The New Quantum Era - innovation in quantum computing, science and technology

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117 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud

1. Nobel Laureate John Martinis Discusses Superconducting Qubits and Qolab

   13 oktober 2025 · 37 min

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   This episode is a first for the show - a repeat of a previously posted interview on The New Quantum Era podcast! I think you'll agree the reason for the repeat is a great one - this episode, recorded at the APS Global Summit in March, features a conversation John Martinis, co-founder and CTO of QoLab and newly minted Nobel Laureate! Last week the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences made an announcement that John would share the 2025 Nobel Prize for Physics with John Clarke and Michel Devoret “for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit.” It should come as no surprise that John and I talked about macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantization in electrical circuits, since those are precisely the attributes that make a superconducting qubit work for computation. Lees meer

   The work John is doing at Qolab, a superconducting qubit company seeking to build a million qubit device, is really impressive, as befits a Nobel Laureate and a pioneer in the field. In our conversation we explore the strategic shifts, collaborative efforts, and technological innovations that are pushing the boundaries of quantum computing closer to building scalable, million-qubit systems.

   Key Highlights

   Emerging from Stealth Mode & Million-Qubit System Paper:

   Discussion on QoLab’s transition from stealth mode and their comprehensive paper on building scalable million-qubit systems.

   Focus on a systematic approach covering the entire stack.

   Collaboration with Semiconductor Companies:

   Unique business model emphasizing collaboration with semiconductor companies to leverage external expertise.

   Comparison with bigger players like Google, who can fund the entire stack internally.

   Innovative Technological Approaches:

   Integration of wafer-scale technology and advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes.

   Emphasis on adjustable qubits and adjustable couplers for optimizing control and scalability.

   Scaling Challenges and S…

2. Carbon nanotube qubits with Pierre Desjardins

   27 september 2025 · 27 min

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   Pierre Desjardins is the cofounder of C12, a Paris-based quantum computing hardware startup that specializes in carbon nanotube-based spin qubits. Notably, Pierre founded the company alongside his twin brother, Mathieu, making them the only twin-led deep-tech startups that we know of! Pierre’s journey is unconventional—he is a rare founder in quantum hardware without a PhD, drawing instead on engineering and entrepreneurial experience. The episode dives into what drew him to quantum computing and the pivotal role COVID-19 played in catalyzing his career shift from consulting to quantum technology. Lees meer

   C12’s Technology and Unique Angle

   C12 focuses on developing high-performance qubits using single-wall carbon nanotubes. Unlike companies centered on silicon or germanium spin qubits, C12 fabricates carbon nanotubes, tests them for impurities, and then assembles them on silicon chips as a final step. The team exclusively uses isotopically pure carbon-12 to minimize magnetic and nuclear spin noise, yielding a uniquely clean environment for electron confinement. This yields ultra-low charge noise and enables the company to build highly coherent qubits with remarkable material purity.

   Key Technical Innovations

   Spin-Photon Coupling: C12’s system stands out for driving spin qubits using microwave photons, drawing inspiration from superconducting qubit architectures. This enables the implementation of a “quantum bus”—a superconducting interconnect that allows long-range coupling between distant qubits, sidestepping the scaling bottleneck of nearest-neighbor architectures.

   Addressable Qubits: Each carbon nanotube qubit can be tuned on or off the quantum bus by manipulating the double quantum dot confinement, providing flexible connectivity and the ability to maximize coherence in a memory mode.

   Stability and Purity: Pierre emphasizes that C12’s suspended architecture dramatically reduces charge noise and results in exceptional stability, with minimal calibration drift, over…

3. Quantum sensitivity breakthrough with Eli Levenson-Falk

   19 september 2025 · 33 min

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   Dr. Eli Levenson-Falk joins Sebastian Hassinger, host of The New Quantum Era to discuss his group’s recent advances in quantum measurement and control, focusing on a new protocol that enables measurements more sensitive than the Ramsey limit. Published in Nature Communications in April 2025, this work demonstrates a coherence stabilized technique that not only enhances sensitivity for quantum sensing but also promises improvements in calibration speed and robustness for superconducting quantum devices and other platforms. The conversation travels from Eli’s origins in physics, through the conceptual challenges of decoherence, to experimental storytelling, and highlights the collaborative foundation underpinning this breakthrough. Lees meer

   Guest Bio
   Eli Levenson-Falk is an Associate Professor at USC. He earned his PhD at UC Berkeley with Professor Irfan Siddiqui, and now leads an experimental physics research group working with superconducting devices for quantum information science.

   Key Topics

   The new protocol described in the paper: “Beating the Ramsey Limit on Sensing with Deterministic Qubit Control."

   Beyond the Ramsey measurement: How the team’s technique stabilizes part of the quantum state for enhanced sensitivity—especially for energy level splittings—using continuous, slowly varying microwave control, applicable beyond just superconducting platforms.

   From playground swings to qubits: Eli explains how the physics of a playground swing inspired his passion for the field and lead to his understanding of the transmon qubit, and why analogies matter for intuition.

   Quantum decoherence and stabilization: How the method controls the “vector” of a quantum state on the Bloch sphere, dumping decoherence into directions that can be tracked or stabilized, markedly increasing measurement fidelity.

   Calibration and practical speedup: The protocol achieves greater measurement accuracy in less time or greater accuracy for a given time investment. This has implications for both…

4. Mechanical Quantum Memories with Mohammad Mirhosseini

   14 september 2025 · 38 min

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   Assistant Professor Mohammad Mirhosseini (Caltech EE/APh) explains how his group built a mechanical quantum memory that stores microwave-photon quantum states far longer than typical superconducting qubits, and why that matters for hybrid quantum architectures. The discussion covers microwave photons, phonons, optomechanics, coherence versus lifetime (T2 vs. T1), current speed bottlenecks, and implications for quantum transduction and error mechanisms. The discussion centers on a paper from Mirhosseini's paper from December of 2024 titled, “A mechanical quantum memory for microwave photons,” detailing strong coupling between a transmon and a long‑lived nanomechanical oscillator for storage and retrieval of nonclassical states. Lees meer

   Guest

   Mohammad Mirhosseini is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics at Caltech, where his group engineers hybrid superconducting–phononic–photonic systems at millikelvin temperatures for computing, communication, and sensing. He completed his PhD at the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics and was a postdoc in Oscar Painter’s group at Caltech before starting his lab. His recent team effort demonstrates mechanical oscillators as compact, long‑lived quantum memories integrated with superconducting circuits.

   Key topics

   What “microwave photons” are and how qubits emit/absorb single microwave photons in circuit QED analogously to atoms and optical photons.

   Why “memory” is missing in today’s quantum processors and how a dedicated long‑lived storage element can complement fast but dissipative superconducting qubits.

   Optomechanics 101: mapping quantum states between electrical and mechanical degrees of freedom, with phonons as the quantized vibrational excitations.

   T1 vs. T2: demonstrated order‑of‑magnitude gains in lifetime (T1) and more modest current gains in coherence (T2), plus paths to mitigate dephasing.

   Present bottleneck: state conversion between qubit and oscillator is about 100× slower than n…

5. A Programming Language for Quantum Simulations with Xiaodi Wu

   5 september 2025 · 54 min

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   In this episode, host Sebastian Hassinger sits down with Xiaodi Wu, Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, to discuss Wu’s journey through quantum information science, his drive for bridging computer science and physics, and the creation of the quantum programming language SimuQ. Lees meer

   Guest Introduction

   Xiaodi Wu shares his academic path from Tsinghua University (where he studied mathematics and physics) to a PhD at the University of Michigan, followed by postdoctoral work at MIT and a position at the University of Oregon, before joining the University of Maryland.

   The conversation highlights Wu’s formative experiences, early fascination with quantum complexity, and the impact of mentors like Andy Yao.

   Quantum Computing: Theory Meets Practice

   Wu discusses his desire to blend theoretical computer science with physics, leading to pioneering work in quantum complexity theory and device-independent quantum cryptography.

   He reflects on the challenges and benefits of interdisciplinary research, and the importance of historical context in guiding modern quantum technology development.

   Programming Languages and Human Factors

   The episode delves into Wu’s transition from theory to practical tools, emphasizing the major role of human factors and software correctness in building reliable quantum software.

   Wu identifies the value of drawing inspiration from classical programming languages like FORTRAN and SIMULA—and points out that quantum software must prioritize usability and debugging, not just elegant algorithms.

   SimiQ: Hamiltonian-Based Quantum Abstraction

   Wu introduces SimuQ, a new quantum programming language designed to treat Hamiltonian evolution as a first-class abstraction, akin to how floating-point arithmetic is fundamental in classical computing.

   SimiQ enables users to specify Hamiltonian models directly and compiles them to both gate-based and analog/pulse-level quantum devices (including IBM, AWS Braket, and D-Wave backends).

   The language aim…

6. Building a Quantum Ecosystem with Alexandre Blais

   29 augustus 2025 · 35 min

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   Host Sebastian Hassinger interviews Alexandre Blais, professor of physics at the Universite de Sherbrooke and scientific director of the Insitut Quantique. Alexandre discusses his academic journey, starting from his master's and PhD work in Sherbrooke, his move to Yale, and his collaborations with both theorists and experimentalists. He outlines the development of circuit QED (quantum electrodynamics) and its foundational role in the modern superconducting qubit landscape. Blais emphasizes the interplay between fundamental physics and technological progress in quantum computing, highlighting both academic contributions and partnerships with industry. He also describes the evolution and mission of Institut Quantique, stressing its role in bridging academia and the quantum industry by training talent and fostering startups in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Finally, Blais reflects on the dual promise of quantum computing—as a tool for scientific discovery and as a long-term commercial technology. Lees meer

   Key Themes and Points

   1. Early Career and Path into Quantum Computing

   Alexandre Blais began his quantum computing journey during his master’s at Sherbrooke, inspired by a popular science article by Serge Haroche that laid out the argument for why quantum computers would never work.

