Australian Quantum Brilliance to Develop the World’s First Mobile Quantum Computer by 2027

Quantum Brilliance and ParityQC Join Forces to Develop the World’s First Mobile Quantum Computer by 2027

Highlights:

• Quantum Brilliance and ParityQC awarded a €35 million contract to create the first mobile quantum computer.
• The project, funded by Cyberagentur, aims to revolutionize defense, security, and civilian applications.
• Quantum Brilliance’s expertise in miniaturized quantum chips and ParityQC’s scalable architecture are key to the innovation.
• The mobile quantum computer promises quantum-speed simulations in the field, enhancing cybersecurity and national defense.
• The project strengthens Germany’s leadership in cutting-edge quantum technology.

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A Breakthrough Partnership for Quantum Innovation

Quantum Brilliance, a leading developer of miniaturized, room-temperature quantum computing products, and ParityQC, the only quantum architecture company in the world, have been awarded a prestigious contract by the German cybersecurity agency, Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH. This contract, valued at €35 million, aims to create the world’s first mobile quantum computer by 2027, marking a significant leap forward in the field of quantum technology.

The partnership between Quantum Brilliance and ParityQC was one of three bids selected for the largest research project ever funded by the Cyberagentur. The primary goal is to develop a quantum computer that can be deployed for defense, security, and civilian use, ensuring Germany remains at the cutting edge of technological innovation.

Pioneers in Quantum Technology

Quantum Brilliance and ParityQC bring complementary expertise to this project. Quantum Brilliance is renowned for its miniaturization of quantum chips that operate at room temperature, utilizing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in synthetic diamonds as qubits. These chips are highly energy-efficient and compatible with traditional semiconductor systems, offering precise qubit positioning and electrical readout.

On the other hand, ParityQC specializes in quantum architecture, designing an operating system for scalable NV-center quantum computers. Their approach is essential to making the mobile quantum computer a reality, providing the ability to process complex algorithms quickly and with reduced error rates.

The Impact of Mobile Quantum Computing

The development of a mobile quantum computer has profound implications for multiple industries, particularly in defense and cybersecurity. With the ability to perform highly complex simulations at quantum speeds, these systems can be deployed directly in the field rather than relying on data centers or cloud access. This opens up new possibilities for secure, real-time computing in remote environments.

According to Mark Luo, co-founder and CEO of Quantum Brilliance, “The potential of a mobile quantum computer is enormous for defense and cybersecurity in Germany and allied nations, and we believe our technology is the perfect fit for fulfilling the goals of this project.”

In defense scenarios, a mobile quantum computer could optimize troop movements, analyze battlefield conditions, and simulate the behavior of chemical or biological agents in real time. These advancements will revolutionize decision-making and situational awareness in critical operations.

A Game-Changing Technological Leap

Mobile quantum technology will enhance not only defense and national security but also other sectors, such as scientific research, supply chain management, and finance. Mark Mattingley-Scott, Chief Revenue Officer and EMEA General Manager at Quantum Brilliance, highlighted the broader applications: “The technology will enable powerful computations in environments not possible with classical computers, benefiting multiple industries beyond defense.”

Recognition from Cyberagentur and Industry Event

The Cyberagentur’s €35 million project signals a major endorsement of the collaborative efforts between Quantum Brilliance and ParityQC. As part of the ongoing initiative, the Cyberagentur hosted an onsite event to showcase the winning bids, where representatives from both companies discussed their innovative approaches.

Wolfgang Lechner and Magdalena Hauser, Co-CEOs of ParityQC, emphasized the critical role of their partnership: “We believe that working with Quantum Brilliance positions us to develop the world’s first mobile quantum computer. Our architecture will be crucial to achieving this, offering the scalability and flexibility needed for real-world deployment.”

About ParityQC and Quantum Brilliance

ParityQC, headquartered in Austria, is a pioneer in quantum architecture, developing blueprints and operating systems for highly scalable quantum computers. Their innovations address complex optimization problems and push the boundaries of error-corrected quantum computing.

Quantum Brilliance, founded in 2019, is an Australian-German quantum computing hardware company that specializes in diamond quantum accelerators. With a vision to enable mass deployment of quantum accelerators, Quantum Brilliance works across various industries and research centers globally, helping drive quantum edge computing applications and next-generation supercomputing.

Source: Quantum Brilliance and ParityQC to Build World’s First Mobile Quantum Computer by 2027 — Quantum Brilliance

Quantum Brilliance CEO Discusses the Future of Quantum Computing with Synthetic Diamonds

 Quantum Brilliance CEO Discusses the Future of Quantum Computing with Synthetic Diamonds

Highlights:

• Quantum Brilliance leads in quantum computing innovation using synthetic diamonds.
• The company’s rapid growth stems from its spin-out from the Australian National University (ANU).
• Quantum Brilliance’s technology offers miniaturized, energy-efficient quantum computers.
• Quantum at the edge promises to revolutionize industries like healthcare, defense, and AI.
• Partnerships with global leaders, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory, are paving the way for groundbreaking advancements.

