YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y. - OCTOBER 18: Exhibition model of IBM Q System One quantum computer. (Photo ... [+] by Misha Friedman/Getty Images)

Like the hapless tramps in Samuel Becketts play Waiting for Godot, the world has been waiting not for the mysterious Godot, but for quantum computing, which is much anticipated but has yet to arrive. But while the ghostly Godot never does show up, quantum is beginning to materialize.

Its about time. Global powers, led by China, have invested more than $55 billion in the promising technology and we are closer than ever to realizing the $500 million to $1 billion in gains that quantum promises to deliver to businesses over the next fifteen years. The quantum market is already estimated to be worth more than $1 billion this year, even though quantum computers are not yet very useful.

In Europe, Germany has launched an investment plan of more than $3 billion by 2026, and France has announced an investment of nearly $2 billion, aiming to train 5,000 quantum-ready engineers and create 30,000 jobs. In the United States, the National Quantum Initiative Act has authorized $1.2 billion in funding over five years for quantum computing research and development.

What are we talking about? Computers that could be a billion times faster than conventional computers for solving certain complex problems.

Classical computers, such as the one youre likely reading this article on now, rely on binary bits to store and process information as strings of zeros and ones. But quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, which can exist in a superposition of states, allowing for an exponential number of simultaneous combinations of zeros and ones. Dont bother trying to visualize this - no one has ever seen a qubit. Its all math.

Nonetheless, this superposition can be measured, enabling quantum computers to perform complex computations at an exponential speed.

Several technologies at the boundaries of current physics are being tried to make this work: superconductivity, neutral atoms, trapped ions, and photonics.

Are they used in businesses? Not yet. At this stage, quantum supremacy, meaning that a quantum computer is more efficient than a conventional computer, has only been established for algorithms without truly useful applications, such as verifying that a die is not loaded (Google, 2019).

But progress in developing quantum computing has been steady, and many people believe quantum computers will be a practical reality within a few years. IBM, the leader in quantum computing hardware, predicts that quantum computers will outperform classical computers in specific tasks by 2027.

Quantum supremacy is expected to first materialize for "native" quantum problems, which lend themselves particularly well to quantum modeling. They fall into four categories: modeling physicochemical reactions to discover innovative materials, new proteins, and future drugs; optimizing complex systems to improve flow management or the design and engineering of complex systems; generating synthetic data to train AI models; and finally, cryptography.

So, is it too early for businesses to be building their quantum muscle? Absolutely not. It takes time to build a team that understands how to use the burgeoning technology, and the future will belong to those who can harness the power of quantum computing early.

Banks, hedge funds, and car manufacturers are recruiting specialized quantum teams. They are tackling the construction of algorithms coded in qubits for their strategic applications. They are forming partnerships with quantum computer manufacturers - IBM, Atos, Pasqal - and academic research centers. These companies will be ready for the day when manufacturers offer sufficiently powerful machines. The aim is to increase the number of high-quality qubits and reduce error rates, eventually multiplying the power of the best current prototypes by a thousand.

The first challenge will be cybersecurity: with quantum supremacy, many of our security devices will become instantly obsolete. Businesses should start now to shift to quantum-hardened encryption technologies. The American National Institute of Standardization and Technology (NIST) is working on developing and standardizing post-quantum cryptographic algorithms and plans to impose a schedule for using encryption solutions capable of resisting quantum attacks.

But quantum computing has the potential to help mankind solve some of its biggest problems - mitigating climate change, for example, by accelerating the development of new materials for carbon capture, more efficient catalysts for hydrogen production, better batteries for electric vehicles, and optimized power grids that can handle renewable energy sources.

Quantum computing is also expected to accelerate drug discovery, enabling the development of personalized medicines and more effective treatments for diseases. And quantum algorithms could be used to optimize logistics and supply chain management, reducing fuel consumption and increasing efficiency. The list goes on.

AI can complement and enhance quantum computing, helping to develop error correction techniques for quantum hardware, for example, one of the main barriers to practical quantum computers. Quantum computers, meanwhile, can simulate complex natural processes, like the behavior of molecules or weather systems, much more accurately than regular computers.

Scientists collect relatively small amounts of data from experiments with such natural processes, but this isn't always enough to train AI models effectively. Quantum computing is expected to be able to generate additional, high-quality data to fill in the gaps, making the simulations more accurate and reliable. This, in turn, can help AI make more precise predictions about natural phenomena.

And quantum computing can generate synthetic data to train generative AI models when real-world data is scarce or difficult to obtain. While GenAI does not directly use quantum algorithms, hybrid algorithms that combine classical and quantum computing can leverage the strengths of both computing paradigms, potentially leading to more powerful and efficient AI models.

And if quantum doesn't come? In Beckett's play, when Estragon asks this question to Vladimir, the wise vagabond replies: "We'll come back tomorrow." Businesses will do the same and remain busy with generative AIs.

