Qubit Community Weekly Newsletter #16

Dear Qubit Community Members,

We are excited to bring you the 16^th edition of our Qubit community newsletter! We are thrilled to share the latest advancements, discussions, and events happening in the vibrant world of quantum technologies.

This newsletter is packed with insights, updates, and opportunities to connect with fellow quantum enthusiasts.

Stay connected, stay curious, and let's continue to push the boundaries of what's possible together.

Happy reading!

National Programs

1. IonQ Secures $54.5 Million Contract with U.S. Air Force for Quantum Networking – IonQ has announced a $54.5 million contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to develop quantum networking technology. The four-year contract will focus on scaling, networking, and making quantum systems deployable, with the goal of integrating quantum capabilities into future defense operations. This contract adds to IonQ's impressive $72.8 million in bookings for 2024, as the company continues to expand its partnerships with government and enterprise clients like AWS and the University of Maryland.

   For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/09/27/ionq-announces-54-5-million-contract-with-united-states-air-force-research-lab/

Technology and Engineering

1. AI and Quantum Computing Revolutionize Materials Discovery – a joint report from SandboxAQ and EY highlights how AI combined with quantum computing is transforming materials discovery, significantly speeding up the traditionally slow and costly process. By integrating quantum-inspired simulations and AI, researchers can predict material behaviors faster and more accurately, addressing key challenges like battery degradation and energy storage. This innovation democratizes access to advanced research tools, allowing even smaller companies to compete in materials science innovation.

   For further information: https://go.sandboxaq.com/rs/175-UKR-711/images/Accelerating-New-Chemicals-Materials-With-AI-driven-Simulation.pdf

2. Quantum Open-Source Foundation (QOSF) Monthly Challenge – QOSF monthly challenge is back with collaboration with Classiq. September 2024 challenge is tackling the problem of "Sparse State-Preparation".

   Challenge link: https://github.com/qosf/monthly-challenges/tree/main/challenge-2024.09-sep

Research

1. Quantum Machine Learning Boosts Lung Cancer Detection Accuracy – Quantum machine learning (QML) is showing promise in enhancing the accuracy of early lung cancer detection, a disease known for its high mortality rates due to late diagnosis. A recent study presented at the 2024 Asia Pacific Conference highlights two QML models—Pegasos QSVC and Variational Quantum Classifier (VQC)—with Pegasos QSVC achieving 85% accuracy. This model's ability to process high-dimensional data efficiently outshines traditional approaches, though challenges with scalability and hardware limitations remain.

   For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/09/28/utilizing-quantum-machine-learning-for-improved-accuracy-in-lung-cancer-detection/

   For the research paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10673456

2. Majorana Fermion Discovery Paves the Way for Advanced Quantum Computing – a recent breakthrough in quantum research has demonstrated how quantum interference within nano-scale circuits can create particles that behave like half-electrons, known as Majorana fermions. This discovery, led by researchers at University College Dublin and IIT Dhanbad, offers significant potential for advancing topological quantum computers. Majorana fermions, theorized since 1937, could play a crucial role in future quantum technologies, marking a key milestone for both fundamental physics and quantum computing.

   For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/09/24/majorana-fermion-produced-by-quantum-interference-in-a-nano-scale-circuit/

   For the research paper: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.076501

3. Breakthrough in Quantum Energy Teleportation for Future Computing – Physicists at Purdue University have unveiled a groundbreaking protocol that enables energy teleportation and storage using quantum computers. Building on prior research, they developed a method that teleports energy from a quasi-vacuum state and stores it using a third qubit. This innovation overcomes previous limitations where energy was lost, opening the door for future quantum computing applications, such as enhanced energy management and triggering controlled chemical reactions.

   For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/09/23/physicists-unlock-new-protocol-for-energy-teleportation-and-storage-using-quantum-computers/

   For the research paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.03973v1

4. Quantum Machine Learning Benchmarking Reveals Surprising Classical Advantage – a recent study benchmarked 12 quantum machine learning models on six binary classification tasks using 160 datasets. The results showed that classical machine learning models outperformed quantum classifiers overall. Notably, quantum models without entanglement performed as well or better, questioning the necessity of "quantumness" for small tasks. This study, based on the PennyLane framework, highlights five critical questions for quantum model design, emphasizing the need for robust experimentation beyond commercial narratives.

   For the research paper:https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.07059v1