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We highlight the vibrant discussions on quantum computing and quantum algorithms that took place at the 2024 American Physical Society March Meeting and invite submissions that notably drive the field of quantum information science forward.

The American Physical Society (APS) March Meeting is arguably one of the largest annual physics conferences of the world, and this years edition which was held in Minneapolis, USA on 38 March hosted over 10,000 scientists and students from around the globe, offering a rich platform to exchange novel ideas and breakthroughs that advance the field of physics. The meeting undoubtedly covered a comprehensive range of topics, of which many are of particular interest to our computational science community, such as electronic structure of materials, the dynamics of complex systems, and self-driving materials labs. Here, we focus on the stimulating discussions on quantum information science and its applications to various domains, given the growing interest and the multitude of avenues of future research in this area.

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While quantum information science1 has recently seen myriad relevant advancements, many challenges still persist. A pressing issue in the field is the high level of noise in quantum bits (qubits), resulting in an error rate of about 102 to 103, which is much larger than the ideal error rate (1015) required for the successful implementation of large-scale quantum algorithms in practical applications. As such, overcoming the effects of noise remains the foremost challenge for advancing the field. At the APS meeting, a total of 14 sessions possibly the most attended ones in the event, at least to the eye of our editor in attendance were devoted to quantum error correction (QEC) and quantum error mitigation. For instance, the discussions surrounding QEC primarily focused on reducing time and qubit overheads. Among the numerous candidates, low-density parity-check codes emerged as one of the popular protocols for achieving low-overhead error correction2. During the Kavli Foundation Special Symposium, Mikhail Lukin, a professor of physics at Harvard University, emphasized the importance of optimized error-correction codes and highlighted the need for co-designing these codes with quantum algorithms and native hardware capabilities in order to achieve fault-tolerant quantum computation.

Another important and well-received focus at the conference was the application of quantum algorithms in noisy quantum computers, with the goal of demonstrating advantages of quantum computing in practical applications prior to achieving fault-tolerance. One such algorithm is quantum machine learning (QML)3, which embeds machine learning within the framework of quantum mechanics. A pivotal point of discussion in the conference revolved around how to practically harness QMLs strengths, such as its low training cost and efficient scalability. While QML has the potential to accelerate data analysis, especially when applied to quantum data from sources such as quantum sensors3, understanding its limitations and developing theoretically sound approaches are imperative tasks for achieving advantage in practical problems. In addition, proper considerations of practical constraints, such as bottlenecks in quantum data loading and the effects of noise, are equivalently important for algorithm design.

Efforts from the industry for advancing quantum information technology did not go unnoticed during the 2024 APS March Meeting either. Companies such as Google Quantum AI, AWS Center for Quantum Computing, IBM Quantum, Quantinuum, and QuEra Computing Inc. among others have been making substantial contributions to various aspects of quantum computing, from software and algorithm design to hardware advancements, such as the logical quantum processor with neural atom array4 and the 32-qubit trapped-ion system5. Furthermore, industrial partners play a crucial role in helping to identify pertinent problems for quantum algorithms, including, but not limited to, in the domains of physical sciences6,7, biological sciences8, and finance9.

At Nature Computational Science, we are keen on publishing studies that span a wide range of topics within quantum information science. Our interest extends from fundamental research aimed at the realization of quantum computing, including the development of codes such as QEC, to studies that deepen our understanding of quantum algorithms and contribute to the broader theoretical framework of quantum computing10,11. Furthermore, we are interested in well-motivated studies that apply quantum algorithms on real quantum computers for solving real-world, practical problems, showcasing clear advantages derived from quantum effects12,13. By fostering an ongoing dialogue on quantum computing and its implications in diverse fields, Nature Computational Science strives to contribute to the advancement of quantum information science and its transformative impact on society.

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Harnessing quantum information to advance computing - Nature.com

The Japanese government has announced plans to expand export restrictions on technologies related to semiconductors and quantum computing.

According to a Bloomberg report, impacted technologies include scanning electron microscopes and gate-all-around transistors, which companies including Samsung Electronics have been using to improve semiconductor design.