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Pioneering Quantum Computing with Synthetic Diamonds

Quantum Brilliance, led by CEO Mark Luo, is making waves in the world of quantum computing by leveraging synthetic diamonds to create miniaturized, energy-efficient quantum computers. Unlike conventional quantum computers that require massive cooling systems, Quantum Brilliance’s diamond-based quantum computers operate at room temperature, making them more adaptable to various environments, from satellites to submarines.

Mark Luo explained in an interview, "We're using synthetic diamond as the material to maintain quantum bits without needing large fridges or high-power lasers. This approach allows for quantum systems to be deployed anywhere, normalizing quantum technology for everyday applications."

A Rapidly Growing Company with Australian Roots

Quantum Brilliance's journey began as a spin-out from the Australian National University (ANU), a global leader in diamond quantum technology. Since its inception in 2020, the company has experienced rapid growth, boasting a global workforce of 85 staff across three countries. According to Luo, this success is largely thanks to Australia’s robust research infrastructure.

“We've signed about $50 million in contracts across industries such as supercomputing, defense, and aerospace. This wouldn't have been possible without Australia's support from institutions like ANU, La Trobe, and RMIT,” Luo added.

Transforming Quantum Computing at the Edge

Quantum Brilliance’s approach is revolutionizing the concept of quantum computing at the edge, a technology that could dramatically enhance industries by enabling faster, more accurate processing closer to the data source. This could range from healthcare diagnostics to driverless systems.

Mark Luo explained the potential: "Quantum technology could enable more sophisticated processing, even at the edge, transforming industrial robotics, satellites, and autonomous vehicles by enhancing their decision-making capabilities in real-time."

A Commercially Viable Quantum Future

Quantum Brilliance's innovations offer distinct commercial advantages, with projections estimating the quantum computing market could reach $100 billion, with edge applications constituting half of that. Additionally, quantum sensing, another area of focus, is expected to be a $10 billion market.

Luo gave a concrete example: “Imagine every electric vehicle being equipped with a quantum sensor for better battery management. With millions of EVs set to be sold by the decade’s end, the potential for quantum sensing at the edge is enormous.”

Collaborating with Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Quantum Brilliance is actively working with global leaders, including a key partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, to advance quantum computing applications. This collaboration aims to deploy the first on-premise quantum computer cluster, helping to explore the possibilities of quantum computation.

Luo shared his excitement: "Having a physical quantum computer on-premise allows us to engage with real applications. The discoveries we make here will shape the future of quantum technology."

Supporting Australia's Semiconductor Industry

Quantum Brilliance is also a strong advocate for Australia’s semiconductor industry. The company is a major supporter of the Semiconductor Australia 2024 conference, working alongside organizations like S3B to uplift Australia’s role in the global semiconductor value chain. As the semiconductor market is poised to hit $1 trillion by the end of the decade, Australia has an opportunity to take a share of this massive industry.

Luo emphasized, “Australia has world-class semiconductor engineers, and by connecting with global leaders in quantum technology, we can carve out a competitive advantage in this fast-growing market.”

Source: Quantum computers and diamonds | Finance News Network (finnewsnetwork.com.au)

UNSW Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons Wins 2023 Prime Minister's Prize for Science for Quantum Computing Breakthroughs

UNSW Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons Wins 2023 Prime Minister's Prize for Science for Quantum Computing Breakthroughs

UNSW Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons has been awarded the 2023 Prime Minister's Prize for Science for her achievements in creating the field of atomic electronics, with a mission to create the world's first error-corrected quantum computer in Australia.

UNSW Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons Wins 2023 Prime Minister's Prize for Science for Quantum Computing Breakthroughs

Her discoveries have the potential to impact almost every industry that is dependent on data, such as revolutionising therapeutic drug design, optimising route planning for delivery or logistical systems thereby reducing fuel costs and delivery times, and creating better fertilisers for agriculture.

Prof. Simmons is an ARC Laureate Fellow and former 2018 Australian of the Year. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of London, the American Academy of Arts and Science, the American Association of the Advancement of Science, the UK Institute of Physics, the American Physical Society, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, and the Australian Academy of Science.

The Prime Minister's Prizes for Science are Australia's most prestigious awards for outstanding achievements in scientific research, research-based innovation and excellence in science teaching.

Read more about this blog post in Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science.

Australian Quantum Computing Companies in Global Race to Commercialize Technology

Q-CTRL and Diraq, two prominent players in the development of valuable quantum technologies through software and hardware, have announced a collaboration on three substantial projects aimed at expanding the adoption of quantum computing for commercial purposes. This marks the initial phase of an anticipated partnership that will bring cutting-edge quantum computing capabilities to the global market, with a focus on Australia.