   He pursued quantum studies at Sherbrooke despite a lack of local experts, showing early initiative and risk-taking.

   2. Transition to Yale and Circuit QED

   Blais joined Yale for his postdoc, attracted by the strong theory–experiment collaboration.

   The Yale group pioneered "circuit QED," adapting ideas from cavity QED (single atoms in magnetic cavities) to superconducting circuits, enabling new ways to read out and control qubits.

   Circuit QED became the backbone of superconducting qubit technology, notably enabling the transmon qubit (now a dominant architecture).

   Collaborated with figures like prior guests of the podcast Steve Girvin and Rob Schoelkopf, and was a postdoc along with Jay Gambetta and And…

7. From Exascale to Quantum Advantage with Bert de Jong

   22 augustus 2025 · 32 min

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   In this episode, Sebastian Hassinger sits down with Bert de Jong, a leading computational chemist and Director of the Quantum Systems Accelerator at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. They explore Bert’s journey from high-performance classical computing to the front lines of quantum research, his vision for the future of the U.S. National Quantum Initiative (NQI) center he leads, and the scientific and engineering challenges that will define the next era of quantum computing. Lees meer

   Key Topics Covered

   Career Arc: Bert reflects on his 27-year career in the national lab system, moving from classical computational chemistry and HPC to becoming a leader in quantum computing research and center management.

   Genesis of Quantum Focus: He describes his pivot to quantum in 2014, prompted by the scaling limitations of classical simulations and the promise of quantum systems to tackle “bigger and bigger” problems.

   Role of National Labs and NQI: Discussion of the U.S. National Quantum Initiative and the unique positioning of national labs in driving foundational science and cross-sector collaboration through centers like QSA.

   QSA’s Multimodal Approach: Insight into QSA’s decision not to “choose a lane,” advancing superconducting qubits, trapped ions, and neutral atoms in parallel, and the unique innovations—like integrated photonics—enabled by this breadth.

   Neutral Atom Milestones: Highlights the rapid progress in neutral atom systems (including work with QuEra and Misha Lukin), and the looming advent of devices with dozens of logical qubits and error correction.

   Logical Qubits and Error Correction: Bert explains how all quantum modalities are advancing toward error-corrected logical qubits, and why 100-logical-qubit prototypes are a realistic five-year goal.

   Scientific Impact: A discussion of what constitutes “quantum (scientific) advantage,” and why Bert believes that chemistry, materials science, high-energy, and nuclear physics will be the first domains to benefit from…

8. Quantum Careers for Gen Z with Deeya Viradia

   15 augustus 2025 · 36 min

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   Episode Overview Lees meer

   Join Sebastian Hassinger in conversation with Deeya Viradia, a Gen Z voice and rising researcher in the quantum computing field. Deeya discusses her multifaceted journey—from early inspiration and undergraduate research to hackathons, quantum clubs, and her ambitions in commercialization. This episode is packed with resources, perspectives on education, and advice for newcomers in quantum technology.

   Key Topics & Highlights

   Deeya’s Quantum Origin Story

   Inspired by curiosity and early science exposure—especially an episode of "Martha Speaks" with Neil deGrasse Tyson—which led to an ongoing passion for exploring the unknown, from astronomy to quantum computing.

   Found her quantum footing through engineering physics at UC Berkeley and participation in the IBM Qiskit Summer School.

   Building a Quantum Resume

   Gained diverse hands-on experience with UC Berkeley’s Quantum Devices Group, SLAC (Stanford Linear Accelerator Center), the DoD Quantum Entanglement and Space Technologies (QuEST) Lab, and multiple quantum hackathons (MIT iQuHack Hack, Yale's Y Quantum).

   Emphasizes the breadth of opportunity for undergraduates—advocates for involvement in hackathons and clubs, even without prior quantum experience.

   Theory vs. Experiment, and Academia vs. Industry

   Challenges traditional boundaries, advocating for integration: understanding both the experimental physics and the theoretical/algorithmic sides of quantum.

   Describes work at SLAC: optimizing readout for superconducting qubits, working with dilution fridges, and collaborating across national labs and Stanford.

   Student Community & Entrepreneurial Drive

   Founded Q-BIT at Berkeley, a club focused on quantum computing applications and industry connections.

   Active in Berkeley’s entrepreneurship community, driven to explore how quantum research moves from lab to commercial product.

   Commercialization and the Future of Quantum

   Discusses the uncertain but promising path to quantum’s economic value, hig…

9. Silicon Spin Qubits with Andrew Dzurak from Diraq

   8 augustus 2025 · 34 min

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   Host: Sebastian Hassinger
   Guest: Andrew Dzurak (CEO, Diraq) Lees meer

   In this enlightening episode, Sebastian Hassinger interviews Professor Andrew Dzurak. Andrew is the CEO and co-founder of Diraq and concurrently a Scientia Professor in Quantum Engineering at UNSW Sydney, an ARC Laureate Fellow and a Member of the Executive Board of the Sydney Quantum Academy. Diraq is a quantum computing startup pioneering silicon spin qubits, based in Australia. The discussion delves into the technical foundations, manufacturing breakthroughs, scalability, and future roadmap of silicon-based quantum computers—all with an industrial and commercial focus.

   Key Topics and Insights

   1. What Sets Diraq Apart

   Diraq’s quantum computers use silicon spin qubits, differing from the industry’s more familiar modalities like superconducting, trapped ion, or neutral atom qubits.

   Their technology leverages quantum dots—tiny regions where electrons are trapped within modified silicon transistors. The quantum information is encoded in the spin direction of these trapped electrons—a method with roots stretching over two decades1.

   2. Manufacturing & Scalability

   Diraq modifies standard CMOS transistors, making qubits that are tens of nanometers in size, compared to the much larger superconducting devices. This means millions of qubits can fit on a single chip.

   The company recently demonstrated high-fidelity qubit manufacturing on standard 300mm wafers at commercial foundries (GlobalFoundries, IMEC), matching or surpassing previous experimental results—all fidelity metrics above 99%.

   3. Architectural Innovations

   Diraq’s chips integrate both quantum and conventional classical electronics side by side, using standard silicon design toolchains like Cadence. This enables leveraging existing chip design and manufacturing expertise, speeding progress towards scalable quantum chips.

   Movement of electrons (and thus qubits) across the chip uses CMOS bucket-brigade techniques, similar to charge-coupled device…

10. Hybrid Quantum Materials with Charlotte Bøttcher

    1 augustus 2025 · 26 min

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    This episode of The New Quantum Era podcast, your host, Sebastian Hassinger, has a conversation with Dr. Charlotte Bøttcher, Assistant Professor, Stanford University. Dr. Bøttcher is an experimental physicist working with superconducting quantum devices, and shares with us her areas of focus and perspective on this critical area of materials research for quantum information science and technology. Lees meer

    Episode Highlights

    Meet Dr. Charlotte Bøttcher: Dr. Bøttcher shares her journey from Harvard (PhD) and Yale (postdoc with Michel Devoret) to launching her own experimental quantum materials group at Stanford. She discusses the excitement (and challenges) of building a new research lab from scratch.

    Hybrid Quantum Material Systems: The heart of the conversation centers on hybrid systems combining superconductors (aluminum) with semiconductors (indium arsenide). These materials pave the way for:

    Tunable and switchable superconductivity—the foundation for switchable quantum devices and potential advances in quantum information technology.

    Probing unconventional and topological superconductors, with implications for fundamental physics and exotic quantum states.

    Applications in Quantum Computing:

    Superconductivity plays a crucial role not only in qubits themselves but also in creating tunable couplers between qubits, allowing for controlled entanglement and reduced crosstalk.

    High-Tc superconductors (those with high critical temperatures) are discussed, including their complex, often disordered behavior—and their challenges and potential in qubit applications.

    Quantum Simulation and Sensing: Dr. Bøttcher describes her group’s efforts to use devices for simulating complex many-body quantum systems, including both bosonic and fermionic Hamiltonians. Quantum devices are also used for quantum sensing—detecting magnetic fields, charge, or collective modes in exotic materials (such as uranium-based superconductors).

    Controlling Disorder: The episode explores how adjusting…

11. Neutral Atom Qubits with Mark Saffman

    25 juli 2025 · 31 min

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    In this episode of The New Quantum Era, host Sebastian Hassinger sits down with Dr. Mark Saffman, a leading expert in atomic physics and quantum information science. As a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Chief Scientist at Infleqtion (formerly ColdQuanta), Mark is at the forefront of developing neutral atom quantum computing platforms using Rydberg atom arrays. The conversation explores the past, present, and future of neutral atom quantum computing, its scalability, technological challenges, and opportunities for hybrid quantum systems. Lees meer

    Key Topics

    Evolution of Neutral Atom Quantum Computing
    The history and development of Rydberg atom arrays, key technological breakthroughs, and the trajectory from early experiments to today’s platforms capable of large-scale qubit arrays.

    Gate Fidelity and Scalability
    Advances in gate fidelity, challenges in reducing laser noise, and the inherent scalability advantages of the neutral atom platform.

    Error Correction and Logical Qubits
    Discussion of error detection/correction, logical qubit implementation, code distances, and the engineering required for repeated error correction in neutral atom systems.

    Synergy Between Academia and Industry
    The interplay between curiosity-driven university research and focused engineering efforts at Infleqtion, including the collaborative benefits of cross-pollination.

    Hybrid Quantum Systems and Future Directions
    Potential for integrating different modalities, including hybrid systems, quantum communication, and quantum sensors, as well as modularity in scaling quantum processors.

    Key Insights

    Neutral atom arrays have achieved remarkable scalability, with demonstrations of arrays containing thousands of atomic qubits—well-positioned for large-scale quantum computing compared to other modalities.

