Data-Driven Hamiltonian Reduction for Superconducting Qubits via Meta-Learning

arXiv cs.LG / 4/29/2026

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Key Points

  • The paper introduces HAML (Hamiltonian Adaptation via Meta-Learning), a framework that rapidly adapts effective Hamiltonian models for superconducting quantum processors using data-driven meta-learning.
  • HAML works in two stages: offline supervised training from simulated devices to map control inputs and device parameters to effective Hamiltonian coefficients, followed by online parameter identification for a new device using only a small number of hardware-accessible measurements.
  • By training directly on effective two-qubit coefficients derived from full multi-mode simulations, HAML learns the reduction from full multi-mode Hamiltonians to qubit-level descriptions without relying on perturbation theory.
  • The authors show that selecting measurement configurations via a variance-maximizing greedy strategy improves online adaptation efficiency, enabling more sample-efficient characterization.
  • HAML is demonstrated on a transmon–coupler–transmon system, successfully recovering effective two-qubit coefficients even in regimes where Schrieffer–Wolff perturbation theory fails, suggesting scalability for near-term quantum calibration and error mitigation.

Abstract

We introduce HAML (Hamiltonian Adaptation via Meta-Learning), a framework for fast online adaptation of effective Hamiltonian models of superconducting quantum processors. HAML proceeds in two phases. A supervised training phase uses an ensemble of simulated devices to learn an offline map from control inputs and device parameters to effective Hamiltonian coefficients. An online adaptation phase then uses a small number of hardware-accessible measurements to identify the unknown parameters of a new device. By training directly against effective two-qubit coefficients extracted from full multi-mode simulations, HAML implicitly learns the reduction from full multi-mode Hamiltonians to effective qubit descriptions without invoking perturbation theory. We further show that a variance-maximizing greedy selection of measurement configurations boosts online adaptation efficiency. We demonstrate HAML on a transmon-coupler-transmon system, recovering effective two-qubit coefficients across a wide range of operating regimes, including parameter regions where Schrieffer-Wolff perturbation theory (SWPT) breaks down. This establishes a scalable, sample-efficient approach to Hamiltonian reduction and characterization for near-term quantum processors, with direct implications for calibration, control, and error mitigation.