Ion-Q-Thruster

UnitaryHACK2024 Challenge to create custom optimizer/transpiler for Qiskit to Native Gates.

1. Understand the Main Objective:
   • The main goal is to write a custom optimizer or transpiler that outperforms Qiskit's built-in optimization for native gates.
2. Identify Potential Blockers:
   • Recognize that understanding the Qiskit transpiler might be challenging and necessary for this project.
   • Ensure the custom IonQ (or trapped-ion) method is better optimized than Qiskit's transmon-qubit optimizer, using all-to-all connectivity.
3. Break Down the Project:
   • Consider splitting the project into smaller tasks:
     • Overriding Qiskit's optimizer.
     • Performing basic matrix optimizations.
     • Implementing trapped-ion optimizations.
4. Phrase the Issue Clearly:
   • Describe the issue as you would for a backlog issue, focusing on engaging newcomers. Make it clear and detailed to facilitate understanding and contribution.
5. Team Review:
   • Have team members like Spencer, Vadim, and Jon review the issue descriptions to ensure clarity and completeness.
6. Specific Project Recommendations:
   • Define performance metrics: Investigate and demonstrate the performance of the optimizer across a range of common algorithms (e.g., AQ benchmarking suite).
   • The optimizer should aim to use the most efficient circuits (e.g., prefer ZZ gates over MS gates if they are easier to implement).
   • Focus initially on Qiskit, with potential for future porting to Pennylane and Cirq.