Here Are Five Steps That Business Leaders Can Start Implementing Today

Working with quantum computing requires deep expertise, including quantum software developers and quantum hardware engineers who can design and optimize quantum circuits and algorithms for specific business applications. Quantum computing will initially augment rather than replace classical computing, so quantum teams will also need traditional software developers who can integrate quantum solutions with existing classical systems. And companies will need people who can translate complex business problems into quantum algorithms.

Since quantum computing is still an emerging field, companies will need to collaborate with academic institutions, technology providers, and quantum research organizations to keep up with the latest advancements and integrate cutting-edge solutions. Building a multidisciplinary team with these areas of expertise takes planning and time. While this may not be something smaller companies can undertake, large companies should start now. Because quantum computing is a new computing paradigm, hiring and developing talent capable of harnessing it in conjunction with company domain expertise will be the winning combination. But quantum scientists and engineers will be in short supply when quantum advantage will trigger interest, not dissimilar to what happened in AI in 2015 and GenAI now.

Companies need to identify and develop specific quantum use cases that align with their business goals. This involves exploring how quantum computing can solve industry-specific problems, such as molecular modeling in pharmaceuticals or portfolio optimization in finance. Conducting proof-of-concept projects and pilot studies ahead of time will help refine these use cases and demonstrate their potential value.

Companies will need to implement post-quantum cryptographic algorithms (PQC) to secure data and communications. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has been developing these algorithms designed to withstand quantum threats. Companies large and small should track these developments and start integrating PQC algorithms into their security frameworks to ensure their encryption is hardened against quantum computer attacks.

Companies should begin forging strategic partnerships with quantum technology providers, research institutions, and other industry players. These alliances will facilitate knowledge sharing, accelerate innovation, and ensure access to the latest advancements.

Navigating the regulatory landscape is crucial for the successful adoption of quantum computing. Quantum computing is considered by governments as dual-use technology and critical for national security and competitiveness. Transitioning away from RSA to PQC protocols will a massive undertaking on a scale larger than the Y2K bug. Business leaders should stay informed about emerging regulations, mandates and standards.

Preparing for quantum computing is not a one-time effort but an ongoing commitment. It requires vision, strategic foresight, and a willingness to invest in the future. The rewards, however, will be immense for those who are prepared.

Excerpt from:

Quantum Computing Takes Off With $55 Billion In Global Investments - Forbes

At the Tech.eu Summit in London, Dr. Ken Urquhart, Global Vice-President of 5G/Edge/Satellite at Zscaler, and Steve Brierley, Founder and CEO of Riverlane, discussed the critical intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and quantum computing. Moderated by Duygu Oktem Clark, Managing Partner at DO Venture Partners, the talk underlined both the challenges and opportunities these technologies present.

Urquhart opened the discussion by addressing the limitations of AI in cybersecurity.

AI, as we apply it today, involves algorithms that are interpretable and useful for cyber defense, he said. However, he pointed out that current AI technologies, such as neural networks and large language models, come with issues like statistical variability and hallucinations, where the AI makes things up that may not be true.

Urquhart explained that these statistical models could become less accurate over time, adding: You need to be thoughtful about how you apply AI because it can give less accurate answers if asked the same question twice in a row over a span of hours or days.

Brierley shared his thoughts into the advancements in quantum computing and its implications for cybersecurity. He noted that while todays quantum computers are extremely error-prone and capable of only about 100 to 1,000 operations before failure, significant progress is being made with quantum error correction.

Quantum error correction is a layer that sits on top of the physical qubits and corrects errors in real-time, Brierley explained.

This development is crucial for achieving cryptographically relevant quantum computing capabilities.

2023 and 2024 have been pivotal years as we crossed the threshold in various qubit modalities, making error correction viable, he said. Brierley projected that within the next two to three years, we could see quantum computers performing up to a million operations, surpassing what classical computers can simulate.

As AI and quantum computing advance, ethical and security challenges emerge. Urquhart stressed the importance of understanding AIs current limitations.

We are on a journey with artificial intelligence. It does not think; it is a collection of statistical outcomes, he stated. Urquhart warned against over-reliance on AI for critical decisions, as its current form can lead to significant errors.

Brierley added that quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize industries, particularly in simulating molecular dynamics and chemical interactions.

Quantum computers can replace time-consuming lab experiments with simulations, transforming industries like drug discovery and material science, he said.

Both experts agreed on the necessity of collaboration among academia, industry and government to harness these technologies responsibly. Brierley called attention to the importance of a coordinated effort, likening it to a Manhattan-scale project to build the worlds most powerful quantum computers. We need effective collaboration across sectors to ensure the technology benefits society, he said.

Urquhart echoed this sentiment, giving emphasis to the role of commercial entities in driving innovation and the governments role in providing a regulatory and funding environment.

The machinery is there; we just need the will to engage and make it run, he remarked.

