Monday, September 23rd, 2024

Enjoy a nice cup of freshly brewed quantum news ☕️ 

Today’s issue includes:

• Diraq's team developed a global control scheme for semiconductor spin qubits to overcome issues related to frequency crowding.

• ETH Zürich researchers demonstrated a provable quadratic speedup in kernel-based quantum learners by incorporating Grover's algorithm into a quantum support vector machine.

• Scientists from Pasqal and the University of Exeter developed a differentiable quantum generative modeling to efficiently solve stochastic differential equations and generate multidimensional probability distributions.

• Plus glass-based photonic chips, how superconducting qubits lose energy, tax breaks for quantum businesses, and more.

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

💡 Global Control Scheme for Scalable Quantum Computing: Diraq Synchronizes Spin Qubits with Single Microwave Field

QUICK BYTE: Diraq's team developed a global control scheme for semiconductor spin qubits to overcome issues related to frequency crowding to move towards fault-tolerant quantum computing on a silicon-CMOS platform.

DETAILS: 

• Diraq researchers developed a global control method for semiconductor spin qubits, enabling synchronous operation of degenerate qubits using a single off-chip microwave field, while retaining individual qubit addressability via local electrodes.

• Their approach, based on dressed qubits, tackles challenges like frequency crowding and control signal interference, which is necessary for scaling quantum processors to millions of qubits on silicon-CMOS platforms.

• By synchronizing Larmor and Rabi frequencies, the team demonstrated in a study recently published in Nature Communications coherent SWAP oscillations between qubits, ensuring robust two-qubit gate performance and enhancing noise resilience.

• The use of a sinusoidally modulated global field further improved tolerance to qubit variability, improving overall coherence and scalability for future large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing systems.

🤖 ETH Zürich Achieves Quadratic Speedup in Quantum Support Vector Machines Using Grover's Algorithm for Enhanced Data Processing

QUICK BYTE: ETH Zürich researchers demonstrated a provable quadratic speedup in kernel-based quantum learners by incorporating Grover's algorithm into a quantum support vector machine.

DETAILS: 

• The team at ETH Zürich demonstrated that by incorporating Grover’s algorithm into the kernel, the QSVM achieves a quadratic speedup in learning tasks and outperforms classical algorithms, specifically in pattern matching and other computationally intensive classification problems.

• The quantum preprocessing step allows classical learners to work with quantum-enhanced data, reducing the need for noise robustness and improving overall classifier performance.

• This potential computational advantage in quantum machine learning is particularly applicable for large-scale data processing, with a focus on practical applications like image and text classification.

📈 Pasqal and University of Exeter Develop Differentiable Quantum Generative Modeling for Efficient Multidimensional Data Sampling and SDE Solutions

QUICK BYTE: Scientists from Pasqal and the University of Exeter developed a differentiable quantum generative modeling (DQGM) protocol that combines phase feature maps and quantum circuits to efficiently solve stochastic differential equations and generate multidimensional probability distributions.

DETAILS: 

• Researchers developed protocols for differentiable quantum generative modeling that use quantum circuits to efficiently learn and sample from complex probability distributions, including those governed by stochastic differential equations.

• By encoding data in a latent phase space and using quantum Fourier transforms, the DQGM approach improves both sampling and training efficiency, particularly for time-dependent problems like the Fokker-Planck equation.

• The team demonstrated how DQGM can address the challenges of multidimensional generative modeling, using qubit registers and entanglement to correlate variables for realistic, large-scale quantum applications.

• This method presents a significant advance in quantum generative modeling, offering a practical route to solving high-dimensional differential equations and potentially enabling quantum systems to outperform classical approaches in complex data generation tasks.

During his recent U.S. visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged American tech CEOs to collaborate with India in emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing, and semiconductors, emphasizing India's ambition to become a global technology hub. Tech leaders, including those from Google, Adobe, and NVIDIA, expressed interest in investing in India’s growing innovation-driven market, seeing opportunities in AI and quantum research. Modi also highlighted India's commitment to ethical AI development and semiconductor manufacturing.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo demonstrated the ability to measure and reset a trapped ion qubit without disturbing adjacent qubits just a few micrometers away, achieving over 99.9% fidelity using holographic beam shaping technology to precisely control laser light. This breakthrough addresses long-standing challenges of crosstalk and qubit fragility, advancing error correction and quantum simulations by allowing mid-circuit measurements without moving qubits, reducing delays and noise in quantum experiments.