Australian Quantum Computing Companies in Global Race to Commercialize Technology

These two Australian quantum technology companies will join forces to deliver three projects, two of which are supported by the Quantum Computing Commercialisation Fund (QCCF) from the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer, while the third project is backed by the U.S. Army Research Office. The responsibilities for these projects will be divided between Q-CTRL and Diraq: Diraq will be responsible for the development and provision of its Silicon-based quantum computing hardware, while Q-CTRL will focus on building and integrating its quantum infrastructure software solutions to maximize the value for end-users.

Q-CTRL and Diraq's collaboration showcases Australia's leading role in the quantum technology industry worldwide. Diraq's hardware is constructed using a unique technology called spins in silicon, which enables scalability to millions, and potentially billions, of qubits per chip. On the other hand, Q-CTRL is a pioneering company that focuses on developing software solutions to enhance the utility and performance of quantum hardware. The founders and CEOs of Q-CTRL and Diraq, Michael Biercuk and Andrew Dzurak respectively, have a longstanding professional relationship spanning over two decades, starting from their academic pursuits and continuing into the industry.

With the recently announced National Quantum Strategy, the Australian quantum ecosystem is thriving, and the government has taken proactive measures to support the growth of the industry.

The Quantum Computing Commercialisation Fund, an initiative from New South Wales, aims to empower Australian companies in the quantum computing hardware and software sector. The projects supported by this fund are geared towards enhancing the commercial and technological readiness of quantum computing technologies, with a focus on long-term commercial viability. The joint efforts of Diraq and Q-CTRL will pave the way for Australia's first cloud-accessible silicon quantum processor, bringing cutting-edge capabilities to the country's globally renowned financial services sector.

Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, highlighted the shared commitment between Diraq and Q-CTRL in driving innovation in the quantum computing industry, both within Australia and on a global scale. He expressed his delight in collaborating with Q-CTRL and leveraging their respective areas of expertise to achieve successful outcomes for these transformative projects.

Australian companies and University teams have long engaged with the US Army Research Office in support of quantum computing capability development. In the current project led by Diraq, the two teams will focus on developing novel techniques to operate and optimize next-generation Silicon quantum processors. The ARO R&D program now aligns with quantum technology initiatives supported under the trilateral AUKUS agreement’s Pillar II. AUKUS Pillar II is aimed at enhancing capabilities and interoperability with a focus on cyber capabilities, AI, quantum technologies and undersea capabilities. In July, Q-CTRL announced a separate deal with the Australian Department of Defence, centering around quantum sensors for navigation; the technological breakthroughs would be shared with AUKUS partners in the US and UK.

“It’s exciting to see Australia’s two leading quantum computing companies collaborating to deliver true sovereign capability in one of the most profound technical fields of the century,” said Q-CTRL CEO and Founder, Michael Biercuk. “We’re thrilled to be helping accelerate the work of our friends at Diraq, and ensuring these powerful new systems deliver value broadly across the Australian and global economies."

More details on

1. Q-CTRL

2. Diraq

3. Image: From Google Search Internet.

Australian researchers confirm the promise of silicon for quantum computing.

Australian researchers confirm the promise of silicon for quantum computing.

Australian researchers have measured the fidelity of two-qubit logic operations in silicon for the first time ever, with highly promising results that will allow a full-scale quantum processor to be scaled.

The research, conducted by the UNSW Engineering team of Professor Andrew Dzurak, has been published in the world-renowned journalNature today. The true accuracy of such a two-qubit gate was unknown until this landmark paper today.

Australian researchers confirm the promise of silicon for quantum computing.

Dzurak's team was the first to construct a quantum logic gate in silicon in 2015, enabling calculations between two qubits of information – and thus clearing up a crucial hurdle to make silicon quantum computers a reality.

Important accuracy for success of quantum computing

In this study, the team applied and conducted Clifford-based fidelity benchmarking-a technique that can assess qubit accuracy across all technology platforms-showing an average fidelity of 98 percent to two-qubit gates.

“Most of important Quantum applications, millions of qubits will be needed, and you're going to have to correct quantum errors, even when they’re small,” Professor Dzurak says.

“The more accurate your qubits, the fewer you need – and therefore, the sooner we can ramp up the engineering and manufacturing to realise a full-scale quantum computer.”

Concrete path to silicon in quantum computing

“If our fidelity value had been too low, it would have meant serious problems for the future of silicon quantum computing. The fact that it is near 99% puts it in the ballpark we need, and there are excellent prospects for further improvement. Our results immediately show, as we predicted, that silicon is a viable platform for full-scale quantum computing,” Professor Dzurak says.

Recently published in Nature Electronics and featured on its cover – where Dr. Yang is the lead author, the same team also recorded the world's most accurate 1-qubit gate in a silicon quantum dot with a remarkable 99.96 percent fidelity.