Looking ahead, both Urquhart and Brierley stressed the urgency of preparing for the impact of quantum computing on cybersecurity.

Quantum computing will break most encryption at some point, Urquhart warned, urging businesses to act now to mitigate future risks.

Brierley concluded: Quantum computers are not just faster computers; they represent a massive step forward for specific problems, and their potential for both good and bad is immense.

The discussion underscored the transformative potential of AI and quantum computing while cautioning against complacency. As these technologies evolve, proactive collaboration and ethical considerations will be paramount in shaping a secure digital future.

Featured image: Credit: Tech.eu

Read the original post:

The Interplay of AI, Cybersecurity & Quantum Computing - The Quantum Insider

In a recent study published in Physical Review Letters, Professor Wei Guo from Florida State Universityprovided valuable insights into the quantum states of electrons on qubits.

Quantum computers have the potential to revolutionize technology by performing calculations that would take classical computers many years to complete.

To build an effective quantum computer, a reliable quantum bit, or qubit, is essential. A qubit must be able to exist simultaneously in both the 0 and 1 states for a sufficiently long period, known as its coherence time.

One promising approach involves trapping a single electron on a solid neon surface, creating what is known as an electron-on-solid-neon qubit.

Guos team discovered that small bumps on the surface of solid neon can naturally bind electrons, forming ring-shaped quantum states. These quantum states describe various properties of an electron, such as position, momentum, and other characteristics before measurement. When these bumps are of a certain size, the electrons transition energythe energy required for an electron to move from one quantum ring state to anotheraligns with the energy of microwave photons, another type of elementary particle.

This alignment allows for the controlled manipulation of electrons, which is crucial for quantum computing.

This work significantly advances our understanding of the electron-trapping mechanism on a promising quantum computing platform, it not only clarifies puzzling experimental observations but also delivers crucial insights for the design, optimization, and control of electron-on-solid-neon qubits.

Wei Guo, Professor, Florida State University

Guo and collaborators previously demonstrated the feasibility of a solid-state single-electron qubit platform using electrons trapped on solid neon. Recent research has revealed coherence times of up to 0.1 milliseconds100 times longer than the typical 1 microsecond coherence time for conventional semiconductor-based and superconductor-based charge qubits.

The extended coherence time of the electron-on-solid-neon qubit is attributed to the inertness and purity of solid neon. This system also addresses the issue of liquid surface vibrations, a problem inherent in the more extensively studied electron-on-liquid-helium qubit. The current research provides crucial insights into further optimizing the electron-on-solid-neon qubit.

A key aspect of this optimization involves creating qubits that are smooth across most of the solid neon surface while having bumps of the right size where needed. Designers aim to minimize naturally occurring surface bumps that attract disruptive background electrical charge. Simultaneously, intentionally fabricating bumps of the correct size within the microwave resonator on the qubit enhances its ability to trap electrons effectively.

This research underscores the critical need for further study of how different conditions affect neon qubit manufacturing, Neon injection temperatures, and pressure influence the final qubit product. The more control we have over this process, the more precise we can build, and the closer we move to quantum computing that can solve currently unmanageable calculations.

Wei Guo, Professor, Florida State University

Toshiaki Kanai, a Graduate Research Student in the FSU Department of Physics, and Dafei Jin, an Associate Professor at the University of Notre Dame are the Co-authors of the study.

The National Science Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research supported the research.

Kanai, T., et al. (2024) Single-Electron Qubits Based on Quantum Ring States on Solid Neon Surface. Physical Review Letters. doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.250603.

More:

Study Reveals Insights into Electron-on-Solid-Neon Qubits for Quantum Computing - AZoQuantum

A core part of the Israel Innovation Authority's Israel National Quantum Initiative, the center is the first to tightly integrate multiple types of quantum computers with supercomputers using NVIDIA DGX Quantum

TEL AVIV, Israel, June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantum Machines (QM), the leading provider of processor-based quantum controllers, announced the opening of the Israeli Quantum Computing Center (IQCC), a world-class research facility that will serve the quantum computing industry and academic community in Israel and around the world. The center was built with the financial backing and support of the Israel Innovation Authority and is located at Tel Aviv University.

The IQCC's grand opening took place yesterday, June 24th, as part of Tel Aviv University's AI and Cyber Week. The ceremony began with the ribbon-cutting, followed by speeches from Asaf Zamir, First Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv; Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority; Prof. Yaron Oz and Prof. Itzik Ben Israel from Tel Aviv University; and Dr. Itamar Sivan, CEO of Quantum Machines. Industry experts, including Eyal Waldman, co-founder and former CEO of Mellanox, Ofir Zamir, Senior Director of AI Solution Architecture at NVIDIA, and Niv Efron, Senior Director of Engineering at Google, also shared their insights.

