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Australian quantum computing startup Diraq Pty Ltd. said today it has closed on a $15 million capital raise that will be used to advance its research into a novel concept for building the physical qubits that power quantum computers.

The Series A-2 round was led by Quantonation, a specialist venture capital fund thats focused on quantum computing technologies, and saw participation from Higgins Family Investments and the University of New South Wales, Sydney. The round extends Diraqs original $20 million Series A raise, which closed in May 2022, according to PitchBook data. All told, Diraq has now raised more than $120 million, with the bulk of those funds coming from various Australian and U.S. government funding programs.

The Sydney-based startup is working on the development of quantum processors that rely on electron spins in complementary metal-oxide semiconductor quantum dots. In other words, it claims to be able to make quantum chips using existing chipmaking technologies. The main advantage of using silicon-based qubits the quantum version of the classic binary bit is that this technology could potentially leverage the semiconductor industrys existing infrastructure, meaning they can be manufactured without investing millions of dollars in new quantum chip fabs.

Diraqs silicon-based qubits are very different from the superconducting and ion-trapped counterparts being developed by companies such as IBM Corp. and IonQ Inc., although the research is perhaps not quite as advanced. Although those rivals have already made cloud-based systems available to customers, Diraq is not yet ready to do so. However, the startup insists that its technology remains the only viable way to scale quantum computers to support commercial-scale applications.

Most experts agree that quantum computers will need millions, if not billions of qubits to obtain an advantage over classical computers. But at present, most existing quantum machines can only support thousands of qubits.

Diraq says its approach will allow it to build a full-stack quantum computer that can move the nascent industry toward truly fault-tolerant computing. Already, it claims to have demonstrated superior qubit control with enough fidelity to allow for scalable error correction. This is necessary because in existing systems, the qubits are inherently unstable, introducing errors into quantum calculations that get worse as those systems scale.

The startup claims to have patents covering a detailed CMOS-based architecture for billions of qubits, capable of full error correction, together with advanced methods for qubit control, quantum memory, as well as innovative CMOS device designs.

Diraq co-founder and Chief Executive Andrew Dzurak (pictured, center) said that billions of qubits will be required to see useful quantum computing deployed cost-efficiently in a commercial timeframe. We are working closely with our foundry partners to drive qubit development based on tried and tested CMOS techniques coupled with our proprietary designs, he explained. We are focused on delivering energy-efficient processors with billions of qubits on one chip contained in one refrigerator, rather than thousands of chips and refrigerators requiring hundreds of square meters of space in a warehouse.

Analyst Holger Mueller of Constellation Research Inc. said Diraqs confidence in its approach to quantum computing makes it a promising proposition. It would be a major breakthrough in quantum computing if Diraq is able to use existing CMOS infrastructure to build those incredibly unstable qubits, Mueller said. Its too early to tell if the approach will be successful, but the funding will certainly help, and those who have a stake in the quantum revolution would do well to keep an eye out for whatever Diraq comes up with next.

Quantonation partner Will Zeng said the startups main focus going forward will be to develop a working quantum device using a standard semiconductor foundry. This milestone will serve as a proof point, solidifying the viability of Diraqs technology and propelling the companys ambitious scale-up program aimed at constructing the most powerful quantum computers in the world, he added.

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Quantum computing startup Diraq raises $15M to build qubits using traditional silicon chips - SiliconANGLE News

In a thought experiment that would be inadvisable to put into practice, Erwin Schrdinger argued that if a cat were placed in a sealed box with a mechanism that may or may not trigger the release of poison to kill the animal, it would be both dead and alive at the same time. Besides inadvertently raising the blood pressure of cat lovers a demographic thatshouldn't be messed with he was trying to demonstrate the idea of quantum superposition, the theory behind qubits and quantum computing.

Conventional computers as well as phones, tablets and everything else with a computing element rely on bits, the smallest possible units of information. Each of them can only hold a single value at a time traditionally represented as a one or zero. Anything stored or processed in a computer is, deep under the surface, converted by programming languages to ones and zeros the lowercase letter "a," for example goes by "1100001." A single GB of data, about the volume of streaming Netflix for an hour, represents over 8.5 billion bits, meaning ones or zeros. Printed out, that would be almost 3 million pages (don't try this at home.)