“Besides the natural advantages of silicon qubits, one key reason we’ve been able to achieve such impressive results is because of the fantastic team we have here at UNSW. My student Wister and Dr Yang are both incredibly talented. They personally conceived the complex protocols required for this benchmarking experiment,” says Professor Dzurak.

UNSW Dean of Engineering, Professor Mark Hoffman, says “Quantum computing is this century’s space race – and Sydney is leading the charge.”

“This milestone is another step towards realising a large-scale quantum computer – and it reinforces the fact that silicon is an extremely attractive approach that we believe will get UNSW there first.”

Professor Dzurak is leading a project with Silicon QuantumComputing, Australia's first quantum computing company, to advance silicon CMOS qubit technology.

“Our latest result brings us closer to commercialising this technology – my group is all about building a quantum chip that can be used for real-world applications,” Professor Dzurak says.

The silicon qubit device used in this study was manufactured entirely at UNSW using a unique silicon-CMOS process line, high-resolution patterning systems, and supporting equipment made available by ANFF-NSW for nanofabrication.

For more information in detail:  Quantum world-first: researchers can now tellhow accurate two-qubit calculations in silicon really are

Australian Researchers Unveil First Complete Silicon Quantum ComputerProcessor

Australian Researchers Unveil First Complete Silicon Quantum Computer Processor

UNSW
16 DEC 2017

A reimagining of today’s computer chips by UNSW engineers shows how a quantum computer can be manufactured – using mostly standard silicon technology.

A reimagining of today’s computer chips by Australian and Dutch engineers shows how a quantum computer can be manufactured – using mostly standard silicon technology.

Australian Researchers Unveil First Complete Silicon Quantum Computer Processor

Research teams all over the world are exploring different ways to design a working computing chip that can integrate quantum interactions. Now, UNSW engineers believe they have cracked the problem, reimagining the silicon microprocessors we know to create a complete design for a quantum computer chip that can be manufactured using mostly standard industry processes and components.

The new chip design, published in the journal Nature Communications, details a novel architecture that allows quantum calculations to be performed using existing semiconductor components, known as CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) – the basis for all modern chips.

It was devised by Andrew Dzurak, director of the Australian National Fabrication Facility at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and Menno Veldhorst, lead author of the paper who was a research fellow at UNSW when the conceptual work was done.

“We often think of landing on the Moon as humanity’s greatest technological marvel,” said Dzurak, who is also a Program Leader at Australia’s famed Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T). “But creating a microprocessor chip with a billion operating devices integrated together to work like a symphony – that you can carry in your pocket! – is an astounding technical achievement, and one that’s revolutionised modern life.

“With quantum computing, we are on the verge of another technological leap that could be as deep and transformative. But a complete engineering design to realise this on a single chip has been elusive. I think what we have developed at UNSW now makes that possible. And most importantly, it can be made in a modern semiconductor manufacturing plant,” he added.

Veldhorst, now a team leader in quantum technology at QuTech – a collaboration between Delft University of Technology and TNO, the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research – said the power of the new design is that, for the first time, it charts a conceivable engineering pathway toward creating millions of quantum bits, or qubits.

“Remarkable as they are, today’s computer chips cannot harness the quantum effects needed to solve the really important problems that quantum computers will. To solve problems that address major global challenges – like climate change or complex diseases like cancer – it’s generally accepted we will need millions of qubits working in tandem. To do that, we will need to pack qubits together and integrate them, like we do with modern microprocessor chips. That’s what this new design aims to achieve.

“Our design incorporates conventional silicon transistor switches to ‘turn on’ operations between qubits in a vast two-dimensional array, using a grid-based ‘word’ and ‘bit’ select protocol similar to that used to select bits in a conventional computer memory chip,” he added. “By selecting electrodes above a qubit, we can control a qubit’s spin, which stores the quantum binary code of a 0 or 1. And by selecting electrodes between the qubits, two-qubit logic interactions, or calculations, can be performed between qubits.”

A quantum computer exponentially expands the vocabulary of binary code used in modern computers by using two spooky principles of quantum physics – namely, ‘entanglement’ and ‘superposition’. Qubits can store a 0, a 1, or an arbitrary combination of 0 and 1 at the same time. And just as a quantum computer can store multiple values at once, so it can process them simultaneously, doing multiple operations at once.

This would allow a universal quantum computer to be millions of times faster than any conventional computer when solving a range of important problems.

There are at least five major quantum computing approaches being explored worldwide: silicon spin qubits, ion traps, superconducting loops, diamond vacancies and topological qubits; UNSW’s design is based on silicon spin qubits. The main problem with all of these approaches is that there is no clear pathway to scaling the number of quantum bits up to the millions needed without the computer becoming huge a system requiring bulky supporting equipment and costly infrastructure.

That’s why UNSW’s new design is so exciting: relying on its silicon spin qubit approach – which already mimics much of the solid-state devices in silicon that are the heart of the US$380 billion global semiconductor industry – it shows how to dovetail spin qubit error correcting code into existing chip designs, enabling true universal quantum computation.