About the IQCC:

In the global race to develop practical quantum computing, access to cutting-edge facilities is crucial. "All of the world's most advanced quantum computing research facilities are closed or offer very limited access to those outside of their organization. You can't compete if you need to fly halfway around the world for limited access," said Dr. Itamar Sivan, CEO and co-founder of Quantum Machines. "When we thought about what would propel quantum computing forward, we realized that building the most advanced facility in terms of interoperability, modularity, and integration with high-performance computing (HPC) and the cloud was the way to go. Our open architecture approach will ensure that the facility can be continuously upgraded and scaled to stay at the cutting edge, making it an accelerator for the entire ecosystem in Israel and internationally."

The IQCC is a state-of-the-art quantum and HPC center that uniquely integrates the power of quantum and classical computing resources. It is the first in the world to house multiple co-located quantum computers of different qubit types, all utilizing the NVIDIA DGX Quantum system. This offers on-premises supercomputing resources and cloud accessibility, while being tightly integrated with Quantum Machines' processor-based OPX control system. The center also features the world's best-equipped testbed for developing new quantum computing technologies.

The unified DGX Quantum system for integrated quantum supercomputing was co-developed by NVIDIA and Quantum Machines. DGX Quantum implements NVIDIA CUDA-Q, an open-source software platform for integrated quantum-classical computing. The system features a supercomputing cluster headlined by NVIDIA Grace Hopper superchips and also including NVIDIA DGX H100, all connected to AWS cloud platforms for remote access and to leverage additional cloud computing resources. The center also utilizes QM's new OPX1000 controller, designed to enable scaling to 1,000+ qubits.

"The tight integration of quantum computers with AI supercomputers is essential to the development of useful quantum computing," said Tim Costa, Director of Quantum and HPC at NVIDIA. "This work with Quantum Machines to enable a flagship deployment of NVIDIA DGX Quantum in the IQCC offers researchers the platform they need to grow quantum computing into the era of large-scale, useful applications"

"Before the IQCC, a developer of a quantum processor chip would need to build their own testing setup, costing millions," said Dr. Yonatan Cohen, CTO and co-founder of Quantum Machines. "Now, researchers can plug their chip into our testbed and benefit from the most advanced setup in the world, leveraging NVIDIA and Quantum Machines hardware to accelerate their development process and reduce costs significantly."

The IQCC is open to researchers and developers of quantum computers from around the world. By providing an open, cutting-edge platform for research and development, Quantum Machines aims to accelerate the progress of practical quantum computing and foster collaborative projects with industry leaders that will drive the field forward. The center is poised to become a destination for companies and researchers worldwide, securing Israel's quantum independence and cementing its position as a leader in the quantum computing revolution.

For more information about the IQCC please visit https://i-qcc.com/.

Additional information on technology and partners:

ContactGavriel Cohen Concrete Media for Quantum Machines[emailprotected]

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2447560/Quantum_Machines.jpg

SOURCE Quantum Machines

More:

Quantum Machines opens the Israeli Quantum Computing Center - PR Newswire

IBM Quantum System Two modular quantum computing platform

Over the past year, there has been increasing focus on how quantum computers fit into and link to classic computing architectures. Quantum computers could act as an accelerator to perform complex calculations for certain tasks that are beyond the capabilities of even classical supercomputers. The classical computers or servers are used for preprocessing in the development of quantum algorithms and circuits and for postprocessing to manage the errors, improve the results, and complete the processing task. As is evident from the growing number of AI use cases, AI can enhance classical computing capabilities. So, it stands to reason that AI could also enhance quantum computing capabilities and several companies are working towards achieving this goal.

Even though many people and companies are starting to combine quantum and AI into a single term, the two are very distinct technologies. AI is the training and use of neural network models developed and run on classical computing platforms powered by CPUs, GPUs, NPUs, DSPs, FPGAs, and other traditional binary-processing logic elements. Quantum computers use alternative compute architectures, such as superconducting transmon qubits, to solve very complex problems using quantum physics. While the two require different hardware, software, and support systems, the integration of the two is moving forward, especially for the benefit of quantum computing. IBM is one of the companies paving the way for AI to complement quantum computing development.

IBM is considered the leader in the quantum computing segment with continued advancements in hardware, software, and systems technologies, and with development quantum computers already deployed around the world. IBM is also a leader in AI technology through its watsonx platform, which has logged many advances beginning with its Jeopardy game show win in 2011. Since then, watsonx has evolved to a scalable enterprise platform with the AI studio, data, governance, and assistant solutions. Now IBM is bringing the two technologies together to enhance quantum computing and accelerate its adoption.

In a recent discussion with IBM, the company outlined how it is integrating its AI technology into the Qiskit software to improve the ease of use of the SDK tools and OpenQASM3 (open quantum assembly language). IBM is using its watsonx generative AI platform, leveraging the companys Granite AI model, to generate digital agents capable of providing developer support and quantum code assistance.

