Mediaboss Marketing

IBM's quantum computer, London. Image: Tim Sandle

Experiments in quantum computing are continuing to advance and with it a new generation of powerful computers will emerge. This is a field thats already drawing billions of dollars in support from tech investors and industry heavyweights including IBM, Google and Microsoft.

The basis of quantum computing is the qubit. Through superpositioning, a qubit can represent a 0, a 1, or any proportion between. This vastly increases a quantum computers processing speed compared to todays computers.

A new computing research breakthrough that has recently been reported could be significant for the evolution of the quantum computing future. This rests on an important characteristic of a new superconductor material.

University College Cork scientists have used one of the worlds most powerful quantum microscopes in order to make a discovery that could have significant consequences for the future of computing.

This is the discovery of a spatially modulating superconducting state in a new and unusual superconductor called Uranium Ditelluride (UTe2). Superconductors have many unusual properties, including allowing electricity to flow with zero resistance. Thes means when a current is passed through them they do not begin to heat up. This occurs because instead of individual electrons moving through the metal there are pairs of electrons which bind together in the form macroscopic quantum mechanical fluid.

UTe2 appears to be a new type of superconductor and this new superconductor may provide a solution to one of quantum computings greatest challenges.

Lead author Joe Carroll outlines the challenge in a research brief: The problem facing existing quantum computers is that each qubit must be in a superposition with two different energies just as Schrdingers cat could be called both dead and alive. This quantum state is very easily destroyed by collapsing into the lowest energy state dead thereby cutting off any useful computation.

What UTe2 may offer is a superconductor that could be used as the basis for topological quantum computing. Here there would be no limit on the lifetime of the qubit during computation. This could opening up many new ways for more stable and useful quantum computers.

The discovery is described in the journal Nature, in a paper titled Detection of a pair density wave state in UTe2.

In a different breakthrough, scientists have announced an advancement in developing fault-tolerant qubits for quantum computing. This relates to experiments undertaken with flakes of semiconductor materials only a single layer of atoms thick).

With these studies, University of Washington researchers detected signatures of fractional quantum anomalous Hall (FQAH) states. This could pave the way towards constructing a fault-tolerant qubit. This is possible because FQAH states can host anyons strange quasiparticles that have only a fraction of an electrons charge.

Some types of anyons can be used to make what are called topologically protected qubits, which are stable against any small, local disturbances. This could lead to a major advancement over the capabilities of current quantum computers.

Read the original here:
Two new breakthroughs in quantum computing overcome ... - Digital Journal

Scaling has long been recognized as a major hurdle for quantum processors, along with a need for advances in quantum error correction and the control of quantum gates.

However, while rapid progress has been made in the latter two, far less progress has been made in the development of a CMOS-based scalable system, where the devices and qubits are sufficiently identical that the number of external control signals increases slowly with the number of qubits.

Therefore the development, and taping-out, of a CMOS-based scaling architecture has taken on new significance, as scaling has become the most critical remaining task for building a commercially viable quantum computer.

At EeroQ, we have made a key advance towards this goal, achieving tape-out, at a major US semiconductor foundry, of a 2,432 future qubit system with only ~30 control lines, which were calling Wonder Lake. This scaling architecture has passed the rigorous design checks required for compatibility with todays standard chip manufacturing process (CMOS).

The architecture of a quantum processor requires multiple layers, all of which work in concert. In this post, we will go into some of the details about the layers of our newly taped-out chip. This chip will form the infrastructure needed for future devices that can hold the single electrons, which we are working to develop as a leading qubit platform.

With our announcement today, we offer a credible path to allow our systems, which are based on the isolated electron spins trapped above the surface of liquid helium (eHe), to scale from single qubits to 10,000 and beyond by starting from scale, and building a quantum computer in reverse.

Rather than starting with one- and two-qubit gates and hoping to scale with brute force, weve started with a CMOS-based scaling architecture that can support quantum gates of various types. In this system each electron spin can be thought of as a tiny magnet and our initial quantum devices will use the interaction between these electron magnets to produce the two-qubit gates (more on this below).

This strategy puts EeroQs approach to quantum computing in a position to become a leapfrog technology. To-date, there have been many demonstrations of high-quality qubits, even more than 100 in single processors, but there has yet to be a practical and achievable way to scale to several thousand, or more, on a single chip.

EeroQs approach to quantum computing is different from any other company. At the heart of any quantum processor is a qubit, and EeroQs is the spin of the electron. In a 1999 paper in Science a collaboration between researchers at Bell Labs and Michigan State University proposed that an electron floating above the surface of liquid helium would make an exceptional quantum computer using the vertical motion of the electron above the helium surface, so-called Rydberg states of the electron motion. Shortly thereafter, in 2006, EeroQ CTO Stephen Lyon, proposed in Physical Review A that the spin state of the electron offers many of the advantages of Rydberg states, but with the added benefit of vastly enhanced quantum coherence in excess of 10 seconds.

Based on these initial ideas, and subsequent technological breakthroughs, at EeroQ we will ultimately fabricate the majority of our future processors on single chips manufactured in a commercial CMOS foundry. Once the wafers arrive from the foundry, well add a thin layer of liquid helium, deposit electrons into on-chip reservoirs, initialize their spin states, and begin a computation.