Unlike almost every other major group elsewhere, CQC2T’s quantum computing effort is obsessively focused on creating solid-state devices in silicon, from which all of the world’s computer chips are made. And they’re not just creating ornate designs to show off how many qubits can be packed together, but aiming to build qubits that could one day be easily fabricated – and scaled up.

“It’s kind of swept under the carpet a bit, but for large-scale quantum computing, we are going to need millions of qubits,” said Dzurak. “Here, we show a way that spin qubits can be scaled up massively. And that’s the key.”

The design is a leap forward in silicon spin qubits; it was only two years ago, in a paper in Nature, that Dzurak and Veldhorst showed, for the first time, how quantum logic calculations could be done in a real silicon device, with the creation of a two-qubit logic gate – the central building block of a quantum computer.

“Those were the first baby steps, the first demonstrations of how to turn this radical quantum computing concept into a practical device using components that underpin all modern computing,” said Mark Hoffman, UNSW’s Dean of Engineering. “Our team now has a blueprint for scaling that up dramatically.

“We’ve been testing elements of this design in the lab, with very positive results. We just need to keep building on that – which is still a hell of a challenge, but the groundwork is there, and it’s very encouraging. It will still take great engineering to bring quantum computing to commercial reality, but clearly the work we see from this extraordinary team at CQC2T puts Australia in the driver’s seat,” he added.

Other CQC2T researchers involved in the design published in the Nature Communications paper were Henry Yang and Gertjan Eenink, the latter of whom has since joined Veldhorst at QuTech.

The UNSW team has struck a A$83 million deal between UNSW, Telstra, Commonwealth Bank and the Australian and New South Wales governments to develop, by 2022, a 10-qubit prototype silicon quantum integrated circuit – the first step in building the world’s first quantum computer in silicon.

In August, the partners launched Silicon Quantum Computing Pty Ltd, Australia’s first quantum computing company, to advance the development and commercialisation of the team’s unique technologies. The NSW Government pledged A$8.7 million, UNSW A$25 million, the Commonwealth Bank A$14 million, Telstra A$10 million and the Australian Government A$25 million.

Source : Complete Design of a Silicon Quantum Qomputer Chip Unveiled

VIDEO, STILLS AND BACKGROUND AVAILABLE

• STILLS: Pictures of Dzurak and Veldhorst, plus illustrations of the complete quantum computer chip. (Photos: Grant Turner/UNSW, Illustrations: Tony Melov/UNSW)


• BACKGROUNDERS: How UNSW’s ‘silicon spin qubit’ design compares with other approaches; plus a free 3,000-word feature article on the UNSW effort (Creative Commons).


• SCIENTIFIC PAPER: Original paper in Nature Communications, “Silicon CMOS architecture for a spin-based quantum computer”.

Quantum Computing Leap Closer to Reality with a Chemistry Breakthrough

Quantum computing closer with chemistry breakthrough

18 July 2016

The University of Sydney

Simple chemistry poised to unlock complex computer problems.

Quantum computing is a leap closer to reality with a chemistry breakthrough demonstrating it is possible for nanomaterials to operate at room temperature rather than at abolute zero experienced in deep space (-273C).

[caption id="attachment_826" align="aligncenter" width="611"]     Quantum Computing Leap Closer to Reality with a Chemistry Breakthrough[/caption]

"Chemistry gives us the power to create nanomaterials on demand."

- Dr. Dr Mohammad Choucair.

The key to quantum computing could be a simple as burning the active ingredient in moth balls; using this method, the holy grail of quantum computing – the ability to work in ‘real-world’ room temperatures – has been demonstrated by an international group of researchers, combining chemistry with quantum physics.

Co-led by Dr Mohammad Choucair – who recently finished a University of Sydney research fellowship gained as an outstanding early career researcher in the School of Chemistry – the 31-year-old has been working with collaborators in Switzerland and Germany for two years before the breakthrough.

The team has made a conducting carbon material that they demonstrated could be used to perform quantum computing at room temperature, rather than near absolute zero (-273°C).

The material is simply created by burning naphthalene; the ashes form the carbon material. Not only has it solved the question of temperature, it also addresses other issues such as the need for conductivity and the ability to integrate into silicon.

The results are published today in the high-impact journal Nature Communications.

Dr Choucair said the discovery meant as a result, practical quantum computing might be possible within a few years. “We have made quantum computing more accessible,” he said. “This work demonstrates the simple ad-hoc preparation of carbon-based quantum bits.

“Chemistry gives us the power to create nanomaterials on-demand that could form the basis of technologies like quantum computers and spintronics, combining to make more efficient and powerful machines.”

The next step is to build a prototyping chip – but Dr Choucair said he was particularly interested in the possibilities that could come from longer-term research. Rather than seeking comprehensive commercial opportunities, he plans to use the facilities at the University-based Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology and further the work at its headquarters, the new $150m Sydney Nanoscience Hub.

