Quantum News Briefs: February 20, 2024:
NVIDIA Accelerates Quantum Computing Exploration at Australia’s Pawsey Supercomputing Centre
Recently, NVIDIA announced its partnership with Australia’s Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre to enhance quantum computing research using the NVIDIA® CUDA Quantum platform, powered by NVIDIA Grace Hopper™ Superchips. This collaboration aims to accelerate breakthroughs in quantum computing at the National Supercomputing and Quantum Computing Innovation Hub. CUDA Quantum is an open-source platform designed for high-fidelity quantum simulations, featuring a suite of tools and libraries to facilitate quantum computing workflows. The NVIDIA Grace Hopper Superchip integrates Grace CPU and Hopper GPU architectures, significantly boosting the performance needed for scalable quantum simulations and interfacing with future quantum hardware. This initiative is set to advance research in quantum machine learning, chemistry simulations, and other fields, potentially unlocking $2.5 billion annually in revenue and creating 10,000 new jobs in Australia by 2040. Pawsey’s deployment of NVIDIA’s technology underscores the center’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of quantum computing, offering unprecedented computational power to tackle the world’s most complex problems.
New Fujitsu technology accelerates development of algorithms for practical use in quantum computers
Fujitsu has announced a significant development in quantum computing, unveiling a new technique on a quantum simulator that dramatically increases the speed of quantum-classical hybrid algorithms. This advancement achieves a computational speed 200 times faster than previous simulations, enabling the processing of large-scale problems, such as those in materials and drug discovery, which previously could take hundreds of days, to be completed in just one day. The technique involves the simultaneous processing of multiple quantum circuit computations and leverages one of the world’s largest quantum simulators to simplify large-scale problems with minimal accuracy loss. This innovation not only shortens the time required for large-scale quantum simulations but also facilitates the simulation of larger molecules for algorithm development. Fujitsu plans to incorporate this technology into its hybrid quantum computing platform, aiming to accelerate research and practical application of quantum computers in various fields, including finance and drug discovery. This represents a significant leap forward in overcoming the computational challenges associated with the early use of quantum computers and in the development of practical quantum algorithms.
UNSW Sydney Quantum computing engineers perform multiple control methods in just one atom
Quantum computing engineers at UNSW Sydney have achieved a significant milestone by demonstrating the ability to encode quantum information in four distinct ways within a single atom on a silicon chip, marking a potential breakthrough in quantum computing technology. Published in Nature Communications, their research utilized the 16 quantum states of an antimony atom, enabling more dense and efficient encoding compared to traditional qubits. This approach offers a new level of flexibility in quantum computing design, allowing for millions of qubits to be operated on a compact silicon chip, a stark contrast to current quantum models that require much larger spaces. The team, led by Scientia Professor Andrea Morello, leveraged over a decade of research in quantum control methods to achieve this feat. This development not only enhances the potential for scaling quantum computing but also paves the way for creating error-corrected logical qubits within single atoms, a critical step towards developing commercially viable quantum computing hardware.
In Other News: Investor Place article: “IONQ Stock Outlook: Why This Quantum Computing Play Could Be a Long-Term Winner”
IonQ (IONQ), a leader in the quantum computing sector, has become a top investment choice, reflecting its status as an early mover and its successful development milestones in quantum computing, highlights a recent Investor Place article. The company’s innovative use of trapped-ion technology for quantum systems promises significant reductions in quantum processing unit (QPU) size, enhancing power efficiency and minimizing costs and errors. Over the past year, IonQ’s stock has seen a notable increase of 117%, with a 10% gain year-to-date, offering an attractive entry point for investors. The company recently inaugurated the first U.S.-based quantum computing manufacturing hub in Bothell, WA, marking a significant step towards commercializing quantum computing. With partnerships expanding, including a renewed collaboration with SKKU in South Korea, and impressive financials showing a 122% revenue growth in Q3 2023, IonQ is poised for continued success. The company’s strategic alliances with institutions and its commitment to innovation underscore its potential to be a long-term winner in the quantum computing space, making it a speculative yet promising investment for those looking to diversify into next-gen technologies.
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry is the Managing Editor at Inside Quantum Technology and the Science Communicator at JILA (a partnership between the University of Colorado Boulder and NIST). Her writing beats include deep tech, quantum computing, and AI. Her work has been featured in National Geographic, Scientific American, Discover Magazine, New Scientist, Ars Technica, and more.