Quantum News Briefs July 16: Infleqtion announces installation of first neutral atom quantum computer at NQCCC • IQM Quantum Computers qdvances quantum processor quality with new benchmarks • QuEra announces leadership change as Alex Keesling shifts role

News Briefs:

Infleqtion announces installation of first neutral atom quantum computer at NQCCC

Infleqtion has announced the installation of a cutting-edge neutral atom quantum computer at the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) as per a July 16 news release.. This marks a significant milestone as Infleqtion becomes the first company to deploy hardware at the NQCC under their quantum computing testbed programme. The news comes on the heels of Infleqtion’s rapid advancement in quantum gate fidelity.
In parallel to the delivery of the quantum computing testbed hardware, Infleqtion’s quantum software team are working closely on near term applications of quantum computing with NQCC researchers and Infleqtion’s partners Oxfordshire County Council, Riverlane, and QinetiQ. This work includes using Infleqtion’s Superstaq software to apply quantum optimisation to tackle challenges such as traffic management in Oxfordshire. A principal goal of these activities is to demonstrate the practical applications of quantum technology on both a regional and national scale, particularly in areas such as national security and defence.

IQM Quantum Computers qdvances quantum processor quality with new benchmarks

IQM Quantum Computers, a global leader in building quantum computers, has reached significant milestones in superconducting quantum computing, demonstrating improvements in two key metrics characterising the quality of quantum computer, as per the July 15 news release.
A record low error rate for two-qubit operations was achieved by demonstrating a CZ gate between two qubits with (99.91 +- 0.02) % fidelity, which was validated by interleaved randomised benchmarking. Achieving high two-qubit gate fidelity is the most fundamental and hardest to achieve characteristic of a quantum processor, essential for generating entangled states between qubits and executing quantum algorithms.
Furthermore, qubit relaxation time T1 of 0.964 +- 0.092 milliseconds and dephasing time T2 echo of 1.155 +- 0.188 milliseconds was demonstrated on a planar transmon qubit on a silicon chip fabricated in IQM´s own fabrication facilities. The coherence times, characterised by the relaxation time T1 and the dephasing time T2 echo, are among the key metrics for assessing the performance of a single qubit, as they indicate how long quantum information can be stored in a physical qubit.

QuEra announces leadership change as Alex Keesling shifts role

QuEra, a pioneering neutral-atom quantum computing company, announced today that Alex Keesling will transition from CEO to take on a new role in leading QuEra’s efforts to achieve higher-volume production and enhance its technology leadership, a critical strategic priority for the company. The Board of Directors appointed board member Andy Ory as acting CEO while the company searches for a permanent replacement.
Alex Keesling, who has been instrumental in guiding QuEra to its current leadership position in quantum computing, will leverage his expertise to drive the company’s production capabilities and achieve 100 logical error-corrected qubits, a key roadmap milestone. During his tenure as CEO, Keesling spearheaded significant advancements and positioned QuEra as a key player in the quantum computing landscape
‍Andy Ory, an accomplished entrepreneur with a rich background in founding and leading successful technology companies, brings a wealth of experience to his new role as interim CEO. Ory co-founded and led several companies, including Acme Packet, acquired by Oracle, and 128 Technology, which was acquired by Juniper Networks.