In addition, IBM is researching and developing new AI models to improve other critical aspects such as circuit optimization, resource management, and improved error suppression, mitigation, and correction.

As part of its commitment to integrating AI into quantum computing, IBM is also introducing the Qiskit Code Assistant service with a Visual Studio Extension and plans to offer two quantum chatbots one to assist developers and the other to general users of IBM Quantum services.

In terms of circuit optimization, AI models can be embedded as plugins to the Qiskit SDK through a transpiler service or be combined with heuristic methods. According to IBM, the transpiler service provides better mapping of abstract circuits to quantum ISA circuits resulting in up to a 40% improvement in circuit size, better quality, and a 2x to 5x improvement in processing speed.

For resource management, IBM is developing AI solutions to better estimate the quantum runtime, flag workloads that are likely to fail, and partition circuits for parallel processing to better utilize both the classical and quantum resources. This includes leveraging AI supercomputers.

Future heterogeneous data centers will include QPUs

Combined with IBMs aggressive roadmap to reach 100 million gates by the end of the decade and 1 billion gates around 2033, quantum computing is rapidly moving toward the deployment of practical quantum applications over the next few years. As a result, we may begin to see heterogeneous data centers that combine the performance of the latest CPUs, AI accelerators, and QPUs (quantum processing units) by the end of the decade.

IBM Quantum Development & Innovation Roadmaps

More here:

IBM Develops The AI-Quantum Link - Forbes

In a compelling conversation on the InTechnology podcast, Camille Morhardt sat down with James Reinders, a high-performance computing engineer at Intel, to discuss the intersection of high-performance computing (HPC), quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI). Reinders brings a wealth of experience and insight into how these cutting-edge technologies are evolving and what they mean for the future.

Reinders opened by defining high-performance computing as the biggest, baddest, fastest computer you can build to solve very large engineering, scientific, and computational problems. He explained that the term supercomputing emerged in the mid to late seventies when there was a push to build more complex and expensive machines than those used for everyday business processing.

Discussing the evolution of supercomputing, Reinders noted: By the late nineties, standard supercomputers changed from being exotic built machines to ones that consisted of thousands of off-the-shelf processors. This shift marked the end of debates over the scalability of multi-core processors.

Reinders sees quantum computing as a natural extension of high-performance computing.

Quantum computing is pretty specific in the type of problems it can solve, he said. It may not be the best way to solve every problem, but it stands the promise of being phenomenally amazing at modeling the real physical world. He predicts that quantum computing will not displace other architectures but will instead join them, creating a more diverse and capable computational landscape.

On the practical applications of quantum computing, Reinders said: Some of the first uses will clearly be modeling of molecular dynamics, different things in chemistry, and those are incredibly important in solving problems. He predicts quantum computing being used alongside traditional HPC to enhance simulations and solve complex problems more efficiently.

Reinders is particularly excited about the integration of AI techniques with traditional HPC workloads. He shared an example of how AI is being used to replace Monte Carlo operations in molecular dynamics simulations.

They took a neural network, a GAN network, and trained it by letting it watch Monte Carlo operations, he said. The results were really exciting; it was able to do simulations that seemed to give us comparable answers at a fraction of the compute power.

Looking to the future, Reinders stressed the importance of collaboration between different computational technologies.

I think quantum computing as it matures will become another form of supercomputing. It will join the fold rather than replace existing technologies, he said. This integration will enhance our ability to tackle complex problems, from climate forecasting to disease modeling.

Reinders concluded by reflecting on the broader implications of these advancements.

The biggest cost in running a computer is moving data around, Reinders noted, highlighting the ongoing efforts to improve data transfer efficiency and reduce power consumption.

These enhancements will boost performance and make high-performance computing more accessible and cost-effective.

Reinders, then, gave us a peek of what the future in high-performance computing, quantum computing and artificial intelligence looks like and how it will work toward achieving innovative solutions to problems that were almost insurmountable by the human race in the past.

See the rest here:

How High-Performance Computing Is Shaping the Future of Quantum & AI , From Intel's James Reinders - The Quantum Insider

Researchers developed a modular fabrication process to produce a quantum-system-on-chip that integrates an array of artificial atom qubits onto a semiconductor chip. Credit: Sampson Wilcox and Linsen Li, RLE, edited

A new quantum-system-on-chip enables the efficient control of a large array of qubits, advancing toward practical quantum computing.

Researchers at MIT and MITRE have developed a scalable, modular quantum hardware platform, incorporating thousands of qubits on a single chip, promising enhanced control and scalability. Utilizing diamond color centers, this new architecture supports extensive quantum communication networks and introduces an innovative lock-and-release fabrication process to efficiently integrate these qubits with existing semiconductor technologies.

Imagine being able to quickly solve extremely complex problems that might take the worlds most powerful supercomputer decades to crack. This is the promise of quantum computers.