    Advancements in laser technology and gate protocols have been crucial for improving gate fidelities, moving from early diode lasers to more stabilized, lower noise systems.

    Eng…

12. Bridging Theory and Experiment in Quantum Error Correction with Liang Jiang

    21 juli 2025 · 34 min

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    In this episode, Sebastian Hassinger sits down with Dr. Liang Jiang from the University of Chicago to explore the exciting intersection of quantum error correction theory and practical implementation. Dr. Jiang discusses his group's work on hardware-efficient quantum error correction, the recent breakthroughs in demonstrating error correction thresholds, and the future of fault-tolerant quantum computing. Lees meer

    Key Topics Covered

    Current State of Quantum Error Correction

    Recent milestone achievements including Google's surface code experiment and AWS's bosonic code demonstrations

    The transition from purely theoretical work to practical implementations on real hardware

    Hardware platforms showing high fidelity: superconducting qubits, trapped ions, and cold atoms

    Hardware-Efficient Approaches

    Bosonic Error Correction: Using single harmonic oscillators to correct loss errors, demonstrated at Yale and AWS

    Surface Codes: Google's achievement of going beyond breakeven point for quantum memory

    QLDPC Codes: Collaboration with IBM and neutral atom array experiments, particularly Michel Lukin's group at Harvard

    Fault-Tolerant Gate Implementation

    Challenges of implementing universal computation with error-corrected logical qubits

    Magic State Injection: Preparing resource quantum states and teleporting them into circuits

    Code Switching: Switching between different error correcting codes to achieve universal gate sets

    The Eastin-Knill no-go theorem and methods to overcome it

    Programming Abstraction Layers

    Evolution toward higher-level programming abstractions similar to classical computing

    Efficient compilation of quantum circuits using discrete fault-tolerant gate sets

    Memory Operations: Teleporting gates into quantum memory rather than extracting qubits

    Quantum Communication and Networking

    Channel Capacity and GKP Codes

    Application of Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) codes for achieving channel capacity in lossy channels

    Recent experimental demonstrations in tr…

13. Superposition in quantum cavities with Yvonne Gao

    10 juli 2025 · 28 min

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    In this episode of The New Quantum Era, your host, Sebastian Hassinger sits down with Dr. Yvonne Gao, a leading experimental physicist specializing in superconducting devices and quantum cavities. Recorded at the American Physical Society's Global Summit, the conversation explores the intersection of curiosity-driven research and technological advancement in quantum physics. Lees meer

    Key Topics Discussed

    1. Research Focus: Quantum Cavities and Superposition

    Dr. Gao shares her team's work on using cavities (harmonic oscillators) coupled with a single qubit to probe fundamental quantum effects.

    The experiments focus on quantum superposition and entanglement using minimal hardware—just one qubit and one cavity—eschewing the race for more qubits in favor of deeper scientific insights.

    Discussion of "cat states" as iconic demonstrations of quantum superposition, and how their properties can be engineered for robustness and sensitivity without specialized hardware.

    2. Experimental Innovation

    The team investigates loss mechanisms in cavity-based quantum states and explores ways to make these states more resilient through state engineering rather than hardware changes.

    Dr. Gao describes using standard, "vanilla" qubits and cavities, making their techniques accessible to other labs.

    3. Fundamental Questions and Quantum Playground

    Dr. Gao emphasizes the value of the circuit QED platform as a "playground" for exploring quantum phenomena, particularly entanglement and its quantification in real hardware.

    The challenge of visualizing and intuitively understanding quantum phenomena is highlighted, with experiments designed to make abstract concepts more tangible.

    4. Device Fabrication and Advancements

    Dr. Gao's lab at NUS has developed in-house fabrication capabilities, gradually building up expertise and infrastructure.

    The field is witnessing rapid improvements in device performance, driven by advances in materials science and process integration.

    5. Multipartite Entangl…

14. Quantum Co-design with Andrew Houck

    4 juli 2025 · 30 min

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    In this episode, your host Sebastian Hassinger sits down with Andrew Houck to explore the latest advancements and collaborative strategies in quantum computing. Houck shares insights from his leadership roles at both Princeton and the Center for Co-Design of Quantum Advantage (C2QA), focusing on how interdisciplinary efforts are pushing the boundaries of coherence times, materials science, and scalable quantum architectures. The conversation covers the importance of co-design across the quantum stack, the challenges and surprises in improving qubit performance, and the vision for the next era of quantum research. Lees meer

    KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED

    Mission of C2QA:
    The central goal is to build the components necessary to move beyond the NISQ (Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum) era into fault-tolerant quantum computing. This requires integrating expertise in materials, devices, software, error correction, and architecture to ensure compatibility and progress at every level.

    Materials Breakthroughs:
    Houck discusses the surprising impact of using tantalum in superconducting qubits, which has significantly reduced surface losses compared to other metals. He explains the ongoing quest to identify and mitigate sources of decoherence, such as two-level systems (TLSs) and interface defects.

    Co-Design Philosophy:
    The episode delves into two types of co-design:

    Vertical co-design: Aligning advances in materials, devices, error correction, and architecture to optimize the full quantum computing stack.

    Cross-platform co-design: Bridging ideas and techniques across different qubit modalities and even across disciplines, such as applying methods from quantum sensing to quantum computing.

    Error Correction Innovations:
    Houck highlights breakthroughs like using GKP states for error correction, which have achieved performance beyond the break-even point, thanks to improvements in materials and device design.

    Bosonic Modes and Custom Architectures:
    The conversation touches on leveraging nati…

15. Fostering quantum education with Emily Edwards

    20 juni 2025 · 31 min

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    In this episode of The New Quantum Era, Sebastian is joined by Dr. Emily Edwards, a co-founder of the Q12 initiative, an NSF-funded effort aimed at enhancing quantum science education from middle school through early undergraduate levels. Emily brings her expertise in organizing and motivating educators, as well as her passion for science communication. In this episode, we delve into the unique challenges of teaching quantum science and explore effective strategies to make this abstract field more accessible to learners of all ages. Lees meer

    Key Points

    Challenges in Quantum Communication and Education: Emily discusses the public perception of quantum science, often influenced by pop culture, and the importance of demystifying the subject to make it more approachable.

    Strategies for Formal and Informal Learning: The conversation highlights different techniques for teaching quantum science in formal settings, like schools, and informal settings, such as science museums or YouTube. Emily emphasizes the importance of foundational knowledge and incremental learning.

    Role of Technology in Quantum Education: Emily talks about using scanning electron microscopes and other technologies to make the invisible world of quantum science visible, thus igniting public interest and imagination similar to stargazing.

    Importance of Science Communication Workshops: Emily shares her experience in leading science communication workshops, aiming to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of science content created by the public.

    Public and Private Sector Collaboration: The discussion touches on the need for a blend of federal and private funding to sustain and scale quantum education initiatives. Emily stresses the importance of industry involvement to emphasize the urgency and importance of scientific literacy for the future workforce.

16. Quantum noise with Daniel Lidar

    19 mei 2025 · 43 min

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    In this episode of The New Quantum Era, your host Sebastian Hassinger talks with Dr. Daniel Lidar. Dr. Lidar is a pioneering researcher in quantum computing with over 25 years of experience, currently a professor at the University of Southern California. His work spans quantum algorithms, error correction, and quantum advantage, with significant contributions to understanding quantum annealing and noise suppression techniques. Lidar has been instrumental in exploring practical quantum computing applications since the mid-1990s. Lees meer

    Key Topics Discussed:

    Dr. Lidar discussed how his experiments have demonstrated computational advantages on D-Wave and IBM quantum devices using innovative error suppression methods like dynamical decoupling

    We discuss Dr. Lidar's involvement in the exploration of the mechanics of quantum annealing, particularly with D-Wave devices, and its potential for solving optimization problems

    Daniel provides a detailed view of emerging approaches to error suppression, including logical dynamical decoupling (LDD) and its experimental validation

    Finally we touch on Quantum Elements, his new company focused on developing more accurate open-system quantum simulation software to improve quantum hardware performance

17. Quantum creativity with James Wootton

    12 mei 2025 · 34 min

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    In this episode, Sebastian Hassinger welcomes back James Wootton, now Chief Science Officer at Moth Quantum, for a fascinating conversation about quantum computing's role in creative applications. This is a return visit from James, having appeared on episode 2, this time to talk about his exciting new role. Previously at IBM Quantum, James has been a pioneer in exploring unconventional applications of quantum computing, particularly in gaming, art, and creative industries. Lees meer

    Key Topics

    Origins of James's Quantum Journey

    Started in Arosa, Switzerland (coincidentally where Schrödinger developed his wave equation)

    Initially skeptical about commercial applications of his quantum error correction research

    Created "Decodoku" (a play on "decoder" and "Sudoku"), a puzzle game to gamify quantum error correction in 2016

    The same year IBM put a 5 qubit machine on the cloud, creating a paradigm shift in accessibility

    Quantum Gaming Innovations

    Developed what may be the first quantum computing game

    Created "Hello Quantum," a mobile educational game

    Developed "Quantum Blur," a tool that encodes images in quantum states, allowing users to see how quantum gates affect images

    Used quantum computing for procedural generation in games, including terrain generation for Minecraft-like environments

    Quantum Art and Creativity

    Collaborated with a classical painter who has used Quantum Blur as his main artistic tool for five years

    Explored using quantum computing for music generation

    Investigated language generation using the DiscoCat framework

    Moth Quantum

    James joined Moth Quantum as Chief Science Officer

    The company focuses on bringing quantum computing to creative industries

    Their approach recognizes that in creative fields, "usefulness" can mean bringing something unique rather than just superior performance

    Aims to build expertise with current quantum technologies to be ready when fault tolerance enables quantum advantage

    At the beginning of May, 2025, Moth collabo…

18. Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems with Anna Grassellino

    2 mei 2025 · 27 min

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    Introduction:
    In this milestone 50th episode of The New Quantum Era, your host Sebastian Hassinger welcomes Dr. Anna Grassellino, a leading figure in quantum information science and the director of the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center at Fermilab, or SQMS. Dr. Grassellino discusses the center’s mission to advance quantum computing and quantum sensing through innovations in superconducting materials and devices. The conversation explores the intersection of quantum hardware development, high energy physics applications, and the collaborative efforts driving progress in the field. We recorded our conversation at the APS 2025 Global Summit with assistance from the American Physical Society and from Quantum Machines, Inc. Lees meer

    Main Topics Discussed:

    The vision and mission of the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems (SQMS) Center, including its role in the Department of Energy’s National Quantum Initiative and its focus on developing quantum systems with superior performance for scientific and technological applications.

