Microwave signal processing using an analog quantum reservoir computer

Quantum reservoir computing (QRC) has been proposed as a paradigm for performing machine learning with quantum processors where the training takes place in the classical domain, avoiding the issue of barren plateaus in parameterized-circuit quantum neural networks. It is natural to consider using a quantum processor based on microwave superconducting circuits to classify microwave signals that are analog-continuous in time. However, while there have been theoretical proposals of analog QRC, to date QRC has been implemented using the circuit model—imposing a discretization of the incoming signal in time. In this paper we show how a quantum superconducting circuit comprising an oscillator coupled to a qubit can be used as an analog quantum reservoir for a variety of classification tasks, achieving high accuracy on all of them. Our work demonstrates processing of ultra-low-power microwave signals within our superconducting circuit, a step towards achieving a quantum sensing-computational advantage on impinging microwave signals.