However, realizing this capability requires constructing a system with millions of interconnected building blocks called qubits. Making and controlling so many qubits in a hardware architecture is an enormous challenge that scientists around the world are striving to meet.

Toward this goal, researchers at MIT and MITRE have demonstrated a scalable, modular hardware platform that integrates thousands of interconnected qubits onto a customized integrated circuit. This quantum-system-on-chip (QSoC) architecture enables the researchers to precisely tune and control a dense array of qubits. Multiple chips could be connected using optical networking to create a large-scale quantum communication network.

By tuning qubits across 11 frequency channels, this QSoC architecture allows for a new proposed protocol of entanglement multiplexing for large-scale quantum computing.

The team spent years perfecting an intricate process for manufacturing two-dimensional arrays of atom-sized qubit microchiplets and transferring thousands of them onto a carefully prepared complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip. This transfer can be performed in a single step.

We will need a large number of qubits, and great control over them, to really leverage the power of a quantum system and make it useful. We are proposing a brand new architecture and a fabrication technology that can support the scalability requirements of a hardware system for a quantum computer, says Linsen Li, an electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) graduate student and lead author of a paper on this architecture.

Lis co-authors include Ruonan Han, an associate professor in EECS, leader of the Terahertz Integrated Electronics Group, and member of the Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE); senior author Dirk Englund, professor of EECS, principal investigator of the Quantum Photonics and Artificial Intelligence Group and of RLE; as well as others at MIT, Cornell University, the Delft Institute of Technology, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, and the MITRE Corporation. The paper was published recently in Nature.

While there are many types of qubits, the researchers chose to use diamond color centers because of their scalability advantages. They previously used such qubits to produce integrated quantum chips with photonic circuitry.

Qubits made from diamond color centers are artificial atoms that carry quantum information. Because diamond color centers are solid-state systems, the qubit manufacturing is compatible with modern semiconductor fabrication processes. They are also compact and have relatively long coherence times, which refers to the amount of time a qubits state remains stable, due to the clean environment provided by the diamond material.

In addition, diamond color centers have photonic interfaces which allows them to be remotely entangled, or connected, with other qubits that arent adjacent to them.

The conventional assumption in the field is that the inhomogeneity of the diamond color center is a drawback compared to identical quantum memory like ions and neutral atoms. However, we turn this challenge into an advantage by embracing the diversity of the artificial atoms: Each atom has its own spectral frequency. This allows us to communicate with individual atoms by voltage tuning them into resonance with a laser, much like tuning the dial on a tiny radio, says Englund.

This is especially difficult because the researchers must achieve this at a large scale to compensate for the qubit inhomogeneity in a large system.

To communicate across qubits, they need to have multiple such quantum radios dialed into the same channel. Achieving this condition becomes near-certain when scaling to thousands of qubits. To this end, the researchers surmounted that challenge by integrating a large array of diamond color center qubits onto a CMOS chip which provides the control dials. The chip can be incorporated with built-in digital logic that rapidly and automatically reconfigures the voltages, enabling the qubits to reach full connectivity.

This compensates for the in-homogenous nature of the system. With the CMOS platform, we can quickly and dynamically tune all the qubit frequencies, Li explains.

To build this QSoC, the researchers developed a fabrication process to transfer diamond color center microchiplets onto a CMOS backplane at a large scale.

They started by fabricating an array of diamond color center microchiplets from a solid block of diamond. They also designed and fabricated nanoscale optical antennas that enable more efficient collection of the photons emitted by these color center qubits in free space.

Then, they designed and mapped out the chip from the semiconductor foundry. Working in the MIT.nano cleanroom, they post-processed a CMOS chip to add microscale sockets that match up with the diamond microchiplet array.

They built an in-house transfer setup in the lab and applied a lock-and-release process to integrate the two layers by locking the diamond microchiplets into the sockets on the CMOS chip. Since the diamond microchiplets are weakly bonded to the diamond surface, when they release the bulk diamond horizontally, the microchiplets stay in the sockets.

Because we can control the fabrication of both the diamond and the CMOS chip, we can make a complementary pattern. In this way, we can transfer thousands of diamond chiplets into their corresponding sockets all at the same time, Li says.

The researchers demonstrated a 500-micron by 500-micron area transfer for an array with 1,024 diamond nanoantennas, but they could use larger diamond arrays and a larger CMOS chip to further scale up the system. In fact, they found that with more qubits, tuning the frequencies actually requires less voltage for this architecture.

In this case, if you have more qubits, our architecture will work even better, Li says.

The team tested many nanostructures before they determined the ideal microchiplet array for the lock-and-release process. However, making quantum microchiplets is no easy task, and the process took years to perfect.

We have iterated and developed the recipe to fabricate these diamond nanostructures in MIT cleanroom, but it is a very complicated process. It took 19 steps of nanofabrication to get the diamond quantum microchiplets, and the steps were not straightforward, he adds.