    Advances in superconducting quantum hardware, particularly the use of high-quality superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities and their integration with two-dimensional superconducting circuits to enhance qubit coherence and scalability.

    Key technical challenges in scaling up quantum systems, such as mitigating decoherence, improving materials, and developing large-scale cryogenic platforms for quantum experiments.

    The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between quantum engineers, materials scientists, and high energy physicists to achieve breakthroughs in quantum technology.

    Future directions for the SQMS Center, including the pursuit of quantum advantage in high energy physics algorithms, quantum sensing, and the development of robust error correction strategies.

    Notable Papers from Fermi’s SQMS Center:

    Quantum computing hardware for HEP algorithms and sensing (arXiv:2204.08605) – Overview of SQMS’s approa…

19. Quantum control with Yonatan Cohen

    25 april 2025 · 31 min

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    Introduction Lees meer

    In this episode of The New Quantum Era podcast, host Sebastian Hassinger delves into an insightful conversation with Yonatan Cohen, CTO and co-founder of Quantum Machines. As a pioneer in quantum control systems, Quantum Machines is at the forefront of tackling the critical challenges of scaling quantum computing, and they also provided support for my interviews conducted at the American Physical Society’s Global Summit 2025. APS itself also graciously provided support for these episodes.

    Yonatan shares exciting updates from their latest demos at the APS conference, discusses their unique approach to quantum control, and explores how integrating classical and quantum computing is paving the way for more efficient and scalable solutions.

    Key Points

    Scaling Quantum Control Systems: Yonatan discusses the challenges of scaling up quantum control systems, emphasizing the need to make systems more compact, reduce power consumption, and lower costs per qubit while maintaining high analog specifications.

    Integration of Classical Compute with Quantum Systems: The conversation highlights Quantum Machines’ collaborative work with NVIDIA on DGX Quantum, a platform that integrates classical and quantum computing to enhance computational power and low-latency data transfer.

    AI for Quantum Calibration and Error Correction: Yonatan explains the role of AI and machine learning in speeding up the calibration process of quantum computers and improving qubit control, potentially transforming how frequently and effectively quantum systems can be calibrated.

    Versatility Across Different Quantum Modalities: Quantum Machines’ control systems are adaptable to various quantum computing modalities such as superconducting qubits, NV centers, and atomic qubits, providing a flexible toolkit for researchers.

    The Role of the Israeli Quantum Computing Center: Yonatan describes Quantum Machines’ involvement in building and operating the Israeli Quantum Computing Center, providi…

20. Qolab Emerges from Stealth Mode with John Martinis

    14 april 2025 · 37 min

    Afspelen
    Welcome to episode 48 of The New Quantum Era podcast! Another episode recorded at the APS Global Summit in March, today's special guest is true quantum pioneer, John Martinis, co-founder and CTO of QoLab, a superconducting qubit company seeking to build a million qubit device. In this enlightening conversation, we explore the strategic shifts, collaborative efforts, and technological innovations that are pushing the boundaries of quantum computing closer to building scalable, million-qubit systems. This episode was made with support form The American Physical Society and Quantum Machines, Inc. (BTW I know I said episode 49 in the intro to this episode, I noticed it too late to fix without a further delay in posting the interview!) Lees meer

    Key Highlights

    Emerging from Stealth Mode & Million-Qubit System Paper:

    Discussion on QoLab’s transition from stealth mode and their comprehensive paper on building scalable million-qubit systems.

    Focus on a systematic approach covering the entire stack.

    Collaboration with Semiconductor Companies:

    Unique business model emphasizing collaboration with semiconductor companies to leverage external expertise.

    Comparison with bigger players like Google, who can fund the entire stack internally.

    Innovative Technological Approaches:

    Integration of wafer-scale technology and advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes.

    Emphasis on adjustable qubits and adjustable couplers for optimizing control and scalability.

    Scaling Challenges and Solutions:

    Strategies for achieving scale, including using large dilution refrigerators and exploring optical communication for modular design.

    Plans to address error correction and wiring challenges using brute force scaling and advanced materials.

    Future Vision and Speeding Up Development:

    QoLab’s goal to significantly accelerate the timeline toward achieving a million-qubit system.

    Insight into collaborations with HP Enterprises, NVIDIA, Quantum Machines, and others to combine expertise in hardwa…

21. Megaquop with John Preskill and Rob Schoelkopf

    2 april 2025 · 35 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode of The New Quantum Era podcast, your host Sebastian Hassinger interviews two of the field's most well-known figures, John Preskill and Rob Schoelkopf, about the transition of quantum computing into a new phase that John is calling "megaquop," which stands for "a million quantum operations." Our conversation delves into what this new phase entails, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and the innovative approaches being explored to make quantum computing perform better and become more useful. This episode was made with the kind support of the American Physical Society and Quantum Circuits, Inc. Here’s what you can expect from this insightful discussion: Lees meer

    Introduction of the Megaquop Era: John explains the transition from the NISQ era to the megaquop era, emphasizing the need for quantum error correction and the goal of achieving computations with around a million operations.

    Quantum Error Correction: Both John and Rob discuss the importance of quantum error correction, the challenges involved, and the innovative approaches being taken, such as dual rail and cat qubits.

    Superconducting Qubits and Dual Rail Approach: Rob shares insights into Quantum Circuits' work on dual rail superconducting qubits, which aim to make error correction more efficient by detecting erasure errors.

    Scientific and Practical Implications: The conversation touches on the scientific value of current quantum devices and the potential applications and discoveries that could emerge from the megaquop era.

    Future Directions and Challenges: The discussion also covers the future of quantum computing, including the need for better connectivity and the challenges of scaling up quantum devices.

    Mentioned in this Episode:

    Beyond NISQ: The Megaquop Machine: John Preskill's paper adapting his keynote from Q2B Silicon Valley 2024

    Quantum Circuits, Inc.: Rob's company, which is working on dual rail superconducting qubits.

22. Quantum memories with Steve Girvin

    26 maart 2025 · 37 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode of The New Quantum Era podcast, host Sebastian Hassinger speaks with Steve Girvin, professor of physics at Yale University, about quantum memory - a critical but often overlooked component of quantum computing architecture. This episode was created with support from the American Physical Society and Quantum Circuits, Inc. Lees meer

    Episode Highlights

    Introduction to Quantum Memory: Steve explains that quantum memory is essential for quantum computers, similar to how RAM functions in classical computers. It serves as intermediate storage while the CPU works on other data.

    Coherence Challenges: Quantum bits (qubits) struggle to faithfully hold information for extended periods. Quantum memory faces both bit flips (like classical computers) and phase flips (unique to quantum systems).

    The Fundamental Theorem: Steve notes there’s “no such thing as too much coherence” in quantum computing - longer coherence times are always beneficial.

    Quantum Random Access Memory (QRAM): Unlike classical RAM, QRAM can handle quantum superpositions, allowing it to process multiple addresses simultaneously and create entangled states of addresses and their associated data.

    QRAM Applications: Quantum memory enables state preparation, construction of oracles, and processing of big data in quantum algorithms for machine learning and linear algebra.

    Tree Architecture: QRAM is structured like an upside-down binary tree with routers at each node. The “bucket brigade” approach guides quantum bits through the tree to retrieve data.

    Error Resilience: Surprisingly, the error situation in QRAM is less catastrophic than initially feared. With a million leaf nodes and 0.1% error rate per component, only about 1,000 errors would occur, but the shallow circuit depth (only requiring n hops for n address bits) makes the system more resilient.

    Dual-Rail Approach: Recent work by Danny Weiss demonstrates using dual resonator (dual-rail) qubits where a microwave photon exists in superposition b…

23. Fluxonium Qubits with Will Oliver

    19 maart 2025 · 43 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode of The New Quantum Era, host Sebastian Hassinger interviews Professor Will Oliver from MIT about the advancements in fluxonium qubits. The discussion delves into the unique features of fluxonium qubits compared to traditional transmon qubits, highlighting their potential for high fidelity operations and scalability. Oliver shares insights from recent experiments at MIT, where his team achieved nearly five nines fidelity in single-qubit gates, and discusses how these qubits could be scaled up for larger quantum computing architectures through innovative control systems. Lees meer

    Major Points Covered:

    Fluxonium vs. Transmon Qubits: Fluxonium qubits have a double-well potential, unlike the harmonic oscillator-like potential of transmon qubits. This design allows for high anharmonicity, which is beneficial for reducing leakage to higher energy levels during operations.

    High Fidelity Operations: The MIT team achieved high fidelity in both single and two-qubit gates using fluxonium qubits. For single qubits, they reached nearly five nines fidelity, and for two-qubit gates, they achieved fidelities around 99.92%.

    Scalability and Cost Reduction: Fluxonium qubits operate at lower frequencies, which could enable the integration of control electronics at cryogenic temperatures, reducing costs and increasing scalability. This approach is being developed by Atlantic Quantum, a startup spun out of Oliver's research group

    Future Directions: The goal is to implement surface code error correction with fluxonium qubits, which could lead to efficient production of logical qubits due to their high fidelity operations

    This episode brought to you with support from APS and from Quantum Machines, a big thank you to both organizations!

