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Enjoy today’s breakdown of news, research, events & jobs within quantum.

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IN TODAY’S ISSUE:

Tags: COLLABORATION NEUTRAL ATOMS NOVEL FRAMEWORKS QUANTUM SIMULATION ALGORITHMS PHOTONIC QUANTUM NETWORKS QUANTUM SENSING

• Aramco has partnered with Pasqal to install a 200-qubit quantum computer in Saudi Arabia by late 2025

• New classes of exactly solvable qubit Hamiltonians reduce the number of measurements needed in quantum simulations

• Researchers have identified a carbon-related defect with a spin-triplet electronic ground state in hexagonal boron nitride at room temperature showing prolonged spin coherence

• A proposed hybrid quantum-assisted simulator combines classical and quantum resources to simulate large systems while reducing resource consumption

• Plus, details from IBM on Moderna collaboration for predicting mRNA structures, QuERA CCO speaks on trend of quantum computers installed alongside supercomputers, adiabatic quantum computers for extracting features from low-res satellite images, and a new hybrid quantum neural simulated annealing framework (bonus points if you can remember those words in the correct order)

Check out NEW POLLS!

BRIEF BYTES

NEWS FOR THOSE IN A HURRY

• Many leading biopharma companies are piloting quantum computing projects, focusing on areas like drug discovery, protein folding, and optimizing therapeutic interventions. IBM presents a breakdown of their work with Moderna to apply quantum computing in biotech, particularly in predicting mRNA structures and advancing RNA-based therapeutics. The goal of the partnership is to accelerate the development of new treatments and vaccines, which would also reduce costs and speed up timelines for bringing new therapies to market.

• Yuval Boger, Chief Commercial Officer at QuERA, breaks down the trend of on-premise installation of quantum computers alongside supercomputers, and how this relates to the future of AI.

• This study evaluates the performance of adiabatic quantum computers in extracting features from low-resolution satellite images, comparing three generations of D-Wave devices against classical solvers, and finding that while quantum devices still underperform overall, the latest AQCs show promise in smaller instances and demonstrate incremental improvements.

• This paper from the Bank of Canada provides a deep dive into the adoption of digital currencies by firms as an alternative to traditional banking methods and introduces a methodology quantum unconstrained binary optimization to address and solve network formation games on quantum computers.

• This paper presents a hybrid quantum neural simulated annealing framework that combines classical simulated annealing with quantum neural networks to tackle large-scale problems that outperform traditional methods.

TOP HEADLINES IN NEWS & RESEARCH

NEWS

Tags: COLLABORATION NEUTRAL ATOMS

BRIEF BYTE:  Aramco has partnered with Pasqal to install Saudi Arabia's first quantum compute by late 2025. The project includes upgrading the quantum computer to a hybrid analog-digital mode for more complex problem-solving.

WHAT HAPPENED: 

• Aramco, a leading energy company, signed an agreement with Pasqal to deploy a 200-qubit quantum computer in Saudi Arabia with an installation set for the second half of 2025.

• Initially, the quantum computer will operate in analog mode, with plans to upgrade to a hybrid analog-digital mode within a year.

• Aramco and Pasqal are focused on using the quantum computer for industrial applications and collaborating on quantum research with academic institutions.

• This agreement builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2022 and Pasqal’s establishment of an office in Saudi Arabia in 2023. Aramco’s investment arm, Wa’ed Ventures, also participated in Pasqal’s Series B fundraising in 2023.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT:

• The quantum computer will enable Aramco to tackle complex problems in the energy sector as well as support the growth of Saudi Arabia’s digital economy by integrating the latest in quantum technology and encouraging a local quantum research ecosystem.

RESEARCH

Tags: NOVEL FRAMEWORKS QUANTUM SIMULATION ALGORITHMS

OVERVIEW OF EXACTLY SOLVABLE HAMILTONIAN FRAGMENTS OBTAINED FROM A DIRECT SUM OF LIE ALGEBRAS

BRIEF BYTE: This research introduces new classes of exactly solvable qubit Hamiltonians to reduce the number of measurements needed in quantum simulations and improve the efficiency of the variational quantum eigensolver for electronic structure problems.

WHY: 

• The VQE is a key algorithm for quantum simulations, but it needs a high number of measurements needed for accurate results. Traditional methods often use simple Hamiltonians that can be easily solved but require extensive measurements. This research differentiates itself by using more general classes of exactly solvable Hamiltonians which allow for more efficient measurement processes by leveraging the algebraic structures of Lie algebras.

HOW: 

• The researchers constructed exactly solvable qubit Hamiltonians using generators from compact Lie algebras, ensuring these generators met specific commutation and anti-commutation criteria.