Dr Choucair said he was passionate about improving technology for the public and supported open access research. “Quantum computing will allow us to advance our technology and our understanding of the natural world,” he said.

“Whether it’s designing drugs to cure cancer, cleaning our air or addressing our energy concerns, we need to build more complex computers to solve these complex problems.”

News Release Source : Quantum computing closer with chemistry breakthrough

Image Credit : The University of Sydney

Australian Quantum Computing Scientist Got Top International Award

Top international award for quantum computing chief

For her world-leading research in the fabrication of atomic-scale devices for quantum computing, Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons has been awarded a prestigious Foresight Institute Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology.

[caption id="attachment_821" align="aligncenter" width="563"] Australian Quantum Computing Scientist Got Top International Award[/caption]

Two international Feynman prizes, named in honour of the late Nobel Prize-winning American physicist Richard Feynman, are awarded each year in the categories of theory and experiment to researchers whose work has most advanced Feynman’s nanotechnology goal of molecular manufacturing.

Professor Simmons, director of the UNSW-based Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T), won the experimental prize from the Foresight Institute for her work in “the new field of atomic-electronics, which she created”.

By creating electronic devices atom by atom, we are gaining a very fundamental understanding of how the world behaves at the atomic scale, and it’s phenomenally exciting.

Her group is the only one in the world that can make atomically precise devices in silicon. They have produced the world’s first single-atom transistor as well as the narrowest conducting wires ever made in silicon, just four atoms of phosphorus wide and one atom high.

President of the Foresight Institute Julia Bossmann said the US $5000 prizes reward visionary research. “Our laureates realise that big innovation is possible on the nanoscale. The prizes acknowledge these pioneering scientists and inspire others to follow their lead.”

Professor Simmons said: “I am delighted to win this award. Feynman once said: ‘What I cannot create, I do not understand’.

“By creating electronic devices atom by atom, we are gaining a very fundamental understanding of how the world behaves at the atomic scale, and it’s phenomenally exciting,” she said.

As director of CQC2T, Professor Simmons heads a team of more than 180 researchers across six Australian universities, including UNSW. She has previously been awarded two Australian Research Council Federation Fellowships and currently holds a Laureate Fellowship.

She has won both the Australian Academy of Science’s Pawsey Medal (2005) and Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal (2015) for outstanding research in physics. She was named NSW Scientist of the Year in 2012, and in 2015 she was awarded the Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science.

In 2014, she had the rare distinction for an Australian researcher of becoming an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is also editor-in-chief of the first Nature Partner Journal based in Australia, npj Quantum Information.

In April, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull opened new quantum computing laboratories at UNSW and praised Professor Simmons’ contribution to the nation as both a scientist and director of the CQC2T team.

“You’re not just doing great work, Michelle. You’re doing the best work in the world,” Mr Turnbull said. “It is a tribute to your leadership, your talent … that you’ve attracted so many outstanding scientists and engineers from around the world. This is a very global team and it’s right here at the University of New South Wales.”

The Forsight Institute is a leading think tank and public interest organisation focused on transformative future technologies. Founded in 1986, its mission is to discover and promote the upsides, and help avoid the drawbacks, of nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and similar life-changing developments.

In 1959, Richard Feynman gave a visionary talk at the California Institute of Technology in which he said: “The problems of chemistry and biology can be greatly helped if our ability to see what we are doing, and to do things on an atomic level, is ultimately developed – a development which I think cannot be avoided.”

Both Feynman Prizes, which were announced overnight in the US, are for 2015. The theory prize was awarded to Professor Marcus Buehler of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for developing new modelling, design and manufacturing approaches for advance materials with a wide range of controllable properties from the nanoscale to the macroscale.

News Release Source : Top international award for quantum computing chief

Image Credit : UNSW

Australian Prime Minister Hails UNSW's Quantum Computing Research as the World's Best

Opening: Prime Minister hails UNSW's quantum computing research as the world's best

UNSW
Friday, 22 April, 2016

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, accompanied by the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Christopher Pyne, today opened a new quantum computing laboratory complex at UNSW

[caption id="attachment_802" align="aligncenter" width="5760"] Australian Prime Minister Hails UNSW's Quantum Computing Research as the World's Best[/caption]

"There is no bolder idea than quantum computing," said Prime Minister Turnbull, hailing UNSW's research in the transformative technology as the “best work in the world".

He praised the leadership of Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons, director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T) and congratulated the centre's team on their research breakthroughs.

"You're not just doing great work, Michelle, you're doing the best work in the world.

"You're not just solving the computing challenges and determining the direction of computing for Australia, you are leading the world and it is a tribute to your leadership, your talent ... that you've attracted so many outstanding scientists and engineers from around the world,” Mr Turnbull said.

"This is a very global team and it's right here at the University of New South Wales.”

The laboratories will double the productive capacity of the UNSW headquarters of the CQC2T.

