Qubit Community Weekly Newsletter #25

Welcome to another issue of our newsletter!

We’re thrilled to spotlight an exciting journey toward our upcoming Quantum Hackathon on 30.12.24! Earlier this week had an incredible preparation workshop at Classiq, where participants explored cutting-edge quantum tools and techniques in preparation for the big day. The energy and enthusiasm were truly inspiring, setting the stage for an unforgettable hackathon experience.

Dive in for the latest updates, community highlights, and ways to get involved in this thrilling event and beyond. Let’s make quantum magic happen together!

Best Regards,
Qubit.IL Team

Technology and Engineering

1. Nokia and Turkcell Pioneer Quantum-Safe Cryptography in Mobile Networks – Nokia and Turkcell have achieved a significant milestone in telecommunications security by demonstrating quantum-safe IPsec cryptography for mobile subscribers—the first deployment of its kind. This collaboration addresses the potential threats posed by quantum computing to traditional encryption methods. By integrating quantum-safe cryptography into Turkcell's mobile transport network using Nokia's IPsec Security Gateway, the partnership ensures that data packets are securely encrypted at the network layer. This proactive approach aims to safeguard sensitive information against future quantum-era vulnerabilities. As the telecommunications industry anticipates the advent of quantum computing, this successful demonstration by Nokia and Turkcell sets a precedent for adopting quantum-resistant security measures, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of mobile communications in the future.

   For further information: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/12/20/3000383/0/en/Nokia-and-Turkcell-Demonstrate-Industry-Leading-Quantum-Safe-Protection-for-Mobile-Subscribers.html

2. SEALSQ and Hedera Collaborate to Enhance Blockchain Security with Quantum-Resistant Chips – SEALSQ Corp and Hedera have announced a strategic partnership to integrate SEALSQ's quantum-resistant hardware, including the QS7001 platform, with Hedera's blockchain technology. This collaboration aims to protect critical infrastructures from potential quantum threats. SEALSQ is currently testing its QS7001 platform, which is scheduled for production and delivery in 2025. The company emphasizes the platform's wide applicability across various industries, such as authentication, smart energy, and industrial automation. The Hashgraph Group, a Swiss-based venture capital and technology company within the Hedera ecosystem, supports the global adoption of quantum-secure infrastructures. Through this partnership, SEALSQ and Hedera aim to provide resilient systems that ensure secure communications and data integrity in the emerging quantum era.

   For further information: https://www.sealsq.com/investors/news-releases/sealsq-partnering-with-hedera-in-the-next-generation-of-post-quantum-semiconductors

3. Quantinuum Explores Quantum Computing to Enhance AI Efficiency and Transparency – Quantinuum researchers propose leveraging quantum natural language processing (QNLP) to address inefficiencies and opacity in large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. Their framework, DisCoCirc, transforms text into quantum circuits, enabling models to comprehend complex relationships more effectively. This approach aims to make AI systems more interpretable and energy-efficient, potentially surpassing classical LLMs in reasoning tasks. Quantinuum envisions integrating quantum computers with AI and high-performance computing to unlock transformative applications in language processing and beyond.

   For further information: https://medium.com/quantinuum/talking-quantum-circuits-8ffbddab8c2f

4. Italian Collaboration Trials Quantum Key Distribution for Enhanced Fiber Optic Security – Retelit, Telebit, and ThinkQuantum have successfully tested Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) over a single optical fiber, demonstrating its potential to secure data transmission without the need for additional dedicated channels. The trial combined Retelit's fiber-optic infrastructure, ThinkQuantum's quantum devices developed with the University of Padua, and Telebit's system integration expertise. This collaboration proved QKD's scalability, cost-effectiveness, and interference-free performance, highlighting its viability for sectors handling sensitive data, such as finance, healthcare, energy, and government. QKD utilizes the principles of quantum mechanics to provide unbreakable encryption by detecting any interception attempts, thereby preventing data theft. This advancement addresses the growing risk of cyberattacks, especially with the rapid diffusion of AI and generative AI technologies. The trial took place between two points of presence in Treviso and Venice Mestre, using Retelit's fiber-optic network infrastructure. ThinkQuantum provided quantum devices developed in collaboration with the QTech experimental center at the University of Padua, and Telebit ensured seamless integration, connecting the optical fiber and quantum devices. This successful demonstration marks a significant step toward implementing quantum-safe encryption in existing communication infrastructures, ensuring secure data transmission in the quantum computing era.

