Introducing Strawberry Fields
Strawberry Fields is an advanced Python library designed specifically for creating, simulating, and optimizing quantum circuits based on continuous variables. This platform, crafted by Xanadu, opens doors to harness the astounding potential of quantum computing through optical circuits.
Key Features
Strawberry Fields stands out with its innovative capabilities tailored for photonic quantum computing:
- Direct Execution on Quantum Hardware: Users can run photonic quantum algorithms directly on Xanadu's cutting-edge quantum hardware, paving the way for practical quantum computing applications.
- High-level Problem Solving: The library provides high-level functions that tackle real-world challenges, including graph optimization, network optimization, machine learning, and chemical simulations.
- Sophisticated Simulators: Boasting a suite of top-tier simulators, Strawberry Fields employs state-of-the-art algorithms to compile and simulate photonic quantum algorithms efficiently.
- End-to-End Quantum Optimization: With its TensorFlow backend, users can train and optimize quantum programs, seamlessly integrating with one of the most popular machine learning frameworks.
Getting Started
To dive into the world of Strawberry Fields, the journey begins with simple installation. The library supports Python versions 3.7 to 3.10 and can be effortlessly installed using pip:
pip install strawberryfields
Once installed, beginners are encouraged to explore the photonic circuit quickstart guides. These guides serve as an introductory gateway before moving onto comprehensive tutorials and applications of the library.
Learning about photonic hardware and exploring Xanadu's quantum photonic hardware capabilities can deepen one's understanding and expand potential application areas. Developers eager to contribute to the project are welcome to delve into the development guide.
Contributing to Strawberry Fields
Contributions to Strawberry Fields are highly encouraged. By forking the repository and submitting a pull request, contributors can add value and impact future releases. Bug reports, feature suggestions, and projects leveraging Strawberry Fields are appreciated, and contributors are acknowledged in releases.
For further participation, check out the contributions page, changelog, and project challenges.
Authors and Research
Strawberry Fields is a collaborative effort made possible by numerous contributors. Research based on Strawberry Fields should cite the relevant publications to acknowledge the pioneering work of its creators:
- Nathan Killoran et al.: Discussing the platform for photonic quantum computing in Quantum (2019).
- Thomas R. Bromley et al.: Exploring software and algorithms for near-term photonic quantum computers in Quantum Sci. Technol. (2020).
Support and Community
For support, Strawberry Fields encourages users to engage through various platforms:
- Source Code: Available on GitHub.
- Issue Tracker: Report issues on the issue tracker.
- Community: Join discussions in the Slack channel or the discussion forum.
License
Strawberry Fields is free and open-source, licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0, welcoming users and contributors to innovate freely.
By delving into Strawberry Fields, users can explore the boundless possibilities of quantum optical circuits, making quantum computing accessible, exciting, and feasible.