Friday, August 23rd, 2024

Enjoy a nice cup of freshly brewed quantum news ☕️ 

Coming Monday, the Daily Qubit gets its next upgrade and no, it isn’t just about design this time. Here’s to the weekend, time with loved ones, a cozy sci-fi novel (I’m on the last installment in the Expanse and I’m just not ready for it to end), and especially the upcoming joining of forces that just makes sense.

Today’s issue includes:

• Researchers from Kvantify, Novonesis, and Aarhus University have successfully simulated the energy profile of an enzymatic reaction using a quantum computer.

• Researchers from Stockholm University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, and the Stevens Institute of Technology proposed a method to detect single gravitons, the elusive quantum particles of gravity, using quantum acoustic resonators cooled to their quantum ground state.

• A team of scientists at the University of California Riverside has developed a superconductor material that could be a candidate for topological superconductors.

And even more research, news, & events within quantum.

🧬 First Quantum Computing Application for Enzymatic Reaction Simulation Achieves Chemical Accuracy

QUICK BYTE: Researchers from Kvantify, Novonesis, and Aarhus University have successfully simulated the energy profile of an enzymatic reaction using a quantum computer as the first application of quantum computing in enzymatic catalysis.

DETAILS: 

• The hybrid quantum-classical framework simulates the energy profile of enzymatic reactions, particularly carbonic anhydrase's role in CO2 hydration, using the FAST-VQE algorithm on NISQ devices to optimize the active site's wave function within a classical DFT environment.

• This approach achieved chemical accuracy (within 1 kcal/mol) in modeling complex biological systems, highlighting the potential of quantum computing in fields like biotechnology and sustainable industrial processes.

• The use of quantum computing for such simulations offers significant advantages over traditional methods like DFT, which are either less accurate or too computationally expensive for large systems.

• The possibility of using quantum hardware for realistic applications in enzymatic reaction simulations could accelerate advancements in enzyme development and optimization across various industries.

➰ Unlocking Quantum Gravity Through Quantum Sensing

QUICK BYTE: Researchers from Stockholm University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, and the Stevens Institute of Technology proposed a method to detect single gravitons, the elusive quantum particles of gravity, using quantum acoustic resonators cooled to their quantum ground state.

DETAILS: 

• Researchers from Stockholm University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, and the Stevens Institute of Technology explored the potential of detecting single gravitons using quantum acoustic resonators cooled to their quantum ground state, similar to how the photoelectric effect reveals the quantization of light.

• Detecting single gravitons would provide the first experimental evidence of quantum gravity, offering a direct confirmation of a theory that has remained unproven experimentally.

• By using advancements in quantum sensing and continuous monitoring, there is the potential to overcome the challenge of gravitons' extremely weak interaction with matter, which has made previous detection efforts nearly impossible.

• Successfully detecting gravitons could completely change quantum gravity research and open new experimental avenues to explore the quantum nature of gravity and further our understanding of fundamental forces.

🧪 A team of scientists at the University of California, Riverside has developed a superconductor material that could be a candidate for topological superconductors, essential for advancing quantum computing. By creating a clean interface between non-magnetic trigonal tellurium and gold, scientists at the University of California, Riverside made a 2D superconductor that improves spin energy and reduces quantum decoherence, providing a more reliable and scalable approach to developing superconducting qubits.

🔐 PQSecure has joined the Post-Quantum Cryptography Coalition to collaborate with industry leaders, academic experts, and government agencies in developing cryptographic algorithms that can resist quantum computing threats. As an innovator in post-quantum cryptographic hardware for IoT and secure silicon, PQSecure is on a mission to advance secure cryptographic standards and contribute its expertise in hardware IP solutions to the coalition’s initiatives.

🛰️ Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Quantum CTek Co., Ltd, and the Jinan Institute of Quantum Technology have developed the Jinan-1 quantum microsatellite, capable of real-time quantum key distribution with portable ground stations. This microsatellite, weighing just 23 kg, represents a significant reduction in size and cost, implying scalable and secure global quantum communication.

💵 South Korea has dramatically increased its budget for global research and development collaboration, allocating 1.8 trillion won ($1.3 billion) for 2024. As part of the country’s broader R&D Innovation Plan, the funds will be primarily used to strengthen ties with leading research institutions worldwide, particularly in critical and emerging technologies like semiconductors, AI, and quantum science. By solidifying international partnerships and refocusing its R&D efforts, South Korea may overcome recent stagnation in its research output.

⚡️ Researchers at University College London have developed a new varactor—a voltage-controlled capacitor used to tune radio-frequency circuits—based on quantum paraelectric materials like strontium titanate and potassium tantalate. These varactors function effectively at extremely low temperatures down to 6 millikelvin, enabling precise and rapid radiofrequency read-outs of quantum dot devices. This could improve measurement precision and speed in quantum computing systems.

💻️ A look inside the Quantum Software Lab, established in April 2023 at the University of Edinburgh, brings to light a team focused on developing software solutions that use quantum technology to solve real-world problems. In partnership with the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre, QSL combines academic rigor with access to emerging hardware platforms, creating a collaborative environment where theoretical advances are directly translated into practical applications. This collaboration not only accelerates the development of quantum algorithms but also encourages a start-up culture within QSL, driving innovation in areas such as quantum error correction, hybrid quantum/classical algorithms, and secure multi-party computing.

LISTEN

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ENJOY

Imagine the ingenuity it took to build Venice—a city that defies nature by resting on wooden piles submerged in a lagoon. Engineers, starting in 452 AD, pooled all their creativity and knowledge to shape a city that could withstand the test of time. Now, imagine a similar challenge in a different time: quantum engineering. Just as Venice’s canals and flood defenses adapt to the dynamics of the lagoon, quantum engineers are crafting technologies that adapt to the peculiar environment of the quantum world. Both endeavors are marvels of human innovation, showing how we can shape our world. — inspired by Brian Lenahan’s Substack

WATCH

Carmen Palacios, the CEO of Nu Quantum, discusses distributed quantum computing:

• On Saturday, August 24th, Washington DC Quantum Computing Meetup is hosting PiQture - A Quantum Machine Learning Library for Image Processing, a discussion of the open-source Python and Qiskit-based library for QML models —virtual

• On Monday, August 26th, Tasmanian Quantum Network is hosting Richard Schoebel, Regional Director at ID Quantique to discuss how technologies such as QKD will shape our security architecture—virtual

• On Monday, August 26th, WOMANIUM is hosting Unlocking the Future: Research and Quantum Computing Innovations at Utility—virtual

• On Tuesday, August 27th, qAIntum.ai is hosting another installment in the Quantum Gen AI lecture series, the History of Quantum Computing —in-person (Menlo Park, CA).

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