The report added that the Japanese government will also start requiring licenses for the shipment of quantum computers and cryogenic CMOS circuits, which are used to control the input and output signals of qubits in quantum computers.

Favored trading partners of Japan, including South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan, will not be exempt from the new rules, which are expected to come into force in July following a period of public consultation.

At the start of 2023, it was reported that Japan, alongside the Netherlands, had agreed to comply with a number of US-led restrictions relating to the exportation of high-tech chipmaking technology to China.

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Japan to expand export restrictions on semiconductor and quantum computing technology - DatacenterDynamics

HSBC and PayPal are among the founding members of a new working group that aims to develop quantum-safe cryptography, preventing the cybersecurity threats posed by quantum computings potential to break current encryption methods.

Financial giants HSBC and PayPal teamed up with an ambitious working group dedicated to spearheading the adoption of quantum-safe cryptography within the payments industry. This initiative is led by the Emerging Payments Association Asia (EPAA) and also includes other tech and financial titans like IBM and Australian Payments Plus.

As quantum computing advances, it brings with it the power to shatter current encryption standards, such as RSA. This could leave our data exposed and vulnerable. Experts predict that within the next decade, quantum computers will pose significant cybersecurity risks. A DTCC white paper has already sounded the alarm, warning that quantum computing could render even the most secure systems susceptible to hacking.

The working group is not waiting for the quantum threat to become a reality. Instead, they are proactively exploring policy, regulation, and business processes for quantum-safe cryptography, particularly to protect payment rails. The collaboration aims to define requirements, identify dependencies, and create a roadmap for implementing post-quantum networks. This will help mitigate the risks associated with the quantum computers of the future.

Ray Harishankar, an IBM Fellow at IBM Quantum Safe, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, Given the accelerated advancements of quantum computing, data and systems secured with todays encryption could become insecure in a matter of years. We are pleased to work with the EPAA to help advance the industrys move to adopt quantum-safe technology.

The formation of this working group marks a significant step towards securing the financial industry against the quantum threat. By uniting leaders from finance and technology, the group is poised to develop strategies that will ensure the long-term security and trustworthiness of payment systems worldwide. As quantum computing continues to evolve, these preemptive measures are crucial for safeguarding our digital financial infrastructure.

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HSBC and PayPal join group pioneering quantum-safe cryptography | bobsguide - Bobsguide

Quantum computing may seem like science fiction, but it may come sooner than expected.

On Jan. 11, 2024, the World Economic Forum identified artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing as emerging threats in a report exploring how quantum computing could threaten the existing tech landscape.

While computer scientists and developers agree that quantum computing will still take some years to develop, research in the field is very active.

In the public sector, all G7 countries are actively involved in quantum computing projects. In the private sector, seven of the top 10 tech companies are either publicly competing for market dominance in involved in some capacity, according to Quantum Resistant Ledger.

So when will quantum computing become potent enough to threaten contemporary cryptography systems, like those safeguarding cryptocurrencies?

According to a December 2023 report from Reuters, Tilo Kunz, executive vice president of cybersecurity firm Quantum Defen5e (QD5), told officials at the Defense Information Systems Agency that Q-day the day quantum computing can break current security standards could come as soon as 2025.

Major organizations in the finance world have noticed. In June 2023, the Bank for International Settlements started its Project Leap, which aims to develop quantum-proof payment systems with the Bank of France and Deutsche Bundesbank.

So, with ominous forecasts and central banks scrambling to safeguard payments, how can the blockchain and crypto industry prepare for Q-day? Is anyone prepared?

David Chaum, a renowned computer scientist and founder of post-quantum resistant blockchain XX Network, explained to Cointelegraph how quantum computing can vaporize a blockchain.

Quantum computing could compromise the SHA-256 algorithm the cryptographic hash function that serves as the primary wall of defense for securing access to blockchain-based assets like cryptocurrencies.

Subsequently, quantum computers could break the blockchains consensus by creating fake messages, which could jam the consensus protocol. Chaum said:

They could also effortlessly crack private keys, making funds vulnerable to theft.

