The Daily Qubit

⛰️ Big upgrades for QuEra Aquila, big news for scalable quantum networks, big book for Amazon Braket experimentation

Author

Cierra Choucair
April 18, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

Welcome to the Quantum Realm. 

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

I love to hear from you! Send me a message at [email protected] for musings, for fun, or for insight if it so appeals to you.

IN TODAY’S ISSUE:

  • QuEra’s Aquila adds enhanced programmability to its 256-qubit computer with local qubit control

  • First ever demonstration of storage & retrieval of telecom light using hybrid quantum dot interface technology

  • Quantum squeezing for photon-loss mitigation

  • Plus, Alex Khan’s book will get you started with QuEra on Braket today

  • AND check out the poll in the “Featured Jobs” section so I can continue molding this newsletter to your needs

TOP NEWS & RESEARCH

NEWS

QUERA ANNOUNCES LOCAL TUNABILITY FOR AQUILA USERS

The Brief Byte: QuEra Computing has introduced local qubit control to its 256-qubit Aquila quantum computer, enhancing programmability and flexibility. This new feature is now available on Amazon Braket.

Webinar on new features on May 1st. Register below.

Highlights:

  1. Aquila's analog quantum computing capabilities are suited for machine learning, optimization, and simulation tasks. Enhancements in qubit programmability that stem from local detuning expand the range of problems Aquila can address.

  2. Local qubit control enables Aquila to process more general classical data, improving machine learning and optimization applications.

  3. In drug development, local qubit control can optimize protein folding simulations and potentially reduce costs and improve outcomes in clinical trials.

  4. Researchers from Purdue University and the University of Innsbruck have tested the new capabilities using their research involving complex quantum simulations (studying new quantum phases and lattice gauge theories), and have praised the enhanced capabilities of the upgraded Aquila.

RESEARCH

STORAGE & RETRIEVAL OF TELECOM LIGHT USING HYBRID QUANTUM DOT INTERFACE DEMONSTRATED FOR THE FIRST TIME

The Brief Byte: Scientists have demonstrated the storage and retrieval of light at telecom wavelengths using a quantum dot single-photon source interfaced with an atomic quantum memory for the first time. This is crucial for the development of scalable quantum networks.

Highlights:

  1. The study focuses on developing a hybrid interface between solid-state single-photon sources and atomic quantum memories which is important for leveraging existing telecom infrastructure in scalable quantum networks.

  2. The research demonstrated the first storage and retrieval of telecom light from semiconductor quantum dots in a rubidium vapor quantum memory achieving a total memory efficiency of 12.9% and a signal-to-noise ratio of 18.2.

  3. The process utilized metal–organic vapor-phase epitaxy-grown InAs quantum dots tailored to the operational wavelength of the ORCA memory protocol. (It is relevant to note that one of the authors is a cofounder and chair of ORCA computing.)

RESEARCH

QUANTUM SQUEEZING OF MAGNESIUM ION HAS POTENTIAL FOR MITIGATING SINGLE-PHOTON LOSS IN QUANTUM COMPUTATION

The Brief Byte: Researchers have demonstrated a method that enhances ion motion in a trapped-ion system using squeezing techniques without needing prior knowledge of the system's parameters. This has the potential to aid in dark matter axion searches as well as potentially mitigate single-photon loss in quantum computers.

Highlights:

  1. Recent experiments have used trapped ions and superconducting circuits to demonstrate squeezing-based enhancements. Ideal results typically require knowledge of system parameters. Hamiltonian amplification is proposed to address the need for preknowledge of system parameters..

  2. The team used Hamiltonian amplification in a trapped-ion system with a magnesium ion as a quantum harmonic oscillator. They demonstrated phase-insensitive displacement of the ion using squeezing and antisqueezing operations.

  3. The researchers enhanced qubit-motion coupling using Trotterization combined with squeezing protocols. This resulted in a 1.5 times increase in the strength of qubit-motion coupling compared to unsqueezed conditions.

MORE BRIEF BYTES

ENTANGLED INSIGHTS

COMMUNITY RESOURCE

“QUANTUM COMPUTING EXXPERIMENTATION WITH AMAZON BRAKET” BY ALEX KHAN

With news of new programmability of QuEra on Amazon Braket, Alex Khan’s “Quantum Computing Experimentation with Amazon Braket” becomes an even more indispensable resource.

I’m a firm believer that one can only learn so much by reading and listening to theory; time in the laboratory is essential for any scientist to not only solidify key learning, but to understand what it means to take an idea from pure ideation to tangible realization.

Alex is a known educator within the quantum computing community and his devotion to bringing quantum concepts to those who are passionate about exploring it is clear within these pages. Alex wrote all of his own functions for the book and focused on the most widely-used Python libraries to ensure that the code remained accessible in every way.

The book itself not only serves as a point to get started on Amazon Braket, but also walks you through the various architectures Braket has access to, including annealing-based, gate-based, and neutral-atom based. There is an entire section on leveraging QuEra for Braket.

(No affiliation/sponsorship, just genuine endorsement.)

EVENTS

FEATURED JOBS

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UNTIL TOMORROW.

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