All Major Industrial Countries Need to Get Their Own QuEra Quantum Computers
May 11, 2024 by Brian Wang
QuEra has sold another neutral atom quantum computer to a national agency. This one is in Japan. QuEra previously had a sale to the UK.
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QuEra Computing has a 6.5 Billion JPY contract (approx. $41M USD) from Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) to deliver a state-of-the-art quantum computer, advancing quantum capabilities in Japan. This computer will be installed on-premises alongside the NVIDIA-powered ABCI-Q supercomputer.
This strategic initiative aims to develop a powerful hybrid quantum-classical computing platform, where QuEra’s unique quantum computing technology complements AIST’s ABCI-Q supercomputer with the ultimate goal of creating a hybrid platform for high-fidelity simulations and quantum AI applications.
Hybrid classical and quantum computers are needed because each is better at different things. The systems will split up the tasks for complex problems and only use the quantum computers for the large combinatorial sections. The sections of a problem that a regular computer can solve quickly do not need quantum acceleration.
It's one thing to dream up a quantum internet that could send hacker-proof information around the world via photons superimposed in different quantum states. It's quite another to physically show it's possible.
That's exactly what Harvard physicists have done, using existing Boston-area telecommunication fiber, in a demonstration of the world's longest fiber distance between two quantum memory nodes to date. Think of it as a simple, closed internet between point A and B, carrying a signal encoded not by classical bits like the existing internet, but by perfectly secure, individual particles of light.
The groundbreaking work, titled "Entanglement of nanophotonic quantum memory nodes in a telecom network" and published in Nature, was led by Mikhail Lukin, the Joshua and Beth Friedman University Professor in the Department of Physics, in collaboration with Harvard professors Marko Lončar and Hongkun Park, who are all members of the Harvard Quantum Initiative, alongside researchers at Amazon Web Services.
A trio of physicists, two with Uniwersytet Jagielloński in Poland and one with Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, are proposing the use of temporal printed circuit boards made using time crystals as a way to solve error problems on quantum computers. Krzysztof Giergiel, Krzysztof Sacha and Peter Hannaford have written a paper describing their ideas, which is currently available on the arXiv preprint server.
Quantum computers promise to revolutionize computing—unfortunately, they are still in their infancy, and no one has yet been able to build one that could be used in a truly meaningful way. Efforts to build the desired types have been stymied by various hurdles, most of which are deemed likely solvable. However, one major hurdle that worries researchers is the enormous number of errors that are generated on such computers along with the good results.
Thought I'd throw in a question to spark some discussion in this news and "discussions" thread, and simply because I'm not informed enough and would like to learn. Compared to today's computing era and our rapid advances in AI, how will quantum computing change things and make possible? What differences will people notice between what quantum computing will make possible that we otherwise wouldn't see?
For one thing, it'll improve decryption, meaning that more sophisticated encryption methods will be developed.
Also by Claude 3.5 Sonnet:
Quantum computing has the potential to bring about significant changes in various fields, though it's important to note that its full impact is still largely theoretical. Here are some key areas where quantum computing could make a difference:
1. Cryptography and cybersecurity:
Quantum computers could potentially break many of today's encryption methods, necessitating the development of new quantum-resistant cryptographic techniques. This could lead to more secure communication systems.
2. Drug discovery and materials science:
Quantum computers could simulate molecular interactions more accurately, potentially accelerating drug discovery and the development of new materials with specific properties.
3. Financial modeling and optimization:
Complex financial models and risk assessments could be processed much faster, potentially leading to more accurate predictions and better investment strategies.
4. Climate modeling and weather prediction:
More complex climate models could be processed, potentially improving our understanding of climate change and enhancing weather forecasting accuracy.
5. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning:
Quantum machine learning algorithms could potentially process certain types of data much faster than classical computers, possibly leading to more advanced AI systems.
6. Optimization problems:
Many industries could benefit from quantum computing's ability to solve complex optimization problems, such as logistics, supply chain management, and traffic flow.
Differences people might notice:
1. Enhanced personalized medicine and treatments
2. More accurate weather forecasts
3. Faster development of new materials and products
4. Potentially more secure digital communications
5. More efficient transportation and logistics systems
6. Advancements in AI capabilities, possibly leading to more intelligent personal assistants and automated systems
It's worth noting that quantum computing is still in its early stages, and many of these applications are speculative. The technology faces significant challenges in scalability and error correction. Additionally, quantum computers are likely to complement rather than replace classical computers for most applications in the foreseeable future.
Would you like me to elaborate on any specific aspect of quantum computing's potential impact?
Pasqal Loads 1000 Atoms in an Array of 2088 Quantum Computer Traps
June 25, 2024 by Brian Wang
Pasqal, French Quantum Computer Company, has successfully loaded over 1,000 atoms in a single shot within their quantum computing setup, a significant leap towards scalable quantum processors. This milestone demonstrates the feasibility of large-scale neutral atom quantum computing and enhances the potential to solve complex optimization problems and quantum simulations.
