Mediaboss Marketing

These three quantum computing stocks are worth buying in February 2024

Once people are done fawning over generative AI, investors might think, what will be the next big thing? The field ofquantum computingmay be just that. Quantum computing has the potential to solve complex problems that generally slow down classical computers, such as optimization, cryptography, machine learning, and simulation.

While quantum computing technology may still be in its infancy, investors desiring to invest in the up-and-coming technology should consider one of the following three quantum computing stocks with Strong Buy ratings from Wall Street analysts.

Source: T. Schneider / Shutterstock

D-Wave Quantum(NYSE:QBTS) is a well-established quantum computing company. In particular, D-Wave specializes inquantum annealing, a computing technique used to find the optimal solution for a given problem. The quantum computing firm has successfully built several quantum annealers withmore than 5,000 qubits, which allows greater potential for commercial applications.

D-Wave Quantum offers its quantum annealers and software tools through its cloud platform, Leap. QBTS also offers a suite of developer tools called Ocean, which helps users design, develop, and deploy quantum applications. The quantum computing company has a diverse customer base, includinggovernment agenciesand corporations. Most recently, D-Wavereleasedits 1200+ qubit Advantage2 quantum computing machine prototype. Those already subscribed to the D-Wave Leap platform can access the prototype and test out its capabilities.

Wall Streetanalysts expectD-Wave to generate more than $10.5 million in revenue at the end of 2023, representing a 47% YoY increase from the prior period. The market seems excited about D-Wave Quantums prospects. Shares have risen 117% over the past 12 months, and the company has a Strong Buy rating from Wall Street analysts.

Source: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com

Advanced Micro Devices(NASDAQ:AMD) is a fabless chipmaker that initially made a name after dethroningIntel(NASDAQ:INTC) in the CPU market. AMD is now poised to challenge and siphon market share away from Nvidia in the AI space as the chipmaker prepares to enter the AI computing market in 2024. The chipmakerexpects to sell $2 billionin AI chips in 2024.

On top of tackling the artificial intelligence space, AMD has also made strides in quantum computing. The companys Zynq SoCs have been leveraged to create operating systems for quantum computers. Though AMDs quantum offerings are not a main line of business, as quantum computing becomes commercial, AMD will likely benefit from already having dipped its toes into the space.

Wall Street currently rates AMD as a Strong Buy, and the companys shares are likely to do well this year as its AI chips come to market.

Source: Shutterstock

Rigetti Computing(NASDAQ:RGTI) is a pure-play quantum computing business that isvertically integrated. This means the company is involved in both designing and manufacturing its multi-chip quantum processors. Rigetti uses superconducting circuits as qubits fabricated on silicon chips and operating at near-zero temperatures. To deliver its quantum computing capabilities to clients, Rigetti leverages cloud service networks while also providing quantum software development tools as well as quantum hardware design and manufacturing.

In January, Rigetti Computingannouncedthe availability of its 84-qubit Ankaa-2 quantum computing system, which will be accessible through Rigettis cloud service. RGTIs shares have risen 53% over the past twelve months. As the company continues to make advancements in its product, shares could rise even more.

Wall Street analysts have given the stock a resounding Strong Buy rating.

On the date of publication, Tyrik Torres did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.comPublishing Guidelines.

Tyrik Torres has been studying and participating in financial markets since he was in college, and he has particular passion for helping people understand complex systems. His areas of expertise are semiconductor and enterprise software equities. He has work experience in both investing (public and private markets) and investment banking.

Continued here:
Wall Street Favorites: 3 Quantum Computing Stocks with Strong Buy Ratings for February 2024 - InvestorPlace

A chilled CBD-infused Labatt Breweries beverage is coming to a market near you this December.

Fluent Beverage Company, the joint-partnership between the massive brewer Anheuser-Busch Inbev NV (EBR:ABI) and global cannabis pioneer Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY), announced this week it will commercialize a non-alcoholic, CBD-infused beverage for Canadians likely hitting markets in December 2019.

Beer drinkers will know Anheuser-Busch by its Canadian subsidiary Labatt Breweries, which employs over 3,400 canucks and brews Budweiser, Kokanee, Stella Artois, Corona, Palm Bay and Mikes Hard Lemonade, to name a few.

The joint venture was announced in December 2018 when High Park, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tilray, and Labatt partnered to research a non-alcoholic drink containing weed cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Each company is investing up to $50 million in the partnership, according to Benzinga.

The companies need more time to research beverages containing THC and will only be providing CBD-drinks in December, Fluents chief executive Jorn Socquet told the Canadian Press.