Alongside their QSoC, the researchers developed an approach to characterize the system and measure its performance on a large scale. To do this, they built a custom cryo-optical metrology setup.

Using this technique, they demonstrated an entire chip with over 4,000 qubits that could be tuned to the same frequency while maintaining their spin and optical properties. They also built a digital twin simulation that connects the experiment with digitized modeling, which helps them understand the root causes of the observed phenomenon and determine how to efficiently implement the architecture.

In the future, the researchers could boost the performance of their system by refining the materials they used to make qubits or developing more precise control processes. They could also apply this architecture to other solid-state quantum systems.

Reference: Heterogeneous integration of spinphoton interfaces with a CMOS platform by Linsen Li, Lorenzo De Santis, Isaac B. W. Harris, Kevin C. Chen, Yihuai Gao, Ian Christen, Hyeongrak Choi, Matthew Trusheim, Yixuan Song, Carlos Errando-Herranz, Jiahui Du, Yong Hu, Genevieve Clark, Mohamed I. Ibrahim, Gerald Gilbert, Ruonan Han and Dirk Englund, 29 May 2024, Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07371-7

This work was supported by the MITRE Corporation Quantum Moonshot Program, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Army Research Office, the Center for Quantum Networks, and the European Unions Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program.

Read the original post:

MIT's Diamond Qubits Redefine the Future of Quantum Computing - SciTechDaily

Could a three-day week be the routine of an average European with advanced quantum computing? We spoke with experts on the continent.

When Emma Mller, a 44-year-old German woman, wakes up each morning, she already has a detailed plan for her health status, dietary suggestions, and exercise recommendations to optimise her day.

She also works only three days a week, thanks to her high productivity levels.

Will we ever live Mllers idyllic life? Is this the promised heaven of a future foretold by advanced quantum computing? When will it happen? Will it be our generation or the ones to come?

For now, it remains pure science fiction, speculation rooted in the promise of advanced quantum technology.

What is real is that IBM's first European Quantum Data Centre is expected to be operational in Ehningen, Germany, by the end of 2024.

"Europe has some of the world's most advanced users of quantum computers," said Jay Gambetta, Vice President of IBM Quantum.

Euronews Tech Talks has interviewed quantum computing experts across the continent to provide a current perspective.

Frank William Marshall, a theoretical physicist at the cultural center of Munich and a leader at the European Quantum Technology Flagship, oversees projects developing quantum computing hardware systems.

He says strong development is happening in superconducting platforms in Delft (Netherlands), Munich and Jlich (Germany), Gothenburg (Sweden), and Helsinki (Finland).

Javier Aizpurua, the Scientific Director of Basque Quantum, notes that IBM will deploy its sixth quantum computer in the world next year in the Basque Country, in northern Spain".

The Basque ecosystem is characterized by strong, fundamental research in materials science, physics, chemistry, and materials engineering.

This foundation was crucial when exploring the potential of deploying a quantum computer to aid in computing and designing these materials, physical processes, and chemical compounds".

Ignacio Cirac, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, said "there are many expectations surrounding quantum computation in the media and industry.

"However, it's very difficult to turn these expectations into reality," he added. "It's crucial that people have the patience to wait for these developments to materialise".

Original post:

Could 3-day workweeks be possible thanks to advanced quantum computing? - Euronews

Editors note: How Quantum Computing Is Already Changing the World was previously published in May 2024. It has since been updated to include the most relevant information available.

Im a history junkie. So, in this Monday issue of Hypergrowth Investing, let me share an interesting story that I bet a lot of you have never heard before.

And interestingly enough, it could be the key to helping you capitalize on the AI Revolution.

Back in October of 1927, the worlds leading scientists descended upon Brussels for the fifthSolvay Conference an exclusive, invite-only conference that is dedicated to discussing and solving the outstanding preeminent open problems in physics and chemistry.

In attendance were scientists that, today, we praise as the brightest minds in the history of mankind.

Albert Einstein was there; so was Erwin Schrodinger, who devised the famous Schrodingers cat experiment, and Werner Heisenberg, the man behind the world-changing Heisenberg uncertainty principle and Louis de Broglie, Max Born, Niels Bohr, Max Planck.

The list goes on and on. Of the 29 scientists who met in Brussels in October 1927, 17 of them went on to win a Nobel Prize.

These are the minds that collectively created the scientific foundation upon which the modern world is built.

And yet, when they all descended upon Brussels nearly 94 years ago, they were stumped by one concept. Its one that, for nearly a century, has remained the elusive key to unlocking humankinds full potential.

And now, for the first time ever, that concept is turning into a disruptive reality through breakthrough technology that will change the world as we know it.

So what exactly were Einstein, Schrodinger, Heisenberg and the rest of those Nobel laureates talking about in Brussels back in 1927?

Quantum mechanics.