That slightly abstract piece of information gets much more complicated when it comes to quantum computing. Quantum bits, or qubits, can flicker between the two states a little like a tossed coin except with differing probabilities. Crucially, qubits can also be entangled to always land on the same result, which means a single string can store multiple pieces of information simultaneously.

Quantum in the cloud

As a result, quantum computers are said to have the potential to store and process more information than even the most advanced supercomputers relying on conventional bits. Scientists expect they will lend themselves particularly well to tasks that require the analysis of different combinations of factors, such as discovering new materials, battery chemistries orplanning traffic.

Still, these use cases are not here yet. The quantum computers available today cannot do anything conventional computers can't and there are some significant quirks that still need to be overcome. Crucially,the number of qubitsinside a quantum computer will need to increase, and the technology's susceptibility toerrors caused by environmental noisehas yet to be fully resolved.

None of this has prevented companies, including many telcos, from hopping aboard the bandwagon. For example, Deutsche Telekom's T-Systems, which providesdigital and IT solutions to businesses, already offers cloud access to quantum computers.

It has teamed up with several companies producing quantum computers, giving customers access to different types of the technology, with each company creating qubits in a different way. For now, the platform includes computers from market heavyweight IBM, alongside IQM and AQT.

T-Systems has also partnered with European platform PlanQK, which is developing a quantum computing ecosystem. As a result, customers have access to ready-made quantum algorithms andapplications. While these do not currently outperform conventional computers,PlanQKsays the idea behind the project is to allow developers to gain knowledge about specific hardware platforms and build the skills required.

In future, more telcos could venture in a similar direction. Andrew Lord, the senior manager of optical networks and quantum research atBT, told Light Reading during an interview that the company would consider selling access to cloud computers in future, perhaps as part of a broader computing platform.

The issue, Lord says, is that quantum computers alone will not be able to solve many of the problems put to them. The goal, then, is to provide a more generic service with quantum as one of the elements included.

"The challenge is, how can you orchestrate between that? So how do you take a problem from a customer and say, the best way of solving this problem is in this combination of compute, whether it's high performance computing, quantum computing, other types, and how do you orchestrate between all of that." The result would be a holistic computing and networking environment, where a customer only pays for the computing time they need. "So that that then becomes a resource scheduling kind of problem, which we're good at," said Lord.

Quantum radio

Yet another area of quantum relevant to telcos is quantum sensing. It uses quantum physics to create what Lord calls ridiculously sensitive sensors that can "pinpoint the location of something down to millimeters," pick up on the vibration of a fiber to deduce that a car has driven on a road above it, or provide alerts about leaking pipes.

Such functionalities could help telcos, which often run extensive fiber optic networks, to better utilize those assets. Because of quantum sensors' higher sensitivity, which can increase communication ranges, the technology could also yield better radios. In the long run, quantum radio could improve mapping and cell phone communications indoors, underwater, underground and in urban canyons.

In 2022, BT trialled quantum antenna technology that relies on excited atomic states, increasing sensitivity compared with traditional technologies. Its atomic radio frequency receiver can pick up weaker signals, and it could be placed inside passive optical receivers in hard-to-reach areas to improve mobile coverage. According to the company, the technology is still in its early stages, but it could eventually make smart cities, IoT and smart agriculture cheaper to implement.

The demonstration used digital modulation within one of EE's main commercial 5G frequency ranges. And earlier this year, the company used a quantum optical radio receiver to make a three-way Microsoft Teams call between three UK locations using EE's 4G spectrum. While a lot of quantum technology might still be far from deployment, BT reckons this particular technology could be deployed in three to five years' time, reportedTelcoTitans.

Although quantum computing and sensing have clearly caught the eye of the telecom industry, it's impossible to tell when these technologies may be ready for prime time, especially in the case of quantum computing. But unlike Schrdinger's unlucky cat, we at least know they are alive and kicking.

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Telcos jostle for position ahead of quantum leap - Light Reading

Where we are currently, and where we are headed

Quantum computing is a technology that exploits the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems too complex for classical computers. The first significant contribution to the development of quantum computing occurred in 1982, when Richard Feynman postulated that to simulate the evolution of quantum systems in an efficient way, we would need to build quantum computers (computational machines that use quantum effects). Nevertheless, it was not until 1994 that the view on quantum computing changed. Peter Shor developed a polynomial time quantum algorithm allowing quantum computers to efficiently factorize large integers exponentially quicker than the best classical algorithm on traditional machines, turning a problem which is computationally intractable into one that can be solved in just a few hours by a large enough quantum computer. So, once practical quantum computers are a reality, it will be possible to crack cryptographic algorithms based on integer factorization, such as RSA, which are fundamental for the operation of internet protocols.