24. Quantum imaginary time evolution with Zoe Holmes

    6 maart 2025 · 35 min

    Afspelen
    Professor Zoe Holmes from EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland, discusses her work on quantum imaginary time evolution and variational techniques for near-term quantum computers. With a background from Imperial College London and Oxford, Holmes explores the limits of what can be achieved with NISQ (Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum) devices. Lees meer

    Key topics covered:

    Quantum Imaginary Time Evolution (QITE) as a cooling-inspired algorithm for finding ground states

    Comparison of QITE to Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) approaches

    Challenges in variational methods, including barren plateaus and expressivity concerns

    Trade-offs between circuit depth, fidelity, and practical implementation on current hardware

    Potential for scientific value from NISQ-era devices in physics and chemistry applications

    The interplay between classical and quantum methods in advancing our understanding of quantum systems

25. Informationally complete measurement and dual-rail qubits with Guillermo García-Pérez and Sean Weinberg

    18 februari 2025 · 34 min

    Afspelen
    Welcome to another episode of The New Quantum Era, where we delve into the cutting-edge developments in quantum computing. with your host, Sebastian Hassinger. Today, we have a unique episode featuring representatives from two companies collaborating on groundbreaking quantum algorithms and hardware. Joining us are Sean Weinberg, Director of Quantum Applications at Quantum Circuits Incorporated, and Guillermo Garcia Perez, Chief Science Officer and co-founder at Algorithmiq. Together, they discuss their partnership and the innovative work they are doing to advance quantum computing applications, particularly in the field of chemistry and pharmaceuticals. Lees meer

    Key Highlights:

    Introduction of New Podcast Format: Sebastian explains the new format of the podcast and introduces the guests, Sean Weinberg from Quantum Circuits Inc. and Guillermo Garcia Perez from Algorithmic.

    Collaboration Overview: Guillermo discusses the partnership between Quantum Circuits Inc. and Algorithmiq, focusing on how Quantum Circuits Inc.'s dual-rail qubits with built-in error detection enhance Algorithmiq’s quantum algorithms.

    Innovative Algorithms: Guillermo elaborates on their novel approach to ground state simulations using tensor network methods and informationally complete measurements, which improve the accuracy and efficiency of quantum computations.

    Hardware Insights: Sean provides insights into Quantum Circuits Inc.'s Seeker device, an eight-qubit system that flags 90% of errors, and discusses the future scalability and potential for error correction.

    Future Directions: Both guests talk about the potential for larger-scale devices and the importance of collaboration between hardware and software companies to advance the field of quantum computing.

    Mentioned in this Episode:

    Quantum Circuits Inc.

    Algorithmiq

    QCI’s forthcoming quantum computing device, Aqumen Seeker

    Tensor Network Error Mitigation: A method used by Algorithmic to improve the accuracy of quantum computations.

    Tu…

26. Generative Quantum Eigensolver with Alán Aspuru-Guzik

    20 januari 2025 · 38 min

    Afspelen
    Welcome back to The New Quantum Era, a podcast by Sebastian Hassinger and Kevin Rowney. After a brief hiatus, we’re excited to bring you a fascinating conversation with a true pioneer in the field of quantum computing, Alán Aspuru-Guzik. Alán is a professor at the University of Toronto and a leading figure in quantum computing, known for his foundational work on the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE). In this episode, we delve into the evolution of VQE and explore Alán’s latest groundbreaking work on the Generative Quantum Eigensolver (GQE). Expect to hear about the intersection of quantum computing and machine learning, and how these advancements could shape the future of the field. Lees meer

    Key Highlights:

    Origins of VQE: Alan discusses the development of the Variational Quantum Eigensolver, a technique that combines classical and quantum computing to approximate the ground state of chemical systems. This method was a significant step forward in efforts to make practical use of noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices.

    Challenges and Innovations: The conversation touches on the challenges of variational algorithms, such as the barren plateau problem, and how Alán’s group has been working on innovative solutions to overcome these hurdles.

    Introduction to GQE: Alán introduces the Generative Quantum Eigensolver, a new approach that leverages generative models like transformers to optimize quantum circuits without relying on quantum gradients. This method aims to make quantum computing more efficient and practical.

    Future of Quantum Computing: The discussion explores the potential future workflows in quantum computing, where hybrid architectures combining classical and quantum computing will be essential. Alán shares his vision of how GQE could be foundational in this new era.

    Broader Applications: Beyond chemistry, the GQE technique has potential applications in quantum machine learning and other variational algorithms, making it a versatile tool in the quant…

27. Dual-rail superconducting qubits with Rob Schoelkopf

    20 november 2024 · 43 min

    Afspelen
    Welcome to another episode of The New Quantum Era, hosted by Sebastian Hassinger and Kevin Rowney. Today, we have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Robert Schoelkopf, Sterling Professor of Applied Physics at Yale, Director of the Yale Quantum Institute, and CTO and co-founder at Quantum Circuits, Inc. Dr. Schoelkopf is a pioneering figure in the field of quantum computing, particularly known for his contributions to the development of the transmon qubit architecture. In this episode, we delve into the history and future of quantum computing, focusing on the latest advancements in error correction and the innovative dual rail qubit architecture. Lees meer

    Key Highlights:

    Historical Context and Contributions: Dr. Schoelkopf discusses the early days of quantum computing at Yale, including the development of the transmon qubit architecture, which has been foundational for superconducting qubits.

    Introduction to Dual Rail Qubits: Explanation of the dual rail qubit architecture, which promises significant improvements in error detection and correction, potentially reducing the overhead required for fault-tolerant quantum computing.

    Error Correction Strategies: Insights into how the dual rail qubit architecture simplifies the detection and correction of errors, making quantum error correction more efficient and scalable.

    Modular Approach to Quantum Computing: Discussion on the modular design of quantum systems, which allows for easier scaling and maintenance, and the potential for interconnecting quantum modules via microwave photons.

    Future Prospects and Real-World Applications: Dr. Schoelkopf shares his vision for the future of quantum computing, including the commercial deployment of Quantum Circuits, Inc's new quantum devices and the ongoing collaboration between theoretical and experimental approaches to advance the field.

    Mentioned in this Episode:

    Yale Quantum Institute

    Quantum Circuits Inc. announces Aqumen Seeker

    Join us as we explore these groundbreaking advanc…

28. Integrating Quantum Computers and Classical Supercomputers with Martin Schultz

    30 september 2024 · 37 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode of The New Quantum Era, Sebastian talks with Martin Schultz, Professor at TU Munich and board member of the Leibniz Supercomputing Center (LRZ) about the critical need to integrate quantum computers with classical supercomputing resources to build practical quantum solutions. They discuss the Munich Quantum Valley initiative, focusing on the challenges and advancements in merging quantum and classical computing. Lees meer

    Main Topics Discussed:

    The Genesis of Munich Quantum Valley: The Munich Quantum Valley is a collaborative project funded by the Bavarian government to advance quantum research and development. The project quickly realized the need for software infrastructure to bridge the gap between quantum hardware and real-world applications.

    Building a Hybrid Quantum-Classical Computing Infrastructure: LRZ is developing a software stack and web portal to streamline the interaction between their HPC system and various quantum computers, including superconducting and ion trap systems. This approach enables researchers to leverage the strengths of both classical and quantum computing resources seamlessly.

    Hierarchical Scheduling for Efficient Resource Allocation: LRZ is designing a multi-tiered scheduling system to optimize resource allocation in the hybrid environment. This system considers factors like job requirements, resource availability, and the specific characteristics of different quantum computing technologies to ensure efficient execution of quantum workloads.

    Open-Source Collaboration and Standardization: LRZ aims to make its software stack open-source, recognizing the importance of collaboration and standardization in the quantum computing community. They are actively working with vendors to define standard interfaces for integrating quantum computers with HPC systems.

    Addressing the Unknown in Quantum Computing: The field of quantum computing is evolving rapidly, and LRZ acknowledges the need for adaptable solutions. Their architectural …

29. Innovative Near-Term Quantum Algorithms with Toby Cubitt

    11 september 2024 · 49 min

    Afspelen
    Welcome to The New Quantum Era, a podcast hosted by Sebastian Hassinger and Kevin Rowney. In this episode, we have an insightful conversation with Dr. Toby Cubitt, a pioneer in quantum computing, a professor at UCL, and a co-founder of Phasecraft. Dr. Cubitt shares his deep understanding of the current state of quantum computing, the challenges it faces, and the promising future it holds. He also discusses the unique approach Phasecraft is taking to bridge the gap between theoretical algorithms and practical, commercially viable applications on near-term quantum hardware. Lees meer

    Key Highlights:

    The Dual Focus of Phasecraft: Dr. Cubitt explains how Phasecraft is dedicated to algorithms and applications, avoiding traditional consultancy to drive technology forward through deep partnerships and collaborative development.

    Realistic Perspective on Quantum Computing: Despite the hype cycles, Dr. Cubitt maintains a consistent, cautiously optimistic outlook on the progress toward quantum advantage, emphasizing the complexity and long-term nature of the field.

    Commercial Viability and Algorithm Development: The discussion covers Phasecraft’s strategic focus on material science and chemistry simulations as early applications of quantum computing, leveraging the unique strengths of quantum algorithms to tackle real-world problems.

    Innovative Algorithmic Approaches: Dr. Cubitt details Phasecraft’s advancements in quantum algorithms, including new methods for time dynamics simulation and hybrid quantum-classical algorithms like Quantum enhanced DFT, which combine classical and quantum computing strengths.

    Future Milestones: The conversation touches on the anticipated breakthroughs in the next few years, aiming for quantum advantage and the significant implications for both scientific research and commercial applications.