China Makes a World Class Quantum Computing Thermometer
July 1, 2024 by Brian Wang
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/07/c ... meter.html
The Anhui Quantum Computing Engineering Research Center announced that Chinese scientists have successfully developed a high-performance anti-interference ruthenium oxide thermometer. The thermometer developed by QuantumCTek boasts a starting temperature close to 6 millikelvin (mK).
Quantum computers offer powerful ways to improve cybersecurity, communications, and data processing, among other fields. To realize these full benefits, however, multiple quantum computers must be connected to build quantum networks or a quantum internet. Scientists have struggled to come up with practical methods of building such networks, which must transmit quantum information over long distances.
Now, researchers at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) have proposed a new approach—building long quantum channels using vacuum sealed tubes with an array of spaced-out lenses. These vacuum beam guides, about 20 centimeters in diameter, would have ranges of thousands of kilometers and capacities of more than 1,013 qubits per second, better than any existing quantum communication approach. Photons of light encoding quantum data would move through the vacuum tubes and remain focused thanks to the lenses.
Quantum computing researchers are exploring whether quantum computational advantage might be obtainable without quantum error correction. The larger one can make a quantum computer while continuing to push down error rates the more likely it is that we will find tasks at which non-error-corrected quantum computers dramatically outperform the best classical algorithms. The high gate fidelities and arbitrary connectivity afforded by
the trapped-ion QCCD architecture have enabled RCS to be carried out in a computationally challenging regime and at completely unprecedented fidelities, leaving open considerable room to scale such demonstrations up even without further progress in reducing gate error rates. Quantinuum
DARPA Validates if Industrial Scale Fault Tolerant Quantum Computers Can Be Made by 2035
August 16, 2024 by Brian Wang
DARPA is hosting a QBI (Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI)) proposers day on Sept. 3, 2024, for quantum computing companies that believe they are on track to develop an industrial-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer in the near term. The goal of the hybrid in-person and virtual proposers day is to introduce the quantum computing research and development community to DARPA and the QBI vision and goals, explain the mechanics and milestones of the QBI solicitation, and solicit and reply to questions from attendees. DARPA will also offer individual, brief sidebar discussions (in person or virtually) with QBI Program Manager Joe Altepeter.
Physicists from Aalto University in Finland, alongside an international team of collaborators, have theoretically and experimentally shown that superconducting qubit coherence loss can be directly measured as thermal dissipation in the electrical circuit holding the qubit.
The theoretical work of the group was accomplished in partnership with colleagues from the University of Madrid. The research was published in Nature Nanotechnology.
At the heart of the most advanced quantum computers and ultrasensitive detectors are superconducting Josephson junctions, the basic elements of qubits––or quantum bits. As the name suggests, these qubits and their circuitry are very efficient conductors of electricity.
"Despite the fast progress of making high-quality qubits, there has remained an important unresolved question: how and where does thermal dissipation occur?" says Bayan Karimi, a postdoctoral researcher in the Pico research group at Aalto University and the first author of the study.
onQ Demonstrated Remote Ion Entanglement for Large Quantum Computers
October 4, 2024 by Brian Wang
Ion Trap Quantum computer company, IonQ, demonstrated remote ion-ion entanglement. They built off the ion-photon entanglement achievement announced in February, this demonstration announced in September showcases the second out of four significant milestones required to develop photonic interconnects – a foundational step towards quantum networking and a core component of IonQ’s scaling strategy.
Researchers have made a discovery that could make quantum computing more compact, potentially shrinking essential components 1,000 times while also requiring less equipment. The research is published in Nature Photonics.
A class of quantum computers being developed now relies on light particles, or photons, created in pairs linked or "entangled" in quantum physics parlance. One way to produce these photons is to shine a laser on millimeter-thick crystals and use optical equipment to ensure the photons become linked. A drawback to this approach is that it is too big to integrate into a computer chip.
Now, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have found a way to address this approach's problem by producing linked pairs of photons using much thinner materials that are just 1.2 micrometers thick, or about 80 times thinner than a strand of hair. And they did so without needing additional optical gear to maintain the link between the photon pairs, making the overall set-up simpler.
22 Bit Military Grade Decryption Using DWave Systems Quantum Computers
October 16, 2024 by Brian Wang
A paper by Chinese researchers, “Quantum Annealing Public Key Cryptographic Attack Algorithm Based on D-Wave Advantage”, described how D-Wave’s machines can optimize problem-solving in ways that made it possible to decode tiny version of a military grade public key cryptography.
Wang Chao from Shanghai University, used a D-Wave machine to attack Substitution-Permutation Network (SPN) structured algorithms that perform a series of mathematical operations to encrypt info. SPN techniques are at the heart of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) – one of the most widely used encryption standards.
In step forward for quantum computing hardware, physicist uncovers novel behavior in quantum-driven superconductors
November 12, 2024
A new study has uncovered important behavior in the flow of electric current through superconductors, potentially advancing the development of future technologies for controlled quantum information processing.