The electron qubit will rest about 10 nanometers above the helium surface, where it is trapped above electrodes located beneath the helium by control voltages.

At EeroQ we are building next generation quantum devices by combining the tiny size of electrons and superfluid helium which is the cleanest environment in nature with CMOS infrastructure and the lack of any need for modular interconnects. These efforts along with an efficient fabless production model put us in position to lead the industry.

After six years of stealth work, we now have an architecture to scale this system.

The next step is demonstration of a two-qubit gate based on the extremely well-understood physics of the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction, which can be drag and dropped onto the foundry chip.

Our first two-qubit gates will be produced by the 2 small magnetic spins of the electrons. Each electron has a magnetic field, and that field is one of the most accurately known quantities in physics; the magnitude being known to at least 12 digits of precision.

In this scheme the main source of imprecision in the entangling gate comes from the positioning of the 2 electrons, which will be controlled by engineering the microstructures on the CMOS chip that hold the electrons. The precision of the CMOS process will reduce fabrication related quantum gate errors to about 0.01%. We will then add our quantum gates to pre-designated locations on the chip, as shown below.

The work we have accomplished at EeroQ is a significant step on the road to building a commercially viable quantum computer and has allowed us to pursue our next near-term goals.

10+ second qubit coherence High qubit connectivity Identical qubits, controllable in parallel with only a few voltages on a CMOS chip Mobile qubits on the helium surface (providing up to a 50x reduction in overhead needed for error correction) 99.9% gate fidelities A system without modular interconnects so that all the quantum computing power youll need will be in a device the size of your thumbnail!

There are two particularly challenging parts to making a useful quantum computer: high-quality quantum gates, and a path to scale.

With our latest work, we are proud to join the leadership ranks on scalability. Together with recent advances in error mitigation and more efficient algorithms, we can see the commercial quantum future coming together sooner than expected led by the ability to leverage our architectural advantage to scale rapidly.

Original post:
Building a quantum computer in reverse | by EeroQ Corporation | Jul ... - Medium

READING, England, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- OQC, the leading enterprise ready quantum solution company, and hybrid machine learning company CogniFrame are partnering to fuelFirstQ, the world's first plug-and-play quantum application store accessed via desktop apps.

This partnership will enable the creation and hosting of pre-curated hybrid and quantum-only use cases optimised for OQC hardware. The platform also facilitates seamless data uploads in prescribed formats via a desktop app. FirstQoffers a desktop application that works on Windows, Mac and Linux systems. The store supports plug and play commercial scale solutions for select predefined use cases, as well as access to near quantum and quantum hardware. The innovation of FirstQ lies in its accessibility to users of all expertise levels, making quantum technologies more approachable for a broader audience.

The integration of OQC's computer into FirstQ has been successfully implemented, and CogniFrame has tested image restoration, segmentation and classification for the healthcare sector using a hybrid quantum solution designed to improve accuracy and obtain speed up. Further plans are being explored to use the OQC device via FirstQ for ongoing tests and commercial opportunities. "Our goal is to work closely and collaboratively with OQC to offer customers performance-optimised solutions for OQC hardware and provide meaningful results for users in the current NISQ era. We are actively working on projects using the OQC hardware, and solution developers will derive advantage from offering their solutions via FirstQ." said Vish Ramakrishnan, CEO CogniFrame.

Dr Ilana Wisby, CEO OQC, notes, "We are thrilled to partner with CogniFrame to bring this plug-and-play model to users worldwide. This is an exciting step for the large-scale commercial deployment of quantum solutions; it will help to drive quantum solutions into mainstream applications."

With the availability of the OQC quantum computer on FirstQ, quantum algorithm developers can register on FirstQ to build and test their solutions. To register users can go to http://www.firstqstore.com

About CogniFrame

CogniFrame, based in Toronto, Canada, solves NP Hard and other complex optimisation, machine learning and simulation problems. It works with leading HPC and Quantum hardware providers to build and run proprietary algorithms and solutions that deliver immediate measurable value and help de-risk adoption of Near Quantum & Hybrid Quantum solutions by institutions globally. CogniFrame is a quantum pioneer and founding member of Quantum Industry Canada. It has launched the FirstQ Store , the first of its kind aggregator plug and play commercialisation store for near quantum and quantum ready applications. [emailprotected]

About OQC

OQC is a world-leading quantum computing company. We bring quantum to our customers' fingertips and enable them to make breakthrough discoveries. Our quantum computers are available via data centres, private cloud and on Amazon Braket. For more information: http://www.oxfordquantumcircuits.com

SOURCE Oxford Quantum Circuits

See more here:
OQC and Cogniframe partnership to enable users, regardless of ... - PR Newswire

Exploring the Future of Telecommunications: Quantum Computing and its Impact on Network Security

As we stand on the precipice of a new era in telecommunications, the advent of quantum computing promises to revolutionize the industry, particularly in the realm of network security. This groundbreaking technology, which leverages the principles of quantum mechanics, is poised to redefine the way we transmit, process, and secure information.