But what do we mean by a large enough quantum computer? How far are we from building it?

Large technology companies have been working for years with the objective of building a large-scale quantum device. As published by the Quantum Insider, the leading players in this field are Google, IBM, Microsoft and AWS (Amazon), although IBM has the longest computing history.

Apart from them, there are other promising companies which are also invested in fabricating quantum hardware and developing software. Some examples are D-Wave, Rigetti Computing, IonQ, PsiQuantum, Quantiuum or Oxford Ionics. It is worth noting that not all of them are working on the same type of quantum computers. Differences among these computers depend on the nature of qubits and how they can be controlled and manipulated. The main types of quantum computers are superconducting, photonic, neutral atoms-based, trapped ions, quantum dots and gate-based quantum computers, the first being the most mature and popular type.

In 2016, IBM put the first quantum computer on the cloud for anyone to run experiments (the IBM Quantum Experience). One year later, they introduced Qiskit, the open-source python-based toolkit for programming these quantum computers (the version 1.0 will be released this year). Then, in subsequent years, the company developed Falcon, a 27-qubit quantum computer (2018) and the 65-qubit Hummingbird (2020). Also, in 2020, IBM released their development roadmap, which had a major update in 2022 and provides a detailed plan to build an error-corrected quantum computer before the end of the decade. According to this roadmap, IBM was planning to build in 2021 the first quantum processor with more than 100 qubits, the 127 qubit Eagle; in 2022, the 433-qubit Osprey; and finally, in 2023, the 1121-qubit Condor processor. All objectives were successfully achieved. Nevertheless, as Jay Gambetta, VP of IBM Quantum, mentioned in his article, we must figure out how to scale up quantum processors since a quantum computer capable of reaching its full potential could require hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of high-quality qubits. For this reason, in the following years and with the ambition of solving the scaling problem, the company is proposing three different approaches for developing ways to link processors together into a modular system capable of scaling without physics limitations.

Scalability refers to the ability to increase the number of qubits in a quantum system, allowing to solve more complex problems.

Another tech giant working on quantum computing is Google, which has the Quantum AI Campus. This company announced in 2018 a 72-qubit quantum processor called Bristlecone and in 2019 presented a 53-qubit quantum computer, Sycamore, and claimed quantum supremacy for the first time, which generated a lot of debate in the community. Lastly, the Quantum AI researchers announced significant advances in quantum error correction by achieving for the first time the experimental milestone of scaling a logical qubit. Quantum error correction is essential for scaling up quantum computers and achieving error rates low enough for useful calculations.

Quantum supremacy describes the ability of a quantum computer for solving a problem that the most powerful conventional computer cannot process in a practical amount of time.

Microsoft decided to focus on quantum computing in the late 1990s and currently is offering Azure Quantum, a cloud quantum computing service which provides an environment to develop quantum algorithms which can be run in simulators of quantum computers. Due to the companys approach of working with partners and academic institutions, Azure Quantum allows us to choose from different quantum hardware solutions created by industry leaders such as Quantinuum, Ionq, Quantum Circuits, Inc., Rigetti or Pasqal.

Microsoft is taking a different approach on the design of quantum computers they are relying on a new type of qubit, a topological qubit. As they explicitly say, Our approach to building a scaled quantum machine is the more challenging path in the near term, but its the most promising one long term. In this regard, in 2022, Microsoft reported an important achievement on the development topological qubit hardware, and later that year they share more data from their experiments.

Although Amazon has not announced that it is developing quantum hardware and/or software, they launched in 2019 Amazon Braket, a quantum computing service which makes it possible to build quantum algorithms, test them in a simulator, run them on different quantum computers and analyze the results. Customers can access hardware from leaders such as Rigetti, Ion-Q and D-Wave Systems, which means that they can experiment with systems based on three different qubit technologies.

In addition, Amazon also launched the Amazon Quantum Solutions Lab which helps companies to be ready for quantum computing by offering them the possibility to work with leading experts in quantum computing, machine learning, optimization, and high-performance computing.

