SchroSIM is an architecture-level, physics-aware simulator for exploring, validating, and mapping photonic quantum circuits under realistic constraints (loss, finite squeezing, non-Gaussian resources).
It targets the “missing middle layer” between:
- high-level algorithmic abstractions (PennyLane), and
- state-level continuous-variable simulation (Strawberry Fields).
SchroSIM is designed to help researchers and educators reason about how abstract photonic programs map onto physical device layers and architectural trade-offs.
Photonic quantum tooling often forces a choice:
- Algorithm-first frameworks that hide device physics (great for QML and prototyping, weaker for architectural reasoning), or
- Physics-first simulators that are powerful but heavy for rapid architecture exploration.
SchroSIM bridges the gap with a modular approach for:
- Architecture exploration: phase boundaries for loss/squeezing/non-Gaussian resources
- Hardware-aware mapping: logical → device → physical interpretation layers
- Education: intuitive visualizations (phase space, quadratures, Wigner functions)
- Rapid “what-if” studies: design rules without full wavefunction simulation
SchroSIM is:
- an architecture reasoning tool for photonic quantum circuits
- a platform for hardware-aware circuit exploration
- a modular simulator with Gaussian + non-Gaussian pathways
SchroSIM is not intended to replace:
- PennyLane (algorithmic abstraction + QML workflows)
- Strawberry Fields (full CV state simulation engine)
Instead, SchroSIM aims to complement these projects by focusing on the architecture layer and integration boundaries.
- Language: Swift + SwiftUI + Metal
- Simulation Modes:
- Gaussian (symplectic / covariance formalism)
- Non-Gaussian (Fock/tensor-based modules; staged roadmap)
- Platform: macOS (Apple Silicon), with future portability goals
- GUI (planned): drag-and-drop photonic circuit builder
- Compiler Layer (planned): intermediate representation (IR) for hardware-agnostic mapping
- Backends (roadmap): CPU + GPU acceleration; optional integration with external QPU workflows
- TechRxiv: https://www.techrxiv.org/users/924890/articles/1304432-schrosim-a-schr%C3%B6dinger-inspired-scalable-quantum-photonic-circuit-simulator-for-hardware-agnostic-quantum-computing
- Local copy (optional):
docs/SchroSIM_ConceptNote.pdf
SchroSIM is currently under active development. If you want to contribute now:
- Start here: docs/architecture.md
- Then: docs/quickstart.md
- Examples roadmap: docs/examples.md
See ROADMAP.md for milestones and deliverables.