    Papers Mentioned in this episode:

    Observing ground-state properties of the Fermi-Hubbard model using a scalable algorithm on a quantum computer

    Towards near-…

30. Quantum Machine Learning with Jessica Pointing

    26 augustus 2024 · 44 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode of The New Quantum Era podcast, hosts Sebastian Hassinger and Kevin Roney interview Jessica Pointing, a PhD student at Oxford studying quantum machine learning. Lees meer

    Classical Machine Learning Context

    Deep learning has made significant progress, as evidenced by the rapid adoption of ChatGPT

    Neural networks have a bias towards simple functions, which enables them to generalize well on unseen data despite being highly expressive

    This “simplicity bias” may explain the success of deep learning, defying the traditional bias-variance tradeoff

    Quantum Neural Networks (QNNs)

    QNNs are inspired by classical neural networks but have some key differences

    The encoding method used to input classical data into a QNN significantly impacts its inductive bias

    Basic encoding methods like basis encoding result in a QNN with no useful bias, essentially making it a random learner

    Amplitude encoding can introduce a simplicity bias in QNNs, but at the cost of reduced expressivity

    Amplitude encoding cannot express certain basic functions like XOR/parity

    There appears to be a tradeoff between having a good inductive bias and having high expressivity in current QNN frameworks

    Implications and Future Directions

    Current QNN frameworks are unlikely to serve as general purpose learning algorithms that outperform classical neural networks

    Future research could explore:

    Discovering new encoding methods that achieve both good inductive bias and high expressivity

    Identifying specific high-value use cases and tailoring QNNs to those problems

    Developing entirely new QNN architectures and strategies

    Evaluating quantum advantage claims requires scrutiny, as current empirical results often rely on comparisons to weak classical baselines or very small-scale experiments

    In summary, this insightful interview with Jessica Pointing highlights the current challenges and open questions in quantum machine learning, providing a framework for critically evaluating progress in the fiel…

31. Quantum reservoir computing with Susanne Yelin

    15 augustus 2024 · 26 min

    Afspelen
    Sebastian is joined by Susanne Yelin, Professor of Physics in Residence at Harvard University and the University of Connecticut.
    Susanne's Background: Lees meer

    Fellow at the American Physical Society and Optica (formerly the American Optics Society)

    Background in theoretical AMO (Atomic, Molecular, and Optical) physics and quantum optics

    Transition to quantum machine learning and quantum computing applications

    Quantum Machine Learning Challenges

    Limited to simulating small systems (6-10 qubits) due to lack of working quantum computers

    Barren plateau problem: the more quantum and entangled the system, the worse the problem

    Moved towards analog systems and away from universal quantum computers

    Quantum Reservoir Computing

    Subclass of recurrent neural networks where connections between nodes are fixed

    Learning occurs through a filter function on the outputs

    Suitable for analog quantum systems like ensembles of atoms with interactions

    Advantages: redundancy in learning, quantum effects (interference, non-commuting bases, true randomness)

    Potential for fault tolerance and automatic error correction

    Quantum Chemistry Application

    Goal: leverage classical chemistry knowledge and identify problems hard for classical computers

    Collaboration with quantum chemists Anna Krylov (USC) and Martin Head-Gordon (UC Berkeley)

    Focused on effective input-output between classical and quantum computers

    Simulating a biochemical catalyst molecule with high spin correlation using a combination of analog time evolution and logical gates

    Demonstrating higher fidelity simulation at low energy scales compared to classical methods

    Future Directions

    Exploring fault-tolerant and robust approaches as an alternative to full error correction

    Optimizing pulses tailored for specific quantum chemistry calculations

    Investigating dynamics of chemical reactions

    Calculating potential energy surfaces for molecules

    Implementing multi-qubit analog ideas on the Rydberg atom array machine at Harvar…

32. Bosonic quantum error correction with Julien Camirand Lemyre

    5 augustus 2024 · 35 min

    Afspelen
    Welcome back to The New Quantum Era, the podcast where we explore the cutting-edge developments in quantum computing. In today’s episode, hosts Sebastian Hassinger and Kevin Rowe are joined by Dr. Julien Camirand Lemyre, the CEO and co-founder of Nord Quantique. Nord Quantique is a startup spun out from the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada, and is making significant strides in the field of quantum error correction using innovative superconducting qubit designs. In this conversation, Dr. Camirand Lemyre shares insights into their groundbreaking research and the innovative approaches they are taking to improve quantum computing systems. Lees meer

    Listeners can expect to learn about:

    Dr. Camirand Lemyre’s journey into quantum computing and the founding of Nord Quantique.

    The unique approach Nord Quantique is taking with Bosonic code qubits and how they differ from traditional fermionic qubits.

    The recent research paper by Nord Quantique that demonstrates autonomous quantum error correction, a significant step forward in the field.

    The potential impact of these advancements on reducing the overhead of error correction in quantum systems.

    Future directions and next steps for Nord Quantique, including further optimization and development of their quantum technology.

    Highlights:

    Julien Camirand Lemyre’s Background: Dr. Camirand Lemyre shares his academic journey and how it led to the founding of Nord Quantique.

    Bosonic Qubits: An exploration of how Nord Quantique is leveraging Bosonic qubits for better quantum error correction.

    Autonomous Quantum Error Correction: Discussion on the recent research paper and its implications for the field of quantum computing.

    Technological Innovations: Insights into the specific technological advancements and controls Nord Quantique is developing.

    Future Plans: Dr. Camirand Lemyre shares what’s next for Nord Quantique and their ongoing research efforts.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    Nord Quantique: Website

    University of Sherbr…

33. Quantum Benchmarking with Jens Eisert

    18 juli 2024 · 34 min

    Afspelen
    Welcome to another episode of The New Quantum Era! Today, we have a fascinating conversation with Professor Jens Eisert, a veteran in the field of quantum information science. Jens takes us through his journey from his PhD days, delving into the role of entanglement in quantum computing and communication, to leading a team that bridges theoretical and practical aspects of quantum technology. In this episode, we explore the fine line between classical and quantum worlds, the potential and limitations of near-term quantum devices, and the role of theoretical frameworks in advancing quantum technologies. Here are some key highlights from our conversation: Lees meer

    Theoretical Limits and Practical Applications: Jens discusses his team's work on establishing theoretical limits and guidelines for what can be achieved with current quantum hardware, focusing on both long-term and near-term goals.

    Benchmarking and Certification: The importance of randomized benchmarking techniques is highlighted, including their role in diagnosing and improving quantum devices. Jens elaborates on how these techniques can provide detailed diagnostic information and their limitations in scalability.

    Error Mitigation and Non-Unit Noise: Insights into the impact of non-unit noise on quantum circuits and the limitations of error mitigation techniques, particularly concerning their scalability.

    Quantum Simulation and Near-Term Devices: Jens shares his cautious optimism about the potential for near-term quantum devices to achieve practical applications, particularly in the field of quantum simulation.

    Innovative and Foundational Research: The conversation touches on Jens' interest in both pioneering new fields and concluding existing ones. He shares intriguing research on the emergence of temperature in quantum systems and its potential implications for quantum algorithms.

34. Careers in Quantum with Anastasia Marchenkova

    26 juni 2024 · 46 min

    Afspelen
    Welcome to The New Quantum Era podcast! In today’s episode, we dive deep into the fascinating world of quantum computing and the broader tech landscape with Anastasia Marchenkova, who has a unique blend of experiences in startups, academia, and venture capital. Join us as we explore the intersections of technology, business, and education, and uncover the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the quantum era. Lees meer

    Highlights from the Interview:

    Journey into Quantum Computing: Learn how our Anastasia's early experiences in quantum telecommunications and a serendipitous encounter with a startup led to a pivotal role at Rigetti Computing.

    Building and Scaling Startups: Insights into the startup ecosystem, including the importance of customer discovery, the challenges of scaling deep tech companies, and the role of non-dilutive funding from sources like DARPA.

    Interdisciplinary Innovations: Discover how principles from quantum computing are being applied to other cutting-edge fields like thermodynamic computing and AI, and the potential for cross-disciplinary breakthroughs.

    The Importance of Communication and Networking: Discussion on the critical role of communication skills in science and technology, and how building connections can drive innovation and collaboration.

    Future Vision and Education: Our guest’s ambitious plans for bridging the gap between deep tech and the broader public through educational initiatives and media, aiming to inspire the next generation of technologists and entrepreneurs.

    Mentioned in This Episode:

    Rigetti Computing: A pioneering quantum computing startup.

    DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency): A key source of non-dilutive funding for deep tech projects.

    Quantum Benchmark: A company specializing in error characterization and mitigation for quantum computing, acquired by Keysight Technologies.

    Thermodynamic Computing: An emerging field aimed at reducing energy consumption in AI, with notable contributions from res…

35. The International Year of Quantum Science and Technology with Paul Cadden-Zimansky

    11 juni 2024 · 39 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode of The New Quantum Era, Kevin and Sebastian are joined by a special guest, Paul Cadden-Zemansky, Associate Professor of Physics at Bard College and Director of the Physics Program. Paul is also on the Executive Committee for the International Year of Quantum at the American Physical Society and has been actively involved in the UN’s recent declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. With the UN resolution now official, Paul joins us to discuss the significance and plans for this global celebration of quantum mechanics. Lees meer

    Listeners can expect an insightful conversation covering the following key points:

    The Significance of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology: Paul explains the origins and importance of the UN’s declaration, marking the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics and its impact over the past century.

    Global Collaboration and Outreach: Discussion on the international cooperation involved in getting the resolution passed, including the involvement of various scientific societies and countries, and the emphasis on public awareness and education.

    Challenges and Strategies for Quantum Communication: Paul shares his thoughts on the difficulties of communicating complex quantum concepts to the public and the strategies to make quantum mechanics more accessible and engaging.

    Future Plans and Initiatives: Insights into the plans for 2025, including potential events, educational resources, and how individuals and organizations can get involved in promoting quantum science.

