QaiJi IR: An Eight-Layer Intermediate Representation Family for Hybrid Quantum-Classical Compilation

arXiv:2609.29305 · quant-ph · Submitted 2026-09-24 · Read on arXiv

quant-ph

Submitted: 2026-09-24

Updated: 2026-09-24

Comments: Submitted manuscript, comments and suggestions are welcome

Code: https://github.com/PennyLaneAI/catalyst

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The gist: Hybrid quantum-classical compilers exchange programs among circuit, control-flow, pulse, device, and physical representations.

Terminology

Abstract

Hybrid quantum-classical compilers exchange programs among circuit, control-flow, pulse, device, and physical representations. Existing formats make different abstraction choices, so the properties that must survive a lowering step are often enforced by tool-specific code rather than stated in a common intermediate representation (IR). We present QaiJi IR, an eight-layer family organized by a five-axis semantic contract for data, semantics, lowering, runtime, and verification. Its L4 SemanticIR records the operation class, declared equivalence level, optimization role, and classical-feedback model as attributes, and maps operation classes to ISA-neutral hardware actions. The prototype provides typed quantum and classical circuit nodes, OpenQASM 2 compatibility input, canonical OpenQASM 3 output, explicit rejection of unsupported constructs, and executable gate-convention checks. A representative measurement-conditioned program reaches a canonical QASM fixed point, acquires a measurement-to-condition edge, passes an exact aggregate consistency check, and produces a symbolic pulse template. For a one-bit active-reset case, device lowering materializes ALU/FPROC records and a conditional branch. Running the resulting virtual pulse processing unit (VPPU) program with externally supplied outcomes 0 and 1 respectively skips and executes the conditional drive. These tests validate the represented compiler path and binary branch behavior. They do not establish a physical feedback loop, because the simulator cannot yet apply mid-circuit measurement collapse and continue the same dynamical trajectory.

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