Qubit Community Weekly Newsletter #14
Dear Qubit Community Members,
We are excited to bring you the 14th 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!
Business and Investments
Quantum Source Secures $50 Million for Photonic Quantum Computing Revolution – Quantum Source, an Israeli company, raised $50 million in Series A funding led by Eclipse to accelerate the development of scalable photonic quantum computers. Combining photonic and atomic qubits, Quantum Source aims to create fault-tolerant, large-scale quantum systems more efficiently. With over $77 million in total funding, the company is well-positioned to commercialize quantum solutions that could transform industries such as drug design, material development, and cybersecurity. Their novel approach significantly boosts the efficiency of photon entanglement.
For further information: https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-photonic-quantum-computer-co-quantum-source-raises-50m-1001488820
How Innovative is China in Quantum Technology – China leads in quantum communications, with significant government funding and breakthroughs like the Micius satellite and the Beijing-Shanghai quantum network. However, it lags behind the U.S. in quantum computing and has a mixed performance in quantum sensing. China's approach focuses on rapid commercialization of existing technologies, while relying on domestic innovation hubs like Hefei’s Quantum Avenue. Despite large public investments, China’s insular strategy limits global collaboration, posing long-term risks in maintaining innovation.
For further information: https://itif.org/publications/2024/09/09/how-innovative-is-china-in-quantum/
Technology and Engineering
IonQ Achieves Breakthrough 99.9% Gate Fidelity on Barium Platform – IonQ has reached a significant milestone by achieving over 99.9% two-qubit gate fidelity on its next-gen barium platform. This development is a critical step towards building IonQ Tempo, a scalable, high-performance quantum computer aimed at commercial applications. By leveraging barium ions, IonQ is improving quantum stability, accuracy, and speed, reducing the need for error correction. This breakthrough brings the company closer to delivering robust quantum solutions for complex industry challenges.
For further information: https://ionq.com/news/ionq-achieves-industry-breakthrough-first-trapped-ion-quantum-system-to
Qubitekk and EPB Quantum Network Power Oak Ridge’s First Commercial Quantum Test – For the first time, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) tested its Automatic Polarization Compensation (APC) technology on a commercial quantum network, powered by Qubitekk’s EPB Quantum Network. This marks a crucial step in validating quantum technologies for real-world applications. Collaborating with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the project aims to advance quantum communications, with potential impacts on sectors like energy, healthcare, and security.
For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/09/11/qubitekk-powered-epb-quantum-network-hosts-oak-ridge-national-laboratorys-first-run-on-a-commercial-quantum-network/
EPB Quantum Network Website:
https://quantum.epb.com/
Boeing to Launch Quantum Networking Satellite Q4S in 2026 – Boeing plans to launch its experimental Q4S satellite in 2026, aiming to push the boundaries of quantum networking technology. By creating quantum entanglement between photon pairs, the Q4S satellite will enable ultra-precise timing, sensing, and secure communications over long distances. This project moves beyond current Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) experiments, with potential applications in military networks, sensors, and quantum computing. Boeing’s successful lab tests pave the way for this ambitious space-based quantum technology.
For further information: https://breakingdefense.com/2024/09/boeing-to-launch-experimental-quantum-networking-satellite-q4s-in-2026/
Aliro Partners with Air Force to Enhance Quantum Network Simulations – Aliro has partnered with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to advance quantum network simulations using Aliro's entanglement-based quantum network simulator. This collaboration focuses on evaluating and optimizing quantum network infrastructure, with applications in secure communications and quantum computing. Aliro's software will help AFRL simulate and test quantum components and configurations, facilitating the development of robust quantum networks for military and commercial uses.
For further information: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240910658943/en/Aliro-Expands-Relationship-with-U.S.-Air-Force-for-Quantum-Networking
Microsoft Unveils Best Performing Logical Qubits, Expands Azure Quantum Access – Microsoft has announced a major leap in quantum computing with the development of the best-performing logical qubits on record, boasting a 22x improvement in error rates. The company achieved this through partnerships with Quantinuum and Atom Computing. Additionally, Microsoft will offer priority access to these advancements via Azure Quantum, their cloud-based quantum platform. This progress marks a crucial step toward scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing for real-world applications.
For further information: https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2024/09/10/microsoft-announces-the-best-performing-logical-qubits-on-record-and-will-provide-priority-access-to-reliable-quantum-hardware-in-azure-quantum/
Quantinuum Unveils Ambitious Roadmap to Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing by 2030 – Quantinuum has announced an accelerated roadmap to achieve universal, fault-tolerant quantum computing by 2030. Key milestones include the launch of their fifth-generation quantum computer, Apollo, which will handle circuits with millions of gates, and a significant partnership with Microsoft. Quantinuum aims to unlock vast commercial and scientific applications, advancing fields like AI, finance, and chemistry, positioning themselves as a leader in the quantum computing revolution.
For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/09/10/quantinuum-unveils-accelerated-roadmap-to-achieve-universal-fault-tolerant-quantum-computing-by-2030/
Qiskit Serverless Brings Quantum Computing to the Cloud, Teases New Functions – IBM Quantum's latest update introduces Qiskit Serverless, allowing quantum tasks to be run in the cloud without using local resources, making quantum computing more scalable and accessible. Users can configure jobs locally and execute them remotely, improving efficiency for complex quantum-classical workloads. Alongside this, IBM teases the upcoming Qiskit Functions — a library of pre-built tools for quantum computing, further streamlining workflows for researchers and businesses alike.
For the documentation: https://docs.quantum.ibm.com/guides/serverless
For GitHub repo: https://github.com/Qiskit/qiskit-serverless
Research
A Step Toward Quantum Information Storage – Researchers from Delft University have made significant progress toward quantum information storage by manipulating atomic spins. Using a scanning tunneling microscope, they controlled the interaction between an electron's spin and the nucleus of a titanium-47 atom. This created a synchronized wobble between the two, preserving quantum information without loss. This breakthrough demonstrates potential for nuclear spins to serve as robust storage for quantum data, shielded from environmental disturbances, advancing the field of quantum computing.
For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/09/13/quantum-researchers-cobble-together-particles-that-wobble-together-in-a-step-toward-quantum-information-storage/
For the research paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-52270-0
Scientists Explore Harmonic Oscillators for Scalable Quantum Computing – Researchers are leveraging harmonic oscillators combined with the Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) encoding to develop scalable solutions for logical qubits. This method reduces hardware demands while maintaining error correction efficiency, allowing for more stable quantum computing. The University of Sydney and Q-CTRL demonstrated high-fidelity qubit operations using this approach, but challenges like motional dephasing and finite-energy distortions persist. The innovation moves quantum computing closer to practical scalability.
For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/09/11/scientists-harness-harmonic-oscillators-as-a-scalable-solution-for-logical-qubits/
For the research paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.05455
Kipu Quantum's New Algorithm Outshines Existing Techniques in Quantum Optimization – Kipu Quantum has developed the BF-DCQO algorithm, surpassing both quantum and classical optimization methods in testing on a 156-qubit IBM quantum processor. Designed for higher-order binary optimization (HUBO), the algorithm outperforms standard techniques like quantum annealing and classical approaches, showing promising scalability with IBM's upcoming 433-qubit processor. This advancement may signal the dawn of the commercial quantum advantage era, revolutionizing fields like logistics and computational biology.
For the research paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.04477