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of the Ethereum network, introduced a possible solution to blockchains quantum challenge.

On March 9, 2024, Buterin proposed a solution involving a hard fork, opening a debate on how to prepare the blockchain for a quantum emergency.

Buterin explained that quantum computers could crack an Ethereum account and reveal the private key by using the public key alone.

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As Buterin explained, the only Ethereum accounts safe from a quantum attack would be wallets that have never completed a transaction, as they wouldnt have exposed their public key.

Of course, this is not a common practice among crypto holders, so nearly all wallets would be in jeopardy.

For Buterin, the technology required to make Ethereum immune to a quantum attack could be developed tomorrow:

Buterins proposed solution is based on proving ownership of crypto assets or a wallet by applying a backup key as a fallback.

The concept was introduced in 2021 in the paper W-OTS(+) up my Sleeve! A Hidden Secure Fallback for Cryptocurrency Wallets by cryptographers Chaum, Mario Larangeira, Mario Yaksetig and William Carter, who proposed a key generation mechanism where users can generate a backup key, which is securely nested inside the secret key of a signature scheme.

In the event of a secret key leak, the backup key would generate proof of ownership and recuperate their funds in an updated quantum-resistant blockchain essentially through a hard fork in the blockchain.

Therefore, if a quantum emergency emerges, users would download a new wallet software and prove their ownership with the fallback. Buterin mentioned how only a few users would lose their funds in this procedure.

The hypothetical hard fork would roll back the Ethereum network to the block where the large-scale theft occurred.

Chaum claimed that Buterins solution isnt perfect and could create some turbulence for Ethereum users.

As Chaum explained, if Ethereum does not implement a quantum resistance mechanism before a quantum attack, the emergency solution suggested by Buterin will force the chain to be reconstituted.

The cryptographer explained that a new chain with quantum-resistant measures built into its core would need to be built. Once that is achieved, the assets may be moved to a new wallet in the new chain.

During this process, the Ethereum blockchain would need to be paused for an unknown time until its restored to a new quantum-resistant blockchain. Chaum said that this procedure could take years.

He said that the consequences of the sudden halt of one of the most active blockchains should not be underestimated, stating that it could be catastrophic.

John Woods, chief technology officer at the Algorand Foundation, told Cointelegraph that, while he believes Buterin is hyper-competent, he feels Ethereum could take a step further: Its evident that this post represents an emergency plan of action and not an elegant transition into a post-quantum cryptography era for Ethereum.

Recent: SEC targets Uniswap Labs, raising concerns over open-source code liability

Algorand implemented a post-quantum mechanism using Falcon signatures, one of the three signing algorithms the National Institute of Standards and Technology selected for standardization.

Woods encouraged Ethereum to adopt Falcon to foster interoperability as its implementation is not limited to Algorand and holds potential for adoption by various other distributed ledger technologies, blockchains and related systems.

Ethereum seems to have established an emergency protocol to survive if a quantum emergency is detected.

However, the emergency solution has serious caveats, which should make the Ethereum developer community focus firmly on developing quantum-resistant measures before Q-day arrives.

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Q-Day approaching: Can Ethereum survive a quantum emergency? - Cointelegraph

BERKELEY, Calif., April 26, 2024 Rigetti Computing, Inc., a pioneer in full-stack quantum-classical computing, announces the launch of the Novera QPU Partner Program. The Novera QPU Partner Program is an ecosystem of quantum computing hardware, software and service providers who build and offer integral components of a functional quantum computing system.

Novera QPU customers who need control systems, a dilution refrigerator, quantum computing software tools, or integration services can integrate their Novera QPU with Novera QPU Partners technology with the assurance of compatibility and quality.

The founding members of the Novera QPU Partner Program include some of Rigettis most long-time partners and are leaders in their respective areas of quantum computing technology:

Rigetti intends on growing the Novera QPU Partner Program with additional partners on an ongoing basis.