• They partitioned the target Hamiltonian into fragments that are exactly solvable using graph theory algorithms to simplify the measurement process by dealing with each fragment separately.

• Each fragment was measured independently on a quantum computer with classical pre-processing to identify symmetries and algebra generators. This optimized the allocation of measurements to achieve accurate energy estimates while minimizing computational costs.

RESULTS: 

• The new Hamiltonian fragments showed a reduction in the number of measurements required compared to previously used methods. The study benchmarked various fragments, including Sym-TWC-FF (Symmetry-augmented Term-Wise Commuting Free-Fermionic) fragments, which consistently outperformed other types in terms of measurement efficiency.

• The results demonstrate that using these advanced Hamiltonians can lower the measurement cost in VQE and make quantum simulations more practical.​

RESEARCH

Tags: PHOTONIC QUANTUM NETWORKS QUANTUM SENSING

OVERVIEW OF A QUANTUM COHERENT SPIN IN HEXAGONAL BORON NITRIDE AT AMBIENT CONDITIONS

BRIEF BYTE: This study identifies a carbon-related defect with a spin-triplet electronic ground state within hexagonal boron nitride at room temperature and shows prolonged spin coherence through decoupling protocols.

WHY: 

• Quantum networks and sensors require materials that can generate single photons and maintain spin coherence at room temperature. Most current systems need cryogenic temperatures which are not always practical. This study demonstrates quantum coherence in hexagonal boron nitride, a material that can operate at room temperature.

• Unlike previous studies that mostly focused on diamond and silicon carbide defects with challenging optical properties, this research shows how hexagonal boron nitride can be a scalable alternative.

• Another notable find is identification of a spin-triplet ground state with a significant zero-field splitting, which is unusual for such systems.

HOW: 

• hBN layers were grown using metal–organic vapor phase epitaxy to incorporate carbon-related defects.

• Confocal microscopy and optically detected magnetic resonance were used to study the spin properties.

• Techniques like Ramsey interferometry and spin echo were used to measure and enhance spin coherence.

RESULTS: 

• Detailed study of the hyperfine structure provided insights into the defect's chemical environment and the interactions with nearby nuclei. The spin states of these defects remained stable for relatively long periods at room temperature. Techniques such as Ramsey interferometry and spin echo were successfully used to measure and extend the coherence time of the spins.

• The ability to control spin coherence at room temperature in a scalable material like hBN could lead to practical quantum repeaters and sensors that operate without the need for cryogenic cooling.

PREPRINT

Tags: ALGORITHMS QUANTUM SIMULATION HYBRID

OVERVIEW OF RESOURCE-EFFICIENT HYBRID QUANTUM-CLASSICAL SIMULATION ALGORITHM

BRIEF BYTE: This paper proposes the hybrid quantum-assisted simulator to more efficiently simulate large systems by addressing the computational bottlenecks of extracting quantum properties at intermediate time steps and reducing overall resource consumption.

WHY: 

• Traditional quantum simulation methods involve directly simulating the quantum time propagator on digital quantum computers which is computationally expensive and becomes a bottleneck when long or rapidly oscillating dynamics need to be simulated.

• This paper proposes a hybrid quantum-classical simulation algorithm, the quantum-assisted simulator, to address these bottlenecks by simulating quantum dynamics without the need for repeated state preparation. The QAS leverages both classical and quantum resources to optimize the time propagation process and reduce computational costs.

HOW: 

• The QAS uses a hybrid approach where the quantum computer handles the computation of basis state overlaps, Hamiltonian elements, and observable elements, while the classical computer solves the dynamical equations.

• Instead of traditional basis states, the QAS uses time-evolved states as the basis, which reduces the number of required basis states and the overall computational complexity.

• The algorithm is designed to consume fewer quantum resources compared to standard methods, especially when the number of time steps is large.

RESULTS: 

• The study applied the proposed quantum-assisted simulator to simulate the quantum dynamics of a 4-qubit Helium atom and an 8-qubit Hydrogen molecule. The QAS successfully simulated the orbital population dynamics, showing the algorithm's ability to maintain accuracy while reducing resource usage.

EVENTS

• Thursday, May 23 | QED-C Office Hours — Learn more about a career in QIST w/ Christopher Bishop

• Tuesday, May 28 | Results w/ QuEra “Resilient Networks: Quantum Solutions Using Neutral Atoms for Optical Fiber Optimization in Telecommunication

• Now - May 31 | Register for Google/X-Prize Quantum Challenge

JOBS POSTED WITHIN LAST 24 HOURS

• Dice Research Intern - Quantum Information and Computation | Santa Barbara, CA $61K - 158.8K

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