Asserting the correctness of Shor implementations using metamorphic testing

Abstract

Quantum computing is infused with an increased sense of anticipation and excitement. However, several obstacles need to be overcome before quantum computing can be widely adopted. One of these is determining whether or not a quantum program is behaving according to the expectation. There are several tried-and-true methods for identifying program flaws in the traditional world, but it is far from simple to adapt them to the quantum realm. In this paper, we explore Metamorphic Testing as a promising avenue. We explore this avenue on the well-known Shor's Algorithm, and show how it can be used to verify the validity of this testing approach on quantum algorithms.