They will also be used to advance development work to commercialise UNSW’s ground-breaking quantum computing research and establish Australia as an international leader in the industries of the future. The work has attracted major investment from the Australian Government, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Telstra.

CQC2T is leading the international race to build the world’s first quantum computer in silicon.

The new laboratories, which have been funded by UNSW, will house six new scanning tunnelling microscopes, which can be used to manipulate individual atoms, as well as six cryogenic dilution refrigerators that can reach ultra-low temperatures close to absolute zero.

“The international race to build a super-powerful quantum computer has been described as the space race of the computing era,” said Professor Michelle Simmons.

“Our Australian centre’s unique approach using silicon has given us a two to three-year lead over the rest of the world. These facilities will enable us to stay ahead of the competition.”

The new labs will also be essential for UNSW researchers to capitalise on the commercial implications of their work.

In December 2015, as part of its National Innovation and Science Agenda, the Australian Government committed $26 million towards a projected $100 million investment to support the commercial development of UNSW’s research to develop a quantum computer in silicon.

Following the Australian Government’s announcement of support, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Telstra each pledged $10 million for the development of a ten-qubit prototype. This prototype will be partly designed and built in the new facility.

“In addition to our fundamental research agenda, we now have an ambitious and targeted program to build a ten-qubit prototype quantum integrated circuit within five years,” said Professor Simmons. “By mapping the evolution of classical computing devices over the last century we would expect commercial quantum computing devices to appear within 5-10 years of that milestone.”

It is a prospect strongly endorsed by UNSW President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs.

“UNSW is committed to supporting world-leading research, and quantum computing is a key part of our future strategy. We are excited by the opportunities these new laboratories provide us to work jointly with industry and government.

“Our hope, long term, is that this will one day establish Australia as an international leader in one of the key industries of the future,” Professor Jacobs said.

Commonwealth Bank Chief Information Officer David Whiteing said: “Commonwealth Bank is proud to support the University of New South Wales' world-leading quantum computing research team and join the Australian Government in providing tangible support for their National Innovation and Science Agenda.

“In today’s world everyone relies increasingly on computers from those in the palm of our hand to the computers on our desk. Quantum computing is set to increase the speed and power of computing beyond what we can currently imagine. This is still some time in the future, but the time for investment is now. This type of long-term investment is a great example of how collaboration between universities, governments and industry will benefit the nation and our economy, now and into the future.”

Kate McKenzie, Telstra Chief Operations Officer, said that the opening of the new CQC2T laboratories was a significant milestone for science and innovation in Australia.

“In December 2015 we announced our proposed $10 million investment to help with development of silicon quantum computing technology in Australia with CQC2T. It’s an important part of Telstra’s commitment to help build a world class technology nation,” Ms McKenzie said.

“Quantum computing has huge potential globally, so I’m delighted to be here today to see this dynamic, world-leading program.”

Researchers at CQC2T lead the world in the engineering and control of individual atoms in silicon chips

The UNSW-based ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology is leading the global race to build the world’s first quantum computer in silicon.

In 2012, a team led by Professor Simmons, of the Faculty of Science, created the world’s first single‑atom transistor by placing a single phosphorus atom into a silicon crystal with atomic precision, achieving a technological milestone ten years ahead of industry predictions. Her team also produced the narrowest conducting wires ever made in silicon, just four atoms of phosphorus wide and one atom high.

In 2012, researchers led by Professor Andrea Morello, of the Faculty of Engineering, created the world’s first qubit based on the spin of a single electron on a single phosphorus atom embedded in silicon.

In 2014, his group then went on demonstrate that these qubits could be engineered to have the longest coherence times (greater than 30 seconds) and highest fidelities (>99.99%) in the solid state.

In 2013, Scientia Professor Sven Rogge, of the Faculty of Science, demonstrated the ability to optically address a single atom, a method that could allow the long-distance coupling of qubits.

And in 2015, researchers led by Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, of the Faculty of Engineering, built the first quantum logic gate in silicon – a device that makes calculations between two qubits of information possible. This clears one of the critical hurdles to making silicon-based quantum computers a reality.

More Information Links:

Backgrounder: Quantum computing at UNSW and timeline of major scientific and engineering advances

Backgrounder: New quantum computing laboratories at UNSW

News Release Source : Opening: Prime Minister hails UNSW's quantum computing research as the world's best

Image Credit : UNSW

Australian Researchers Advance Towards Silicon Based Quantum Computer

Atoms placed precisely in silicon can act as quantum simulator

UNSW
22 APR 2016

Coinciding with the opening of a new quantum computing laboratory at UNSW by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, UNSW researchers have made another advance towards the development of a silicon-based quantum computer.

[caption id="attachment_792" align="aligncenter" width="562"]                                       Australian Researchers Advance Towards                          Silicon Based Quantum Computer[/caption]

Coinciding with the opening of a new quantum computing laboratory at UNSW by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, UNSW researchers have made another advance towards the development of a silicon-based quantum computer.