THC, the intoxicating compound in cannabis, is unstable and degrades too quickly for a reasonable shelf life whereas CBD, the non-intoxicating compound, remains potent and stable for longer, said Socquet.

What the drink will actually look like, taste like, or smell like isnt being revealed, but Socquet told the Canadian Press the non-alcoholic CBD-infused drink will likely be sparkling, slightly sweet and tea-like.

The partnership between Labatt and Tilray comes after two similar beer and weed partnership announcements from August 2019.

Molson Coors Brewing Co. (TSX:TPX.B) and Quebec-based HEXO Corp. (NYSE:HEXO) are partnering to get cannabis-infused non-acloholic drinks to Canadians, and Constellation Brands Inc.(NYSE:STZ)(NYSE:STZ.B) bought a 38 per cent majority share of Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE:CGC)(TSE:WEED) in August to invest in a similar venture.

Canadians wont be able to crack a cold CBD one till the government passes the second wave of cannabis legalization, set for October 17 which will legalize beverages, edibles, vapes and topicals. Even then consumers will have to wait 60 days while companies give a mandatory notice to Health Canada before drinks sales kick off.

If everything goes according to plan, expect the tsunami of CBD-drinks to hit one week before Christmas.

Go here to see the original:
The Government of Canada invests $17.2M in quantum computing startups - Mugglehead

The fractional quantum Hall effect has generally been seen under very high magnetic fields, but MIT physicists have now observed it in simple graphene. In a five-layer graphene/hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) moire superlattice, electrons (blue ball) interact with each other strongly and behave as if they are broken into fractional charges. Credit: Sampson Wilcox, RLE

An exotic electronic state observed by MIT physicists could enable more robust forms of quantum computing.

The electron is the basic unit of electricity, as it carries a single negative charge. This is what were taught in high school physics, and it is overwhelmingly the case in most materials in nature.

But in very special states of matter, electrons can splinter into fractions of their whole. This phenomenon, known as fractional charge, is exceedingly rare, and if it can be corralled and controlled, the exotic electronic state could help to build resilient, fault-tolerant quantum computers.

To date, this effect, known to physicists as the fractional quantum Hall effect, has been observed a handful of times, and mostly under very high, carefully maintained magnetic fields. Only recently have scientists seen the effect in a material that did not require such powerful magnetic manipulation.

Now, MIT physicists have observed the elusive fractional charge effect, this time in a simpler material: five layers of graphene an atom-thin layer of carbon that stems from graphite and common pencil lead. They report their results on February 21 in the journal Nature.

A photo of the team. From left to right: Long Ju, Postdoc Zhengguang Lu, visiting undergraduate Yuxuan Yao, graduate student Tonghang Hang. Credit: Jixiang Yang

They found that when five sheets of graphene are stacked like steps on a staircase, the resulting structure inherently provides just the right conditions for electrons to pass through as fractions of their total charge, with no need for any external magnetic field.

The results are the first evidence of the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect (the term anomalous refers to the absence of a magnetic field) in crystalline graphene, a material that physicists did not expect to exhibit this effect.

This five-layer graphene is a material system where many good surprises happen, says study author Long Ju, assistant professor of physics at MIT. Fractional charge is just so exotic, and now we can realize this effect with a much simpler system and without a magnetic field. That in itself is important for fundamental physics. And it could enable the possibility for a type of quantum computing that is more robust against perturbation.

Jus MIT co-authors are lead author Zhengguang Lu, Tonghang Han, Yuxuan Yao, Aidan Reddy, Jixiang Yang, Junseok Seo, and Liang Fu, along with Kenji Watanabe and Takashi Taniguchi at the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan.

The fractional quantum Hall effect is an example of the weird phenomena that can arise when particles shift from behaving as individual units to acting together as a whole. This collective correlated behavior emerges in special states, for instance when electrons are slowed from their normally frenetic pace to a crawl that enables the particles to sense each other and interact. These interactions can produce rare electronic states, such as the seemingly unorthodox splitting of an electrons charge.

In 1982, scientists discovered the fractional quantum Hall effect in heterostructures of gallium arsenide, where a gas of electrons confined in a two-dimensional plane is placed under high magnetic fields. The discovery later won the group a Nobel Prize in Physics.

[The discovery] was a very big deal, because these unit charges interacting in a way to give something like fractional charge was very, very bizarre, Ju says. At the time, there were no theory predictions, and the experiments surprised everyone.

Those researchers achieved their groundbreaking results using magnetic fields to slow down the materials electrons enough for them to interact. The fields they worked with were about 10 times stronger than what typically powers an MRI machine.