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The State of the Art in Quantum Computing - Medium

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Computing is on the cusp of a revolution, not with faster clock speeds, but with a whole new way of thinking: quantum computing. Buckle up, because its not just about processing information its about unlocking secrets once deemed impossible. Think teleporting data (okay, not literally!), designing unbreakable codes, and creating revolutionary materials all in the realm of quantum possibilities

But what exactly is this mind-bending tech? Imagine a computer that doesnt rely on 0s and 1s, but on qubits, which can be 0, 1, or both at the same time (thanks, quantum weirdness!). This superposition allows them to explore multiple possibilities simultaneously, making them exponentially faster for certain problems. Think solving global climate challenges or uncovering new medicines problems that would take classical computers centuries

So, whats the hype? Here are some mind-blowing advancements:

But hold on, its not all sunshine and rainbows:

So, when can we expect quantum computers in our homes? Dont ditch your laptop just yet. While significant progress is happening, widespread adoption is still years away. Think of it like the early days of the internet exciting potential, but limited accessibility

But the future is bright! Research is booming, and companies like Google, IBM, and Microsoft are pouring resources into this revolutionary technology. Think of it like a race to the moon full of challenges, but with the potential to change the world.

So, buckle up, tech enthusiasts! The quantum age is dawning, and it promises to be a wild ride. Get ready to witness computing like youve never seen before!

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Quantum Leap: Unveiling the Mysteries of Quantum Computing - Medium

The scientific renaissance of the 20th century saw the rise of quantum mechanics and information theory. In 1982, physicist Richard Feynman famously stated that it was not feasible to model a quantum phenomenon using classical computation; an alternative was required to accurately simulate such phenomena. Whilst Feynmans statement didnt garner much attention at the time, 12 years later, mathematician Peter Shor developed an algorithm that was too sophisticated for classical computers facilitating the idea and possibility of quantum computing.

Quantum and classical computing both manipulate data to solve problems, but three fundamental principles distinguish quantum computing. While classical computers encode information in binary form of 0s and 1s, quantum computers are capable of surveying all the probable states of a quantum bit (qubit) simultaneously. This property of a quantum object is known as superposition. Two quantum entities are said to be entangled when neither can be described without referencing the other, as they lose their individual identities. The phenomena of interference, which occurs when two or more quantum states combine to produce an entirely new state, can be used to enhance the process of error-correction and the probability of measuring the correct output.

The way that quantum computers leverage probabilities and entanglement allows information to be encoded with increased precision across a large number of states simultaneously. Quantum computers show huge promise in terms of industrial and commercial applications in fields of chemical and biological engineering, drug discovery, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, complex manufacturing, and financial services. From being used to simulate complex chemical reactions to being used in aeronautical navigation, it is clear that quantum computers have huge unexploited potential that still needs to be explored.

Despite their huge potential, scientists building quantum computers tend to run into two major hurdles. First, qubits need to be protected in near-zero temperatures from the surrounding environment. The longer the qubit lasts the longer its coherence time, therefore isolation is essential. Secondly, qubits need to be in an entangled state and should be controllable on demand for algorithm execution. Thus, finding the right balance between the states of isolation and interaction is difficult.

With the ability to revolutionise computation, there are multiple players involved in the corporate league of attaining quantum advantage. Leading this race of developing the most refined form of quantum computer are IBM, Google Quantum AI, and Microsoft.

Quantum computers show huge promise in terms of industrial and commercial fields.

In October 2019, Google confirmed that it had attained quantum supremacy, using their fully programmable 54-qubit processor Sycamore to solve a sampling problem in 200 seconds. This was surpassed earlier last year using an updated version of Sycamore with 70 qubits.

In December, IBM unveiled Condor, a new chip with 1,121 superconducting qubits, surpassing the 433-qubit capacity of their Osprey processor released in November 2022. Turning their focus towards the development of modular quantum processors with low error rate, the company also announced the Heron processor with 133 qubits and a record low error rate.

Despite the excitement surrounding the possible applications of quantum computers, its not time to celebrate just yet. Shors algorithm remains unsolved, and we are still a considerable distance away from having a system sophisticated enough for commercial use. However the rapid innovation and research within this field, along with the long-term advantage and potential of quantum computing, hints at a new and prosperous computing age.

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Quantum Computing: The Future of Tech? The Badger - The Badger