophisticated hybrid algorithm. By demonstrating that quantum-centric supercomputing can operate at massive scale, this milestone opens the door to practical scientific applications. The study demonstrates a move toward smooth coordination between quantum and classical technology to maximize computational power and efficiency.
Chemistry beyond exact solutions on a quantum-centric supercomputer
A significant advancement in high-performance computing (HPC) has been made by RIKEN and IBM, who have successfully demonstrated quantum-centric supercomputing (QCSC) at a scale never before possible. Together with an IBM Quantum Heron processor on-site, the teams coordinated the complete Fugaku supercomputer, one of the most potent classical systems in the world, as part of a collaborative research project. This partnership produced the biggest and most precise quantum chemistry experiment yet run on a quantum computer, which was a significant turning point in the pursuit of useful quantum advantage.
On January 29, IBM Director of Research Jay Gambetta presented the experiment at the Supercomputing Asia 2026 conference. Its goal was to determine the intricate electrical structure of two iron-sulfur molecules. A basic problem in chemistry is comprehending these structures since a molecule’s interactions and reactions with its surroundings are determined by the distribution and behavior of its electrons. The study team’s very accurate solution to this problem showed that quantum and classical resources may be used in a smooth, “closed-loop” execution to address problems that are still too difficult for precise classical approaches to handle.
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An Innovative Approach: The “Closed-Loop” Workflow
A closed-loop workflow’s creation and execution are essential to this accomplishment. The two systems fed data back and forth in an uninterrupted, iterative cycle in this experiment, in contrast to conventional hybrid setups, where classical and quantum resources are frequently used sequentially, a quantum processing unit (QPU) finishing a task before sending results back for classical processing. The practical deployment of quantum computing in an HPC setting, where real-world applications necessitate close integration amongst many compute types, is more like this orchestration.
One cannot stress the orchestration’s technical intricacy, especially given its enormous scope. For the Fugaku supercomputer and the Heron processor to be operational during the computation, the researchers had to create a complex new work assignment mechanism. Since both classical and quantum resources are both costly and valuable, any idle time is a major loss of runtime that could be utilized for other important studies. Being a billion-dollar machine, Fugaku needs to make the most of every second of its uptime; it cannot be left “sitting around” while a quantum step is being completed. With the new system, the “time-to-solution” was reduced by making sure both computers were operating as close to concurrently as feasible.
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SQD: The Power of Hybrid Algorithms
Sample-based quantum diagonalization (SQD), a family of hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, was the foundation for the discovery. The purpose of these algorithms is to separate a problem into components that are better suited for conventional technology and components handled by quantum resources. In this procedure, the quantum computer unlatches the most difficult part of the issue, enabling the classical supercomputer to “turn the handle and open the door,” much like the “lifting pin in a lockpicking set,” according to the researchers.
When it comes to electronic structure computations, the total number of potential configurations for a molecule’s electrons is enormous and increases exponentially with the complexity of the molecule. Key areas of emphasis for the classical computer were identified by sampling this huge region using the IBM Quantum Heron processor in the SQD workflow. With such knowledge, Fugaku proceeded to arrive at a final answer. Working together in this way, the systems produced findings that were similar to the state-of-the-art classical approximation techniques and far more accurate than previously attempted quantum approaches.
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Hardware Cooperation between Heron and Fugaku
At the forefront of both conventional and quantum technologies is the hardware used in this milestone. The vast classical basis for the experiment was given by Fugaku, the world’s fastest computer from 2020 to 2021. It is a massive device composed of 158,976 chips with 48 cores apiece. When combined with RIKEN’s IBM Quantum Heron processor on-site, the system offered an insight into the architectural needs of quantum-centric supercomputing in the future.
“Very exciting development for hybrid computing” is how Mitsuhisa Sato, Division Director of the Quantum-HPC Hybrid Platform Division at the RIKEN Center for Computational Science, characterized the accomplishment. The researchers also discovered that although the process was created especially for Fugaku’s unique architecture, it could be used in a variety of cloud-based HPC settings. This suggests that current conventional HPC infrastructures throughout the world can effectively communicate with quantum computers.
Toward the future
The path to full-scale quantum advantage is still ongoing, despite the fact that this demonstration represents a significant victory. Incorporating Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) as accelerators into these quantum-classical processes is the next stage of integration that the combined RIKEN-IBM team is already anticipating. According to recent studies, the procedure might be significantly accelerated by using GPUs to run hybrid algorithms like SQD.
Tomonori Shirakawa, a prominent research scientist at RIKEN, was quite optimistic about when quantum advantage will be achieved. Shirakawa said that although more work is needed, he is still extremely hopeful about the advancements being made when asked if such a milestone may be accomplished at RIKEN this year. More and more people believe that high-performance computing will develop into a cooperative environment in which CPUs, GPUs, and QPUs cooperate to tackle the most challenging issues facing humanity.
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