Quantum algorithms for simulating systems coupled to bosonic modes using a hybrid resonator-qubit quantum computer

Modeling composite systems of spins or electrons coupled to bosonic modes is of significant interest for many fields of applied quantum physics and chemistry. A quantum simulation can allow for the solution of quantum problems beyond classical numerical methods. However, implementing this on existing noisy quantum computers can be challenging due to the mapping between qubits and bosonic degrees of freedom, often requiring a large number of qubits or deep quantum circuits. In this work, we discuss quantum algorithms to solve composite systems by augmenting conventional superconducting qubits with microwave resonators used as computational elements. This enables direct representation of bosonic modes by resonators. We derive efficient algorithms for typical models and propose a device connectivity that allows for feasible scaling of simulations with linear overhead. We also show how the dissipation of resonators can be a useful parameter for modeling continuous bosonic baths. Experimental results demonstrating these methods were obtained on the IQM Resonance cloud platform, based on high-fidelity gates and tunable couplers. These results present the first digital quantum simulation including a computational resonator on a commercial quantum platform.