   For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/12/17/retelit-telebit-and-thinkquantum-trial-quantum-key-distribution-for-fiber-optic-communications/

Research

1. China's Zuchongzhi 3.0 Quantum Computer Rivals Google's Willow in Performance – Chinese researchers have announced that their Zuchongzhi 3.0 superconducting quantum computer has achieved a computational feat that would take the world's fastest classical supercomputer, Frontier, over 6.4 billion years to complete. The Zuchongzhi 3.0 system features 105 qubits with high operational fidelities, including single-qubit gate fidelity of 99.90%, two-qubit gate fidelity of 99.62%, and readout fidelity of 99.18%. In a recent experiment, it performed random circuit sampling with 83 qubits over 32 cycles, completing one million samples in mere seconds. This performance surpasses prior benchmarks set by Google's Sycamore processor and places the classical simulation cost six orders of magnitude beyond Google's SYC-67 and SYC-70 experiments. While both Zuchongzhi 3.0 and Google's Willow processor house 105 qubits, their research focuses differ. Zuchongzhi 3.0 emphasizes scale and speed, demonstrating quantum advantage through complex computational tasks. In contrast, Willow advances fault tolerance, a critical aspect for practical quantum applications, by achieving significant milestones in quantum error correction.

   For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/12/19/chinese-researchers-say-latest-zuchongzhi-3-0-experimental-run-matches-willows-performance/

   For the research paper: https://arxiv.org/html/2412.11924v1

2. Planckian Introduces 'Conveyor-Belt' Architecture to Overcome Quantum Computing Wiring Challenges – Planckian, a quantum technology innovator, has unveiled a novel superconducting quantum chip architecture designed to address the wiring complexities that hinder the scalability of quantum computers. Traditional superconducting quantum computers require individual control lines for each qubit, leading to intricate and unwieldy wiring as systems expand. Planckian's new design employs a shared control line to manipulate multiple qubits simultaneously, significantly reducing wiring complexity. This "conveyor-belt" architecture, initially proposed by MIT's Professor Seth Lloyd, enables global control of qubits while supporting universal quantum computation. Planckian's approach builds upon their previous research, which introduced methods to leverage interactions between qubits to allow multiple qubits to be addressed through a single control line. This progression underscores the company's commitment to overcoming the engineering challenges that have traditionally impeded the development of large-scale quantum computers. This innovative architecture holds promise for the future of quantum computing, offering a pathway to more manageable and scalable systems by resolving one of the field's most persistent hardware challenges.

   For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/12/17/planckian-develops-new-superconducting-quantum-computer-architecture-to-solve-critical-wiring-problem/

   For the research paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2407.01182

3. Researchers Develop Quantum-Enhanced Microfluidic Chemical Detection System – A team of researchers has developed a highly sensitive chemical detection system by integrating quantum sensing with droplet microfluidics. The system utilizes nanodiamonds containing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers, encapsulated within microscopic liquid droplets. This design enhances measurement stability, reduces noise, and lowers costs compared to traditional single-crystal diamond sensors. The platform demonstrated detection limits as low as 100 nanomolar for paramagnetic ions, indicating its potential for applications in portable diagnostics, single-cell analysis, and environmental monitoring. The research involved collaboration among institutions including the University of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Adamas Nanotechnologies Inc., and the CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars Program in Canada. This advancement opens new possibilities for probing reactions in confined environments and could revolutionize single-cell metabolomics by detecting reactive oxygen species (ROS) inside individual cells, thereby monitoring cellular metabolism with unprecedented detail.

   For further information: https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/12/17/researchers-drop-new-chemical-detection-system-that-unites-quantum-sensing-with-microfluidics/

   For the research paper: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp4033