Resource-Optimal Screening for Two-Tier Quantum System Characterization

arXiv:2610.34003v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Quantum processing units (QPUs) require frequent benchmarking to track hardware drift, yet standard protocols such as randomized benchmarking are resource-intensive and compete with application workloads for scarce QPU time. We present a resource-optimal screening strategy that combines a two-tier, risk-based testing architecture with optimal experiment design: a lightweight screening probe runs regularly and triggers expensive full characterization only when statistically significant change is detected, while the probe itself is designed to maximize detection sensitivity under explicit resource constraints.