H2 QPE Validation¶
Compare vacuum and MM-embedded H2 energies. The script reports stabilization in kcal/mol after conversion from Hartree.
Run The Script¶
uv run python examples/qpe/h2_qpe_validation.py
The script performs four steps:
Build vacuum and solvated PennyLane Hamiltonians from PySCF data.
Run classical Hartree-Fock references for vacuum and MM-embedded systems.
Execute QPE for both Hamiltonians.
Compare HF and QPE stabilization energies.
What The Example Builds¶
Component |
Value |
|---|---|
Molecule |
H2 |
Bond length |
0.74 Angstrom |
Basis |
STO-3G |
Active space |
2 electrons, 2 orbitals |
System qubits |
4 |
MM environment |
2 TIP3P waters as point charges |
Default QPE register |
4 estimation wires |
The example places the MM point charges about 3 Angstrom from H2. This small environment tests the MM embedding path.
Interpreting Results¶
Use the current script’s run_validation_checks and printed results as the
integration check. Its example-specific thresholds are 0.1 kcal/mol for
PennyLane HF expectation values versus PySCF HF, and 2.0 Ha for absolute
QPE–HF differences. These deliberately loose POC checks do not establish
chemical accuracy. The script prints failures without setting a failing exit
status, so inspect every [OK] / [FAIL] line.
The signed offset is E_QPE - E_HF. It includes finite phase resolution,
Trotter error, and sampling effects. Do not identify it directly with
correlation energy. The default run uses 100 shots, so QPE results can vary.
The script defines stabilization as (E_vacuum - E_solvated) converted to
kcal/mol: a positive value means the solvated system has lower energy.
The script skips its sign check when the absolute QPE stabilization is at most
0.01 kcal/mol.
To compare regressions, save the output, source revision, dependency versions, device, and QPE parameters. Historical README numbers are not acceptance thresholds.
Common Adjustments¶
Use more estimation wires for better phase resolution. Increase Trotter steps only after you check that memory and runtime are acceptable. If the energy appears to wrap or jump by a large amount, inspect the base time and shifted QPE parameters. Do this before you interpret the difference physically.