The study is co-authored by Babak Seradjeh, Professor of Physics within the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington, with theoretical physicists Rekha Kumari and Arijit Kundu of the Indian institute of Technology Kanpur. While the study is theoretical, the research team confirmed their results through numerical simulations. Published in Physical Review Letters, the world's premier physics journal, the research focuses on "Floquet Majorana fermions" and their role in a phenomenon called the Josephson effect, which could lead to more precise control of the dynamics of driven quantum systems.
Potentially advancing quantum computing
Developing a full-fledge quantum computer is hampered by a core issue: instability. This instability is mainly due to something called "quantum decoherence," wherein quantum bits, known as "qubits," lose their delicate quantum state due to interference from their environment -- such as temperature fluctuations or electromagnetic noise.
Qubits can be made using different physical systems, such as trapped ions, optical arrays, or superconductors -- materials that can conduct electricity with zero resistance without losing any energy, often at extremely low temperatures close to absolute zero. This makes quantum computers incredibly energy-intensive to keep cold, and thus stable, because when qubits aren't kept cold enough they become even more unstable, which means errors happen by larger amounts and more frequently.
One way to counter such errors is to look for "room-temperature superconductors," often referred to as the Holy Grail of superconductivity, because the cooling process is so costly and complex. If scientists could develop materials that exhibit superconductivity close to room temperature (approximately 20-25 degrees Celsius or 68-77 degrees Fahrenheit), it could revolutionize technology as we know it, eventually leading to lossless power transmission, exponentially faster and more energy-efficient electronics, and advanced cryptosecurity.
Quantum Circuits Make Error Detecting Qubits
November 19, 2024 by Brian Wang
Quantum Circuits recently raised $60 million in a new funding roudn and they have just announced a new unique superconducting hardware system drives more efficiency with error-detecting dual-rail qubits. They have new software, simulator, and cloud service for full-stack enterprise solution that corrects first, then will be able to scale.
Quantum Circuits, Inc., announced highly efficient, scalable hardware that rounds out its full-stack quantum computing system, accelerating the path to fault tolerance and commercial readiness with an industry first featuring error detection built into powerful dual-rail cavity qubits.
The highly efficient 8-qubit quantum processor is called Aqumen Seeker. Three months ago they announced a quantum cloud service,
There is progress to precisely placing silicon atoms to create qubits for quantum computers.
The Kane quantum computer is a proposal for a scalable quantum computer proposed by Bruce Kane in 1998 who was then at the University of New South Wales. Often thought of as a hybrid between quantum dot and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) quantum computers, the Kane computer is based on an array of individual phosphorus donor atoms embedded in a pure silicon lattice. Both the nuclear spins of the donors and the spins of the donor electrons participate in the computation.
Unlike many quantum computation schemes, the Kane quantum computer is in principle scalable to an arbitrary number of qubits. This is possible because qubits may be individually addressed by electrical means.
Since Kane’s proposal, under the guidance of Robert Clark and now Michelle Simmons, pursuing realization of the Kane quantum computer has become the primary quantum computing effort in Australia. Theorists have put forward a number of proposals for improved readout. Experimentally, atomic-precision deposition of phosphorus atoms has been achieved using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) technique in 2003. Detection of the movement of single electrons between small, dense clusters of phosphorus donors has also been achieved. The group remains optimistic that a practical large-scale quantum computer can be built. Other groups believe that the idea needs to be modified.
Google Reveals 'Willow' Quantum Computing Chip
Google claims this is the first 'beyond breakeven' quantum computer with real-time error correction.
By Ryan Whitwam December 10, 2024
https://www.extremetech.com/computing/g ... uting-chip
Big tech is currently obsessed with scaling up artificial intelligence processing, but Google hasn't totally forgotten about its bet on quantum computing. The company has announced a new quantum processor known as Willow, which it claims is capable of solving a problem in five minutes that would take the fastest traditional computers 10 septillion years—that's a one followed by 25 zeros. Google says this advancement gets us closer than ever to a usable quantum computer, but you still shouldn't hold your breath waiting for that.
Quantum computing has the potential to be much faster than classical computing because it leverages the bizarre properties of matter that emerge at the smallest of scales. Quantum bits (or qubits) rely on superposition and entanglement to run some calculations orders of magnitude faster than classical computers, as seen in Google's laboratory tests of Willow. However, the processors need to be isolated from all outside influence in ultra-cold temperatures as even a tiny bit of errant energy can cause decoherence—a breakdown of programmed quantum states.
According to Google, Willow is much faster than its previous designs, but the real advancement is its accuracy. Even when a quantum computer is properly isolated and running perfectly, the qubit output is a probabilistic measurement of a classical bit. That means it's wrong sometimes. In general, quantum computers produce more errors the more qubits they have. But Google says it has reversed that trend with Willow, which has 105 qubits.