    Innovations in Quantum Visualization: Paul’s work with students on new methods for visualizing complex quantum systems, including the development of tools to help understand two-qubit states.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    UN Declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology

    American Physical Society (APS)

    Quantum 2025 Website: quantum2025.org

    Paul’s Research Paper on Quantum Visualization…

36. Quantum Advantage Theory and Practice with Di Fang

    14 mei 2024 · 36 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode of The New Quantum Era, host Sebastian Hassinger comes to you again from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, during their launch event in April 2024 for the deployment of an IBM System One quantum computer on their campus. RPI invited me to lead a panel discussion with members of their faculty and IT team, and provided a podcast studio for my use for the remainder of the week, where he recorded a series of interviews. In this episode Sebastian interviews Di Fang, an assistant professor of mathematics at Duke University and member of the Duke Quantum Center. They discuss Dr. Fang's research on the theoretical aspects of quantum computing and quantum simulation, the potential for quantum computers to demonstrate quantum advantage over classical computers, and the need to balance theory with practical applications. Key topics and takeaways from the conversation include: Lees meer

    - Dr. Fang's background as a mathematician and how taking a quantum computing class taught by Umesh Vazirani at UC Berkeley sparked her interest in the field of quantum information science
    - The potential for quantum computers to directly simulate quantum systems like molecules, going beyond the approximations required by classical computation
    - The importance of both proving theoretical bounds on quantum algorithms and working towards practical resource estimation and hardware implementation to demonstrate real quantum advantage
    - The stages of development needed to go from purely theoretical quantum advantage to solving useful real-world problems, and the role of Google's quantum XPRIZE competition in motivating practical applications
    - The long-term potential for quantum computing to have a disruptive impact like AI, but the risk of a "quantum winter" if practical results don't materialize, and the need for continued fundamental research by academics alongside industry efforts

37. The Utility of Quantum Computing for Chemistry with Jamie Garcia

    9 mei 2024 · 34 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode of The New Quantum Era, we're diving deep into the intersection of quantum computing and chemistry with Jamie Garcia, Technical Program Director for Algorithms and Scientific Partnerships Group with IBM Quantum. Jamie brings a unique perspective, having transitioned from a background in chemistry to the forefront of quantum computing. At the heart of our discussion is the deployment of the IBM Quantum computer at RPI, marking a significant milestone as the first of its kind on a university campus. Jamie shares insights into the challenges and breakthroughs in using quantum computing to push the boundaries of computational chemistry, highlighting the potential to revolutionize how we approach complex chemical reactions and materials science. Lees meer

    Throughout the interview, Jamie discusses the evolution of quantum computing from a theoretical novelty to a practical tool in scientific research, particularly in chemistry. We explore the limitations of classical computational methods in chemistry, such as the reliance on approximations, and how quantum computing offers the promise of more accurate and efficient simulations. Jamie also delves into the concept of "utility" in quantum computing, illustrating how IBM's quantum computers are beginning to perform tasks that challenge classical computing capabilities. The conversation further touches on the significance of quantum computing in education and research, the integration of quantum systems with high-performance computing (HPC) centers, and the future of quantum computing in addressing complex problems in chemistry and beyond.

    Jamie's homepage at IBM Research
    How Quantum Computing Could Remake Chemistry, an article by Jamie Garcia in Scientific American

38. Aspiring Quantum Chemist with Professor Lin Lin

    29 april 2024 · 43 min

    Afspelen
    Sebastian interviews Professor Lin Lin during the System One ribbon cutting event at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. Professor Lin Lin's journey from computational mathematics to quantum chemistry has been driven by his fascination with modeling nature through computation. As a student at Peking University, he was intrigued by the concept of first principles modeling, which aims to simulate chemical systems using minimal information such as atomic species and positions. Lin Lin pursued this interest during his PhD at Princeton University, working with mathematicians and chemists to develop better algorithms for density functional theory (DFT). DFT reformulates the high-dimensional quantum chemistry problem into a more tractable three-dimensional one, albeit with approximations. While DFT works well for about 95% of cases, it struggles with large systems and the remaining "strongly correlated" 5%. Lin Lin and his collaborators radically reformulated DFT to enable calculations on much larger systems, leading to his faculty position at UC Berkeley in 2014. Lees meer

    In 2018, a watershed year marked by his tenure, Lin Lin decided to tackle the challenging 5% of strongly correlated quantum chemistry problems. Two emerging approaches showed promise: artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. Both AI and quantum computing are well-suited for handling high-dimensional problems, albeit in fundamentally different ways. Lin Lin aimed to leverage both approaches, collaborating on the development of deep molecular dynamics using AI to efficiently parameterize interatomic potentials. On the quantum computing side, his group worked to reformulate quantum chemistry for quantum computers. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lin Lin and his collaborators have made significant strides in combining AI and quantum computing to push the boundaries of computational chemistry simulations, bridging the fields of mathematics, chemistry, AI, and quantum compu…

39. Quantum Education and Community Building with Olivia Lanes

    22 april 2024 · 36 min

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    Sebastian is joined by Olivia Lanes, Global Lead for Education and Learning, IBM Quantum to discuss quantum education, IBM's efforts to provide resources for workforce development, the importance of diversity and equality in STEM, and her own personal journey from experimental physics to community building and content creation. Recorded on the RPI campus during the launch event of their IBM System One quantum computer. Lees meer

    Key Topics:
    - Olivia's background in experimental quantum physics and transition to education at IBM Quantum
    - Lowering barriers to entry in quantum computing education through IBM's Quantum Experience platform, Qiskit open source framework, and online learning resources
    - The importance of reaching students early, especially women and people of color, to build a diverse quantum workforce pipeline
    - Quantum computing as an interdisciplinary field requiring expertise across physics, computer science, engineering, and other domains
    - The need to identify real-world problems and use cases that quantum computing can uniquely address
    - Balancing the hype around quantum computing's potential with setting realistic expectations
    - International collaboration and providing global access to quantum education and technologies
    - The unique opportunity of having an IBM quantum computer on the RPI campus to inspire students and enable cutting-edge research

    Resources Mentioned:
    - IBM Quantum learning platform
    - "Introduction to Classical and Quantum Computing" by Tom Wong
    - Qiskit YouTube channel

    In summary, this episode explores the current state of quantum computing education, the importance of making it accessible to a broad and diverse group of students from an early age, and how academia and industry can partner to build the quantum workforce of the future. Olivia provides an insider's perspective on IBM Quantum's efforts in this space.

40. LIVE! On campus quantum computing with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

    17 april 2024 · 58 min

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    For this episode, Sebastian is on his own, as Kevin is taking a break. Sebastian accepted a gracious invite to the ribbon cutting event at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, where the university was launching their on-campus IBM System One -- the first commercial quantum computer on a university campus!
    This week, the episode is a recording a live event hosted by Sebastian. The panel of RPI faculty and staff talk about their decision to deploy a quantum computer in their own computing center -- a former chapel from the 1930s! - what they hope the RPI community will do with the device, and the role of academic partnership with private industry at this stage of the development of the technology.
    Joining Sebastian on the panel were: Lees meer

    James Hendler, Professor and Director of Future of Computing Institute

    Jackie Stampalia, Director, Client Information Services, DotCIO

    Osama Raisuddin, Research Scientist, RPI

    Lucy Zhang, Professor, Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering

41. Quantum computing for high energy physics simulations with Martin Savage

    8 april 2024 · 36 min

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    Dr. Martin Savage is a professor of nuclear theory and quantum informatics at the University of Washington. His research explores using quantum computing to investigate high energy physics and quantum chromodynamics. Lees meer

    Dr. Savage transitioned from experimental nuclear physics to theoretical particle physics in his early career. Around 2017-2018, limitations in classical computing for certain nuclear physics problems led him to explore quantum computing.

    In December 2022, Dr. Savage's team used 112 qubits on IBM's Heron quantum processor to simulate hadron dynamics in the Schwinger Model. This groundbreaking calculation required 14,000 CNOT gates at a depth of 370.

    Error mitigation techniques, translational invariance in the system, and running the simulation over the December holidays when the quantum hardware was available enabled this large-scale calculation.

    While replacing particle accelerator experiments is not the goal, quantum computers could eventually complement experiments by simulating environments not possible in a lab, like the interior of a neutron star.

    Quantum information science is increasingly important in the pedagogy of particle physics. Advances in quantum computing hardware and error mitigation are steadily enabling more complex simulations.

    The incubator for quantum simulation at University of Washington brings together researchers across disciplines to collaborate on using quantum computers to advance nuclear and particle physics.

    Links:
    Dr. Savage's home page
    The InQubator for Quantum Simulation
    Quantum Simulations of Hadron Dynamics in the Schwinger Model using 112 Qubits
    IBM's blog post which contains some details regarding the Heron process and the 100x100 challenge.

42. Modular Quantum System Architectures with Yufei Ding

    26 maart 2024 · 36 min

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    In this episode, Sebastian and Kevin interview Professor Yufei Ding, an associate professor at UC San Diego, who specializes in the intersection of theoretical physics and computer science. They discuss Dr. Ding's research on system architecture in quantum computing and the potential impact of AI on the field. Dr. Ding's work aims to replicate the critical stages of classical computing development in the context of quantum computing. The conversation explores the challenges and opportunities in combining computer science, theoretical and experimental quantum computing, and the potential applications of quantum computing in machine learning. Lees meer

    Takeaways

    Yufei Ding's research focuses on system architecture in quantum computing, aiming to replicate the critical stages of classical computing development in the context of quantum computing.

    The combination of computer science, theoretical and experimental quantum computing is a unique approach that offers new insights and possibilities.

    AI and machine learning have the potential to greatly impact quantum computing, and finding a generically applicable quantum advantage in machine learning could have a transformative effect.

