High performance Boson Sampling simulation via data-flow engines

Abstract

In this work, we generalize the Balasubramanian-Bax-Franklin-Glynn (BB/FG) permanent formula to account for row multiplicities during the permanent evaluation and reduce the complexity of permanent evaluation in scenarios where such multiplicities occur. This is achieved by incorporating n-ary Gray code ordering of the addends during the evaluation. We implemented the designed algorithm on FPGA-based data-flow engines and utilized the developed accessory to speed up boson sampling simulations up to $40$ photons, by drawing samples from a $60$ mode interferometer at an averaged rate of $\sim80$ seconds per sample utilizing $4$ FPGA chips. We also show that the performance of our BS simulator is in line with the theoretical estimation of Clifford \& Clifford \cite{clifford2020faster} providing a way to define a single parameter to characterize the performance of the BS simulator in a portable way. The developed design can be used to simulate both ideal and lossy boson sampling experiments.