The Novera QPU is a 9-qubit quantum processing unit (QPU) based on the Companys fourth generation Ankaa-class architecture featuring tunable couplers and a square lattice for denser connectivity and fast 2-qubit operations. The Novera QPU is manufactured in Rigettis Fab-1, the industrys first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility.

The Novera QPU includes all of the hardware below the mixing chamber plate (MXC) of a dilution refrigerator. In addition to a 9-qubit chip with a 33 array of tunable transmons, a 5-qubit chip with no tunable couplers or qubit-qubit coupling which can be used for developing and characterizing single-qubit operations on a simpler circuit, the Novera QPU components include:

While a QPU is the core of a quantum computer, in order to have a functioning quantum computing system, the installation must also include (1) a dilution refrigerator and (2) a control system. Depending on a customers research goals, system requirements, and use cases, there are also a variety of quantum software and integration resources that can be integrated with the Novera QPU.

Dr. Subodh Kulkarni, Rigetti CEO, said: With the Novera QPU, we have a unique opportunity to support the development of on-premises quantum computing capabilities worldwide. At Rigetti, we are experts at overcoming the challenges of building, installing, and supporting a quantum computing system. After a decade in the quantum computing industry, weve also forged long lasting partnerships with world-leading quantum technology companies whose collaborations and expertise helped us advance our capabilities even further. We want to empower Novera QPU customers with an ecosystem of our trusted partners to support their own quantum computing research pursuits, and to help prepare us for a quantum-ready society.

Nir Minerbi, Classiq CEO, said: Quantum computing relies on bringing together a collection of technologies in order to achieve the best fitting and performing solution. Classiq is proud to be providing efficient, scalable quantum computing software to facilitate best-practice algorithm development with Novera.

Joe Fitzsimons, Horizon Quantum Computing CEO, said: Rigetti was one of the pioneers of cloud-based quantum computing, and we are delighted to partner with them as Rigetti processors begin to power on-premises systems. As the industry pushes towards quantum advantage, a strong ecosystem and close collaboration between hardware and software efforts is more important than ever. The Novera QPU Partner Program is a welcome new instrument for building collaboration and allowing for tight integration between technologies at all levels of the quantum computing stack.

Bernhard Frohwitter, ParTec AG CEO, said: The Novera QPU Partner Program is an essential building block in ParTecs strategy of becoming a quantum computing system integrator, building full-stack solutions using a component-based design that relies on a supply chain of quantum technology providers. ParTec looks forward to integrating the Novera QPU in our holistic quantum computer solutions and working with customers on unleashing its potential.

Mandy Birch, CEO of TreQ said: TreQ is delighted to partner with Rigetti to build and operate on-premises quantum computing systems that include the Novera QPU. We look forward to supporting pathfinders around the world who are expediting useful and usable next-gen computing infrastructure to elevate their businesses, institutions, and communities.

Among the early adopters of small-scale, high performing QPUs like the Novera QPU, are government agencies. The first two Novera QPU sales were to leading US government labs the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center (SQMS) led by Fermilab, and the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). Rigetti also recently sold a Novera QPU to Horizon Quantum Computing for their first quantum computing system, to be installed in their new hardware testbed in Singapore. Quantum computing researchers across academia and industry are also beginning to invest in this technology as it is a promising resource to advance quantum computing workforce development.

The Novera QPU Partner Program launch follows Rigettis recent achievements with its larger-scale Ankaa-class quantum systems. Rigettis 84-qubit Ankaa-2 system, which is available over the cloud via Rigettis Quantum Cloud Services (QCS) cloud computing platform, recently achieved a 98% median 2-qubit gate fidelity. This performance marks a 2.5X increase in error performance compared to the Companys previous QPUs. Rigetti was also recently awarded an Innovate UK competition to deliver a 24-qubit Ankaa-class quantum computing system to the UKs National Quantum Computing Centre.

About Rigetti

Rigetti is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The Company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. The Companys proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides high performance integration with public and private clouds for practical quantum computing. Rigetti has developed the industrys first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. The Company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industrys first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility.

Source: Rigetti

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Rigetti Computing Launches the Novera QPU Partner Program - HPCwire