Ill start by saying that the underlying physics of this breakthrough quantum mechanics is highly complex. It would likely require over 500 pages to fully understand.

But, alas, heres my best job at making a Cliffs Notes version in 500 words instead.

For centuries, scientists have developed, tested, and validated the laws of the physical world, known as classical mechanics. These scientifically explain how and why things work, where they come from, so on and so forth.

But in 1897, J.J. Thomson discovered the electron. And he unveiled a new, subatomic world of super-small things that didnt obey the laws of classical mechanics at all. Instead, they obeyed their own set of rules, which have since become known as quantum mechanics.

The rules of quantum mechanics differ from that of classical mechanics in two very weird, almost-magical ways.

First, in classical mechanics, objects are in one place at one time. You are either at the store or at home, not both.

But in quantum mechanics, subatomic particles can theoretically exist in multiple places at once before theyre observed. A single subatomic particle can exist in point A and point B at the same time until we observe it. And at that point, it only exists at either point A or point B.

So, the true location of a subatomic particle is some combination of all its possible positions.

This is calledquantumsuperposition.

Second, in classical mechanics, objects can only work with things that are also real. You cant use an imaginary friend to help move the couch. You need a real friend instead.

But in quantum mechanics, all of those probabilistic states of subatomic particles are not independent. Theyre entangled. That is, if we know something about the probabilistic positioning of one subatomic particle, then we know something about the probabilistic positioning of another subatomic particle meaning that these already super-complex particles can actually work together to create a super-complex ecosystem.

This is called quantum entanglement.

So in short, subatomic particles can theoretically have multiple probabilistic states at once, and all those probabilistic states can work together again, all at once to accomplish their task.

And that, in a nutshell, is the scientific breakthrough that stumped Einstein back in the early 1900s.

It goes against everything classical mechanics had taught us about the world. It goes against common sense. But its true. Its real. And now, for the first time ever, we are learninghow to harness this unique phenomenon to change everything about everything

This is why the U.S. government is pushing forward on developing a National Quantum Internet in southwest Chicago. It understands that this tech could be more revolutionary than the discovery of fire or the invention of the wheel.

I couldnt agree more.

Mark my words. Everything will change over the next few years because of quantum mechanics and some investors will make a lot of money.

The study of quantum theory has led to huge advancements over the past century. Thats especially true over the past decade. Scientists at leading tech companies have started to figure out how to harness the power of quantum mechanics to make a new generation of superquantum computers.And theyre infinitely faster and more powerful than even todays fastest supercomputers.

Again, the physics behind quantum computers is highly complex, but heres my shortened version

Todays computers are built on top of the laws of classical mechanics. That is, they store information on what are calledbits, which can store data binarily as either 1 or 0.

But what if you could turn those classical bits into quantum bits qubits to leverage superpositioning to be both 1 and 0 stores at once?

Further, what if you could leverage entanglement and have all multi-state qubits work together to solve computationally taxing problems?

Theoretically, youd create a machine with so much computational power that it would make todays most advanced supercomputers seem ancient.

Thats exactly whats happening today.

Googlehas built a quantum computer that is about158 million times fasterthan the worlds fastest supercomputer.

Thats not hyperbole. Thats a real number.

Imagine the possibilities if we could broadly create a new set of quantum computers that are 158 million times faster than even todays fastest computers

Imagine what AI could do.

Today, AI is already being used to discover and develop new drugs and automate manual labor tasks like cooking, cleaning, and packaging products. It is already being used to write legal briefs, craft ads, create movie scripts, and more.

And thats with AI built on top of classical computers.

But built upon quantum computers computer that are a 158 million times faster than classical computers AI will be able to donearly everything.

The economic opportunities at the convergence of artificial intelligence and quantum computing are truly endless.

Quantum computing is agame-changerthats flying under the radar.

Its not just another breakthrough its the seismic shift weve been waiting for, rivaling the impact of the internet and the discovery of fire itself.

We think the top stocks at the convergence of AI and QC havea realistic opportunity to soar 1,000%over the next few years alone.

So which stocks should you be buying right now? And which should you be selling?

Those are the billion-dollar questions we need to answer now if we want to make big money from top AI stocks in 2024.

Which is why I went public with all the details aboutArea 52

A stretch of land in the midwest where the U.S. government is covertly testing whats set to becomethe worlds first quadrillion-dollar technology.

In this brief presentation, I reveal the reason this technology could revolutionize everything

And how atiny company poised to bring this breakthrough tech mainstream could 79X your investment in the months ahead

On the date of publication, Luke Lango did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

P.S. You can stay up to speed with Lukes latest market analysis by reading our Daily Notes! Check out the latest issue on yourInnovation InvestororEarly Stage Investorsubscriber site.

See the original post here:

How Quantum Computing Is Already Changing the World - InvestorPlace

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms.

You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

Read more:

The Impact of Quantum Computing on Fintech - iTMunch