Ephos, a quantum photonics startup founded by Italian theoretical physicist Andrea Rocchetto, has raised $8.5 million in seed funding to develop glass-based quantum photonic chips, which promise faster, more efficient data processing for applications like AI and quantum computing. By using glass instead of silicon, Ephos aims to reduce photon loss and improve chip performance, positioning itself as a key player in the growing demand for advanced computing infrastructure, with backing from NATO, the European Innovation Council, and key tech investors.

The UK's Quantum Hackathon, organized by the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), saw a 50% increase in participants in its third year, with industry mentors setting 13 real-world use cases for teams to tackle using advanced quantum technologies. Participants explored diverse quantum-enabled solutions, from optimizing vehicle response times for North Wales Police to simulating jet engine processes for Rolls Royce, demonstrating the potential of quantum neural networks and algorithm optimization. The extended format allowed teams more time to explore different platforms and benchmark quantum solutions against classical methods, while also addressing ethical and social impacts of their innovations.

Researchers from Aalto University, University of Helsinki, and the University of Chicago have directly measured energy dissipation from Josephson junctions using a nano-bolometer, revealing how superconducting qubits lose energy through photon emission, which contributes to decoherence and impacts qubit performance. This offers detailed insights into dissipation mechanisms, helping to optimize qubit designs by managing heat loss and improving the stability of quantum computers, with future work focusing on detecting single-photon events for even greater precision.

The Cook County (Chicago) Board approved a new quantum business property tax incentive that may reduce PsiQuantum's tax bills for 30 years as the company invests billions to develop a quantum computing facility at Chicago’s South Works site, a former U.S. Steel property. While the initiative, led by developer Related Midwest, is intended to position Illinois as a national quantum computing hub, concerns have been raised about shifting the tax burden to other property owners.

Scientists from the University of Texas and the University of Houston present a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm to optimize network function virtualization and maximum flow routing in space information networks. This addresses challenges such as dynamic topologies and large-scale mixed-integer linear programming problems. Using a multi-functional time expanded graph model, the algorithm efficiently deploys virtual network functions and maximizes data throughput. Tested on D-Wave’s quantum computers, the approach demonstrates improved computation speed and scalability compared to classical methods.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer announced over $27 million in Department of Defense funding for the Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub (NORDTECH), which will contribute to semiconductor and quantum technology R&D and workforce training at upstate New York institutions. Four key projects received funding, including $8.5 million for Superconducting Quantum Error Correction Qubit, $8.1 million for Nitride RF Next-Generation Technology, $8.2 million for Quantum Ultra-broadband Photonic Integrated Circuits, and $2.4 million for Heterogeneous Quantum Networking. These initiatives involve partnerships with leading universities like Cornell, RIT, and AFRL.

The Wellcome Leap Quantum for Bio just announced those who will go onto Phase 2 of their three-phase program: Infleqtion, the University of Nottingham, qBraid Co, the University of Copenhagen, Harvard University, Stanford University, Algorithmiq, and the University of Cambridge. The program is designed to accelerate the application of quantum computing in healthcare, providing up to $40 million in funding to develop quantum algorithms and solutions that address pressing health challenges. With a focus on human health applications realizable on near-term quantum computers, the program will support multidisciplinary teams over three phases.

LISTEN

In this episode of Dave & Dharm Demistify, Sergio Gago, Managing Director of AI and Quantum Computing at Moody’s, explains the fundamentals of quantum computing, its differences from classical computing, and its potential to solve complex financial problems like portfolio optimization and stress testing exponentially faster. He discusses the implications of quantum computing for encryption and cybersecurity, the concept of Q-Day, and Moody’s efforts to integrate quantum computing into its operations.

ENJOY

In a recent article with Forbes, Yuval Boger, CMO of QuEra, explores QuEra’s recent survey which revealed widespread optimism about quantum computing's potential, yet also uncovered deep concerns about its risks, including cybersecurity threats and ethical dilemmas. As nations race to develop quantum technologies, the need for responsible governance, equitable access, and quantum-resistant security has become urgent. Yuval notes that the future of quantum computing holds promise, but its direction will depend on the collective choices we make to harness it for the global good while mitigating its potential harms.

WATCH

Deadpool and Wolverine explore quantum, covering how qubits utilize superposition and entanglement to process complex information. Fun AND education: