Encoding optimization for quantum machine learning demonstrated on a superconducting transmon qutrit

A qutrit represents a three-level quantum system, so that one qutrit can encode more information than a qubit, which corresponds to a two-level quantum system. This work investigates the potential of qutrit circuits in machine learning classification applications. We propose and evaluate different data-encoding schemes for qutrits, and find that the classification accuracy varies significantly depending on the used encoding. We therefore propose a training method for encoding optimization that allows to consistently achieve high classification accuracy, and show that it can also improve the performance within a data re-uploading approach. Our theoretical analysis and numerical simulations indicate that the qutrit classifier can achieve high classification accuracy using fewer components than a comparable qubit system. We showcase the qutrit classification using the encoding optimization method on a superconducting transmon qutrit, demonstrating the practicality of the proposed method on noisy hardware. Our work demonstrates high-precision ternary classification using fewer circuit elements, establishing qutrit quantum circuits as a viable and efficient tool for quantum machine learning applications.