In August 2023, scientists at the University of Washington reported the first evidence of fractional charge without a magnetic field. They observed this anomalous version of the effect, in a twisted semiconductor called molybdenum ditelluride. The group prepared the material in a specific configuration, which theorists predicted would give the material an inherent magnetic field, enough to encourage electrons to fractionalize without any external magnetic control.

The no magnets result opened a promising route to topological quantum computing a more secure form of quantum computing, in which the added ingredient of topology (a property that remains unchanged in the face of weak deformation or disturbance) gives a qubit added protection when carrying out a computation. This computation scheme is based on a combination of fractional quantum Hall effect and a superconductor. It used to be almost impossible to realize: One needs a strong magnetic field to get fractional charge, while the same magnetic field will usually kill the superconductor. In this case the fractional charges would serve as a qubit (the basic unit of a quantum computer).

That same month, Ju and his team happened to also observe signs of anomalous fractional charge in graphene a material for which there had been no predictions for exhibiting such an effect.

Jus group has been exploring electronic behavior in graphene, which by itself has exhibited exceptional properties. Most recently, Jus group has looked into pentalayer graphene a structure of five graphene sheets, each stacked slightly off from the other, like steps on a staircase. Such pentalayer graphene structure is embedded in graphite and can be obtained by exfoliation using Scotch tape. When placed in a refrigerator at ultracold temperatures, the structures electrons slow to a crawl and interact in ways they normally wouldnt when whizzing around at higher temperatures.

In their new work, the researchers did some calculations and found that electrons might interact with each other even more strongly if the pentalayer structure were aligned with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) a material that has a similar atomic structure to that of graphene, but with slightly different dimensions. In combination, the two materials should produce a moir superlattice an intricate, scaffold-like atomic structure that could slow electrons down in ways that mimic a magnetic field.

We did these calculations, then thought, lets go for it, says Ju, who happened to install a new dilution refrigerator in his MIT lab last summer, which the team planned to use to cool materials down to ultralow temperatures, to study exotic electronic behavior.

The researchers fabricated two samples of the hybrid graphene structure by first exfoliating graphene layers from a block of graphite, then using optical tools to identify five-layered flakes in the steplike configuration. They then stamped the graphene flake onto an hBN flake and placed a second hBN flake over the graphene structure. Finally, they attached electrodes to the structure and placed it in the refrigerator, set to near absolute zero.

As they applied a current to the material and measured the voltage output, they started to see signatures of fractional charge, where the voltage equals the current multiplied by a fractional number and some fundamental physics constants.

The day we saw it, we didnt recognize it at first, says first author Lu. Then we started to shout as we realized, this was really big. It was a completely surprising moment.

This was probably the first serious samples we put in the new fridge, adds co-first author Han. Once we calmed down, we looked in detail to make sure that what we were seeing was real.

With further analysis, the team confirmed that the graphene structure indeed exhibited the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect. It is the first time the effect has been seen in graphene.

Graphene can also be a superconductor, Ju says. So, you could have two totally different effects in the same material, right next to each other. If you use graphene to talk to graphene, it avoids a lot of unwanted effects when bridging graphene with other materials.

For now, the group is continuing to explore multilayer graphene for other rare electronic states.

We are diving in to explore many fundamental physics ideas and applications, he says. We know there will be more to come.

Reference: Fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect in multilayer graphene by Zhengguang Lu, Tonghang Han, Yuxuan Yao, Aidan P. Reddy, Jixiang Yang, Junseok Seo, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Liang Fu and Long Ju, 21 February 2024, Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-07010-7

This research is supported in part by the Sloan Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.

Read more:
Fractional Electrons: MIT's New Graphene Breakthrough Is Shaping the Future of Quantum Computing - SciTechDaily

Feb 26 2024Reviewed by Lexie Corner

A novel technique has been employed by Paderborn University scientists to ascertain the properties of optical, or light-based, quantum states.

They are employing so-called homodyne detection for the first time with specific photon detectors, gadgets that can identify individual light particles. The approach is crucial for quantum information processing because it can characterize optical quantum states. Accurate comprehension of the attributes is crucial for application in quantum computing, among other applications. The findings were published in the specialized journal Optica Quantum.

Homodyne detection is a method frequently used in quantum optics to investigate the wave-like nature of optical quantum states.

Timon Schapeler, Department of Physics, Paderborn University

Utilizing the technique, Schapeler and Dr. Maximilian Protte have looked into the so-called continuous variables of optical quantum states. The varying characteristics of light waves are involved in this. These include, among other things, the amplitude or phase or the oscillatory behavior of waves, which are crucial for the focused manipulation of light.

