Introduction to Distributed Quantum Computing

Abstract:
A major challenge in quantum computing is scaling up quantum hardware: most commercially and industrially relevant problems require more qubits than a single quantum processing unit (QPU) can currently provide. Instead of attempting to fit more qubits into a single device—a process that is both technologically difficult and fundamentally constrained—Distributed Quantum Computing (DQC) leverages a network of near-term, mid-sized QPUs to emulate the capabilities of a large, monolithic quantum computer. By exploiting entanglement, a central resource in quantum mechanics, these interconnected QPUs can communicate and share quantum information. In this context, a DQC compiler is essential: it partitions large-scale algorithms and maps them across multiple coordinated QPUs, enabling the execution of computations previously beyond reach.