In a proof-of-principle experiment, they have demonstrated that a small group of individual atoms placed very precisely in silicon can act as a quantum simulator, mimicking nature – in this case, the weird quantum interactions of electrons in materials.


“Previously this kind of exact quantum simulation could not be performed without interference from the environment, which typically destroys the quantum state,” says senior author Professor Sven Rogge, Head of the UNSW School of Physics and program manager with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T).

“Our success provides a route to developing new ways to test fundamental aspects of quantum physics and to design new, exotic materials – problems that would be impossible to solve even using today’s fastest supercomputers.”

The study is published in the journal Nature Communications. The lead author was UNSW’s Dr Joe Salfi and the team included CQC2T director Professor Michelle Simmons, other CQC2T researchers from UNSW and the University of Melbourne, as well as researchers from Purdue University in the US.


Two dopant atoms of boron only a few nanometres from each other in a silicon crystal were studied. They behaved like valence bonds, the “glue” that holds matter together when atoms with unpaired electrons in their outer orbitals overlap and bond.

The team’s major advance was in being able to directly measure the electron “clouds” around the atoms and the energy of the interactions of the spin, or tiny magnetic orientation, of these electrons.

They were also able to correlate the interference patterns from the electrons, due to their wave-like nature, with their entanglement, or mutual dependence on each other for their properties.

“The behaviour of the electrons in the silicon chip matched the behaviour of electrons described in one of the most important theoretical models of materials that scientists rely on, called the Hubbard model,” says Dr Salfi.

“This model describes the unusual interactions of electrons due to their wave-like properties and spins. And one of its main applications is to understand how electrons in a grid flow without resistance, even though they repel each other,” he says.

The team also made a counterintuitive find – that the entanglement of the electrons in the silicon chip increased the further they were apart.

“This demonstrates a weird behaviour that is typical of quantum systems,” says Professor Rogge.

“Our normal expectation is that increasing the distance between two objects will make them less, not more, dependent on each other.

“By making a larger set of dopant atoms in a grid in a silicon chip we could realise a vision first proposed in the 1980s by the physicist Richard Feynman of a quantum system that can simulate nature and help us understand it better,” he says.

Australian Researchers Create a Quantum ‘Fredkin Gate’

Unlocking the gates to quantum computing

Griffith’s Centre for Quantum Dynamics
March 28, 2016

Researchers have overcome one of the key challenges to quantum computing by simplifying a complex quantum logic operation. They demonstrated this by experimentally realising a challenging circuit, the quantum Fredkin gate, for the first time.

[caption id="attachment_762" align="aligncenter" width="468"]    Australian Researchers Create a Quantum ‘Fredkin Gate’[/caption]

“The allure of quantum computers is the unparalleled processing power that they provide compared to current technology,” saidDr Raj Patel from Griffith’s Centre for Quantum Dynamics.

“Much like our everyday computer, the brains of a quantum computer consist of chains of logic gates, although quantum logic gates harness quantum phenomena.”

The main stumbling block to actually creating a quantum computer has been in minimising the number of resources needed to efficiently implement processing circuits.

“Similar to building a huge wall out lots of small bricks, large quantum circuits require very many logic gates to function. However, if larger bricks are used the same wall could be built with far fewer bricks,” said Dr Patel.

In an experiment involving researchers from Griffith University and the University of Queensland, it was demonstrated how to build larger quantum circuits in a more direct way without using small logic gates.

At present, even small and medium scale quantum computer circuits cannot be produced because of the requirement to integrate so many of these gates into the circuits. One example is the Fredkin (controlled- SWAP) gate. This is a gate where two qubits are swapped depending on the value of the third.

Usually the Fredkin gate requires implementing a circuit of five logic operations. The research team used the quantum entanglement of photons – particles of light – to implement the controlled-SWAP operation directly.

“There are quantum computing algorithms, such as Shor’s algorithm for finding prime factors, that require the controlled-SWAP operation,” said Professor Tim Ralph from the University of Queensland.

The quantum Fredkin gate can also be used to perform a direct comparison of two sets of qubits (quantum bits) to determine whether they are the same or not. This is not only useful in computing but is an essential feature of some secure quantum communication protocols where the goal is to verify that two strings, or digital signatures, are the same.”

Professor Geoff Pryde, from Griffith’s Centre for Quantum Dynamics, is the project’s chief investigator.

“What is exciting about our scheme is that it is not limited to just controlling whether qubits are swapped, but can be applied to a variety of different operations opening up ways to control larger circuits efficiently,” said Professor Pryde.

“This could unleash applications that have so far been out of reach.”

The team is part of the Australian Research Council’s Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, an effort to exploit Australia’s strong expertise in developing quantum information technologies.

News Release Source : Unlocking the gates to quantum computing

Image Credit : Griffith’s Centre for Quantum Dynamics