Quantum computing operates on quantum bits, or qubits, which unlike classical bits, can exist in multiple states at once. This phenomenon, known as superposition, allows quantum computers to process vast amounts of data simultaneously, exponentially increasing computational speed and efficiency. However, the true game-changer lies in the realm of cryptography, the science of encoding and decoding information.

In the current digital landscape, network security largely relies on complex mathematical algorithms that classical computers find extremely difficult to solve. These cryptographic systems, such as RSA and ECC, form the backbone of our digital security, protecting everything from online banking transactions to confidential emails. However, with the advent of quantum computing, these traditional forms of encryption could become obsolete.

Quantum computers, with their superior computational power, could potentially crack these cryptographic codes in a fraction of the time it would take a classical computer. This presents a significant threat to network security as we know it, potentially leaving sensitive data vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

However, the same principles that pose this threat also offer a solution. Quantum cryptography, or quantum key distribution (QKD), uses the principles of quantum mechanics to create virtually unbreakable encryption. In QKD, information is encoded in quantum states of particles such as photons. Any attempt to intercept or measure these particles alters their state, immediately alerting the sender and receiver to the breach.

This unique property of quantum mechanics, known as quantum indeterminacy, ensures the absolute security of the transmitted information. Even if a third party were to intercept the quantum key, they would be unable to decode the information without altering the key itself, thereby alerting the legitimate users.

Moreover, quantum networks, which use quantum entanglement to link qubits across vast distances, could further enhance telecommunications security. Quantum entanglement, another peculiar property of quantum mechanics, allows particles to remain instantaneously connected regardless of the distance separating them. This could enable the creation of ultra-secure communication channels, impervious to eavesdropping or hacking.

While the practical implementation of quantum computing and quantum networks is still in its infancy, the potential implications for telecommunications are profound. The advent of quantum technology could herald a new era of ultra-secure, high-speed communications, transforming the way we transmit and secure information.

However, this quantum leap in technology also presents significant challenges. The potential vulnerability of current cryptographic systems underscores the urgent need for quantum-ready security measures. As we move towards a quantum future, the telecommunications industry must invest in research and development to harness the potential of quantum computing and mitigate its risks.

In conclusion, the future of telecommunications lies in the realm of quantum computing. This revolutionary technology promises to redefine network security, offering unprecedented levels of encryption and data protection. As we stand on the brink of this new era, the industry must prepare for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, shaping a future where quantum technology drives secure, efficient, and innovative telecommunications.

See the original post here:
Exploring the Future of Telecommunications: Quantum Computing ... - Fagen wasanni

"For the first time in the world, we succeeded in synthesizing the room-temperature superconductor."

That's the opening line of a paper submitted by researchers at the Quantum Energy Research Centre, Inc. and Korea Universitya paper which could become a seriously big deal, if the findings are ratified. Thing is, the scientific community isn't so sure they will be.

Superconductors are absolutely key to devices such as quantum computers. They're used to form the fundamental qubit, which requires immeasurably tight operating conditions in order to produce accurate results. The issue is that we don't know of any materials that act as superconductors that don't also require extremely cool, sub-space temperatures to do so. Therein lies one problem with superconductors and their wider use today.

But superconductors have many properties that are extremely important. They're absolutely energy efficient, in theory, requiring no cooling for electrical conductivity. In this popular Tweet (X, sorry) thread from Alex Kaplan, a frozen coffee connoisseur and Princeton Physics graduate, he explains how a valid room temperature superconductor could enable lossless energy transfer, enable new nuclear fusion concepts, create incredible batteries, make entirely efficient computer chips, and even make MRI machines and MagLev trains cheaper and easier.

You can see then why a material that operates as a superconductor at room temperatures, or thereabouts, is perhaps a little exciting.

The paper lays out a superconductor called LK-99. It's easy to produce, likely mass manufacturable, and works at both ambient temperature and pressure.

But there's a catch. I've trawled through the reaction to the announcement from the scientific community and found that some are initially sceptical about the claims made in the paper.

Firstly, the paper's finding are yet to be replicated, which will be the watershed moment for any of its claims.

Then there's the news editor for the famed scientific publication New Scientist, Jacob Aron, mentioning that they're looking into this and "Spoiler: it's very likely nothing."

Ouch, that stings.

There has also been another claim to this world first breakthrough, and the reason you haven't been living in a utopia since is because that claim hasn't been well received since. In 2021, a physicist named Ranga Dias had a paper published in the Physical Review Letters journal that claimed to have discovered a room-temperature superconductor. This paper was subsequently retracted due to alleged data fabrication.

That 2021 paper is not directly linked to this one, and has no impact on its ratification, but it does show that any claim to this sort of incredible breakthrough has to be taken with heaps of salt until it's widely proven to be true.

Though you can't blame anyone for wanting this to be true. The ramifications of discovering a working room-temperature superconductor are massiveit's not an understatement to say such a breakthrough could be ultimately game-changing for society. Whether we'll see one in our lifetime, however, that is something no one can say for certain. At least this paper could be, if nothing else, a step in the right direction.

Go here to see the original:
I want this to be the most important breakthrough for computing ... - PC Gamer