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, which are currently the fastest devices for photon counting, were used for the first time in the measurements by physicists. With their unique experimental setup, the two scientists have demonstrated a linear response of a homodyne detector with superconducting single-photon detectors to the input photon flux. This indicates that the measured signal is proportionate to the input signal, to put it another way.

In principle, the integration of superconducting single-photon detectors brings many advantages in the area of continuous variables, not least the intrinsic phase stability. These systems also have almost 100 % on-chip detection efficiency. This means that no particles are lost during detection. Our results could enable the development of highly efficient homodyne detectors with single-photon sensitive detectors.

Timon Schapeler, Department of Physics, Paderborn University

Beyond qubits, the standard computing units of quantum computers, working with continuous variables of light opens up new and exciting possibilities in quantum information processing.

Protte, M., et al. (2024) Low-noise balanced homodyne detection with superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors. Optica Quantum. doi.org/10.1364/OPTICAQ.502201

Source: https://www.uni-paderborn.de/

Continued here:
New Method Unveils Properties of Light in Quantum States - AZoQuantum

These leaders are charging forward in the fast growing quantum computer sector

Quantum computing is a scientific field that uses quantum mechanics to solve complex problems faster than traditional computers. Its a lesser-known are of technology that is growing by leaps and bounds.

In fact, consulting firm McKinsey & Co. forecasts that the market for quantum computing could reach $1.3 trillion by 2035. Industries within automotive, chemicals, financial services, and life sciences would be the main beneficiaries of the technological advances. Given the huge, largely untapped market, it should come as no surprise that companies are racing to capitalize on the opportunity. Both small start-ups and the most powerful tech firms worldwide are competing to develop the most advanced quantum computers of today and tomorrow.

Lets explore the top three quantum computing stocks to buy while they are on the dip this month.

Source: Amin Van / Shutterstock.com

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) is a pure-play quantum computer concern. The company is developing a trapped ion quantum computer and also makes quantum circuits for use by third parties.

IonQ is widely viewed as one of the best ways for investors to gain exposure to the quantum computing sector. Evidence lies in the 93% gain in the companys share price over the last 12 months. However, IONQ stock has pulled back 14% year to date (YTD). Therefore, a prime buying opportunity for investors is present.

The decrease in IONQ stock can be blamed on the fact that the company remains unprofitable. It reported a net loss of $44.8 million in last years Q3. However, sales grew 122% year over year (YOY) to $6.1 million, and its customer bookings now exceed $100 million. Also, rumors circulate that IonQ could become a takeover target as larger tech companies look for ways to capitalize on the emergence of quantum computing.

Source: Laborant / Shutterstock.com

IBM (NYSE:IBM) has its hands in a lot of pots. One of the biggest pots is quantum computing. Last December, IBM unveiled what is being called the worlds most advanced quantum computer at its Thomas J. Watson Research Center.

Called the The IBM Quantum System Two, the computer is capable of solving the most complex mathematical problems. Further, this would be achieved in a fraction of the time that it would take the worlds fastest supercomputers.

Also, IBM unveiled a new quantum computing chip in December. Taken together, the Quantum System Two and chip, combined with new code, could lead to IBM producing a series of quantum machines by 2033. Recently, IBMs Director of Research Dario Gil appear on the TV show 60 Minutes. He believes the IBMs quantum computers could solve problems in physics, chemistry, engineering, and medicine within minutes. That would take todays silicon-based supercomputers millions of years to compute.

IBM stock has gained 35% in the last 12 months, including a 14% year-to-date increase.

Source: IgorGolovniov / Shutterstock.com

In addition to being an artificial intelligence (AI) leader, Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG/NASDAQ:GOOGL) leads the pack in quantum computing.

The companys scientists and engineers have been responsible for several major breakthroughs in quantum computing over the years. In 2019, the company announced that it had achieved whats known as quantum supremacy. Thats when a quantum computer solves a problem that a traditional computer couldnt.

In Alphabets case, one of its quantum computers solved a calculation in three minutes and 20 seconds. In contrast, todays most powerful supercomputers would need thousands of years to achieve it. Additionally, Alphabet has successfully demonstrated for the first time that errors in quantum computing could be reduced by increasing the number of qubits used in processing. This overcomes what was previously viewed as a major stumbling block for quantum computers. GOOGL stock has risen 34% in the last 12 months.

On the date of publication, Joel Bagloleheld a long position in GOOGL. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.comPublishing Guidelines.

Joel Baglole has been a business journalist for 20 years. He spent five years as a staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal, and has also written for The Washington Post and Toronto Star newspapers, as well as financial websites such as The Motley Fool and Investopedia.

Follow this link:
3 Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy on the Dip: February 2024 - InvestorPlace