Didn’t find the answer you were looking for?
How does Qiskit generate pulse-level control for quantum gates?
Asked on Nov 20, 2025
Answer
Qiskit provides pulse-level control through its Pulse module, which allows users to specify the exact microwave pulses that implement quantum gates on hardware. This capability is crucial for fine-tuning gate operations and optimizing performance on superconducting qubit devices.
Example Concept: Pulse-level control in Qiskit involves defining custom pulse schedules that directly manipulate the qubits' states using microwave signals. This is achieved by creating pulse schedules that specify the timing, frequency, and amplitude of pulses, allowing for precise control over gate operations beyond the standard gate abstractions. This level of control is essential for tasks such as error mitigation, gate calibration, and implementing custom gate sequences.
Additional Comment:
- Qiskit's Pulse module can be accessed via the `qiskit.pulse` namespace.
- Pulse schedules are created using `Schedule` objects, which can include `Play`, `Acquire`, and `Delay` instructions.
- Custom pulses can be defined using `Waveform` objects, which specify the pulse shape and duration.
- Pulse-level control is particularly useful for hardware calibration and optimizing gate fidelities.
- Integration with Qiskit's transpiler allows for combining pulse-level and gate-level operations seamlessly.
Recommended Links:
