Alice & Bob to integrate Riverlane’s quantum error correction stack
Alice & Bob, developer of fault-tolerant quantum computers using cat qubits, plans to integrate Riverlane’s quantum error correction (QEC) stack into its larger quantum computing system, according to a collaboration agreement the two companies have signed, and announced at the France Quantum event in Paris.
The news comes as more quantum computer makers are doubling down on efforts to accelerate error correction efforts and come up with more efficient ways of achieving error correction. Just a few weeks ago, Riverlane received a grant from the European Innovation Council Transition Fund to help the company advance its error decoder technology.
Error correction does not present the same type of challenge to Alice & Bob that it might present to others. The superconducting cat qubits used by the company are by design immune to bit-flip errors, and last December it announced the tape-out of a QPU chip that incorporated cat qubits for running error correction code. Alice & Bob said these efforts will allow it “to build a large-scale error-corrected quantum computer using 200 times fewer hardware resources than other state-of-the-art approaches.”
However, QEC technology will still be helpful to the company in dealing with phase-flip errors, the other type of error common to quantum computing. Riverlane’s Deltaflow QEC stack acts as a distinct layer within a quantum computer’s overall stack.
“Our cat qubits are protected from one of the two errors in quantum computers. But this only solves part of the challenge.” said Alice & Bob CEO Dr. Theau Peronnin. “We need quantum error correction to get rid of the remaining error, the phase-flip. We are partnering with Riverlane because they have the most promising QEC technology for this challenge.”
Riverlane Founder and CEO Dr. Steve Brierley added, “We’re excited to begin exploring how best to combine Alice & Bob’s cat qubits, which are already one of the most resistant to errors, with our leading quantum error correction technology to accelerate our shared path to fault-tolerant quantum computing. I’m certain this approach can help them scale further and faster.”
Dan O’Shea has covered telecommunications and related topics including semiconductors, sensors, retail systems, digital payments and quantum computing/technology for over 25 years.