    The development of a simulation framework for exploring different system architectures in quantum computing is crucial for advancing the field and identifying viable outcomes.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction and Background
    02:12 Yufei Ding's System Architecture
    03:08 AI and Quantum Computing
    04:19 Conclusion

43. Material Science with Houlong Zhuang at Q2B Paris

    13 maart 2024 · 34 min

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    In this special solo episode recorded at Q2B Paris 2024, Sebastian talks with Houlong Zhuang, assistant professor at Arizona State University, about his work in material science. Lees meer

    Dr. Zhuang discusses his research on using quantum computing and machine learning to simulate high entropy alloy materials. The goal is to efficiently predict material properties and discover new material compositions.

    Density functional theory (DFT) is a commonly used classical computational method for materials simulations. However, it struggles with strongly correlated electronic states. Quantum computers have the potential to efficiently simulate these challenging quantum interactions.

    The research uses classical machine learning models trained on experimental data to narrow down the vast combinatorial space of possible high entropy alloy compositions to a smaller set of promising candidates. This is an important screening step.

    Quantum machine learning and quantum simulation are then proposed to further refine the predictions and simulate the quantum interactions in the materials more accurately than classical DFT. This may enable prediction of properties like stability and elastic constants.

    Key challenges include the high dimensionality of the material composition space and the noise/errors in current quantum hardware. Hybrid quantum-classical algorithms leveraging the strengths of both are a promising near-term approach.

    Ultimately, the vision is to enable inverse design - using the models to discover tailored material compositions with desired properties, potentially reducing experimental trial-and-error. This requires highly accurate, explainable models.

    In the near-term, quantum advantage may be realized for specific local properties or excited states leveraging locality of interactions. Fully fault-tolerant quantum computers are likely needed for complete replacement of classical DFT.

    Continued development of techniques like compact mappings, efficient quantum circuit c…

44. A look back at quantum computing in 2023 with Kevin and Sebastian

    26 februari 2024 · 35 min

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    No guest this episode! Instead, Kevin and Sebastian have a conversation looking back on the events of 2023 in quantum computing, wiht a particular focus on three trends: some waning of enthusiasm in the private sector, a surge of investments from the public sector as national and regional governments invest in the quantum computing value chain and the shift from a focus on NISQ to logical qubits. Lees meer

    Qureca's overview of public sector quantum initiatives in 2023
    Preskill's NISQ paper from 2018 (yes, I was off by a few years!)
    The paper that introduced the idea of VQE: A variational eigenvalue solver on a quantum processor by Peruzzo et al
    A variation on VQE that still has some promise An adaptive variational algorithm for exact molecular simulations on a quantum computer by Grimsley et al
    Mitiq, a quantum error mitigation framework from Unitary Fund
    Peter Shor's first of its kind quantum error correction in the paper Scheme for reducing decoherence in quantum computer memory
    Quantinuum demonstrates color codes to implement a logical qubit on their ion trap machine, H-1
    Toric codes introduced in Fault-tolerant quantum computation by anyons by Alexei Kitaev
    Surface codes and topological qubits introduced in Topological quantum memory by Eric Dennis, Alexei Kitaev, Andrew Landahl, and John Preskill
    The threshold theorem is laid out in Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computation With Constant Error Rate by Dorit Aharonov and Michael Ben-Or
    The GKP variation on the surface code appears in Encoding a qubit in an oscillator by Daniel Gottesman, Alexei Kitaev, John Preskill
    A new LDPC based chip architecture is described in High-threshold and low-overhead fault-tolerant quantum memory by Sergey Bravyi, Andrew W. Cross, Jay M. Gambetta, Dmitri Maslov, Patrick Rall, Theodore J. Yoder
    Neutral atoms are used to create 48 logical qubits in Logical quantum processor based on reconfigurable atom arrays by Vuletic's and Lukin's groups at MIT and Harvard respectively

    If you have an idea for a…

45. Dawning of the Era of Logical Qubits with Dr Vladan Vuletic

    12 februari 2024 · 44 min

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    Kevin and Sebastian are joined by Dr. Vladan Vuletic, the Lester Wolfe Professor of Physics at the Center for Ultracold Atoms and Research in the Department of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lees meer

    At the end of 2023, the quantum computing community was startled and amazed by the results from a bombshell paper published in Nature on December 6th, titled Logical quantum processor based on reconfigurable atom arrays in which Dr. Vuletic's group collaborated with Dr Mikhail Lukin's group at Harvard to create 48 logical qubits from an array of 280 atoms. Scott Aaronson does a good job of breaking down the results on his blog, but the upshot is that this is the largest number of logical qubits created, and a very large leap ahead for the field.

    00:00 Introduction and Background
    01:07 Path to Quantum Computing
    03:30 Rydberg Atoms and Quantum Gates
    08:56 Transversal Gates and Logical Qubits
    15:12 Implementation and Commercial Potential
    23:59 Future Outlook and Quantum Simulations
    30:51 Scaling and Applications
    32:22 Improving Quantum Gate Fidelity
    33:19 Advancing Field of View Systems
    33:48 Closing the Feedback Loop on Error Correction
    35:29 Quantum Error Correction as a Remarkable Breakthrough
    36:13 Cross-Fertilization of Quantum Error Correction Ideas

46. Trapped Ions and Quantum VCs with Chiara Decaroli

    15 december 2023 · 54 min

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    Summary Lees meer

    In this episode, Sebastian and Kevin are joined by Chiara Decaroli, a quantum physicist and venture capitalist. Chiara shares her unique journey into the field of quantum, starting from a small village in Italy to earning her PhD in quantum physics. She explains the history of ion trapping and how it led to the development of quantum computing. Chiara also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of trapped ion systems and the challenges of investing in early-stage quantum startups. In this conversation, Chiara Decaroli discusses the challenges of assessing quantum technologies and the deep expertise required in the field. She also shares her experience in gaining familiarity with different quantum modalities and the importance of multidisciplinarity in the quantum field. Chiara highlights the skills needed in the quantum industry, emphasizing the need for deep knowledge in physics and specialized segments. She also discusses the importance of cross-disciplinary education and the potential impact of quantum technologies.

    Takeaways

    Chiara's path to quantum started from a small village in Italy and led her to earn a PhD in quantum physics at ETH Zurich.
    Ion trapping is a key technology in quantum computing, and it has a rich history dating back to the 1930s.
    Trapped ions can be manipulated using laser beams to perform single and two-qubit gates.
    Trapped ion systems have the advantage of perfect qubits but face challenges in scalability and speed of operations.
    Investing in quantum startups requires a deep understanding of the field and the ability to navigate the early-stage landscape. Assessing quantum technologies requires deep expertise and a scientific background.
    Gaining familiarity with different quantum modalities requires extensive reading and talking to experts in the field.
    The quantum field is highly multidisciplinary, requiring expertise in physics, engineering, software development, and specialized domains.
    Cross-disciplinary education is import…

47. Adiabatic and Counterdiabatic Quantum Computing with Dr. Ieva Čepaitė

    20 november 2023 · 41 min

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    In this episode of The New Quantum Era, Kevin Rowney and Sebastian Hassinger are joined by Dr. Ieva Čepaitė to delve into the nuanced world of quantum physics and computation. Dr. Čepaitė discusses her journey into quantum computing and her work on counterdiabatic methods used to optimize the control of many body quantum states. She provides an overview of the landscape of new algorithms available within the field. She points out the importance of understanding the hardware to implement a quantum algorithm effectively. The focus then shifts to a discussion on adiabatic and counterdiabatic systems, providing a detailed understanding of both methods. The conversation concludes with a speculative take on future breakthroughs that could emerge with respect to quantum algorithms. Lees meer

    00:31 Introduction and Overview of the Interview
    02:43 Dr. Čepaitė's Journey into Quantum Computing
    05:23 Dr. Čepaitė's Diverse Experience in Quantum Computing
    09:37 The Challenges and Opportunities in Quantum Computing
    11:50 Understanding Adiabatic and Counterdiabatic Systems
    15:15 The Potential of Counterdiabatic Techniques in Quantum Computing
    25:49 The Future of Quantum Algorithms
    32:55 The Role of Quantum Machine Learning
    35:48 Closing Remarks and Reflections

48. Quantum Intermediate Representation with Cassandra Granade

    6 november 2023 · 56 min

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    In this interview, independent quantum information science researcher and consultant, Dr. Cassandra Grenade, shares their journey from triple majoring in physics, math, and computer science to their current consulting work with their firm, Dual Space Solutions. She discusses the concept behind the Quantum Intermediate Representation project (QIR), a tool which represents quantum programs and allows language designers to work independently of specific quantum processor details. Cassandra explains how QIR can solve the 'N to M' problem, where multiple language designs must interface with multiple quantum hardware architectures, thereby preventing the need for creating numerous unique compilers. Further, she dives into the evolution and future of quantum computing, highlighting the need for an industry-wide shift in understanding a quantum computer as more than just a circuit-based entity. Lees meer

    00:02 Introduction and Guest Background
    00:22 Cassandra's Journey into Quantum Computing
    01:40 The Birth of Dual Space Solutions
    05:35 The Importance of Interdisciplinary Approach in Quantum Computing
    08:14 The Challenges and Solutions in Quantum Computing
    10:42 The Role of Quantum Intermediate Representation (QIR)
    15:56 The Impact of QIR on Quantum Computing
    19:01 The Future of Quantum Computing with QIR

49. Quantum Error Mitigation using Mitiq with Misty Wahl

    16 oktober 2023 · 47 min

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    Misty Wahl of the Unitary Fund joins us for this episode to talk about quantum error mitigation strategies like zero noise extrapolation (ZNE) and probabilistic error reduction using the Mitiq open source framework. Misty is a lead contributor the the Mitiq project as well as an author on a number of recent papers on the topic. We'll discuss the current state of the art, potential future strategies that leverage machine learning and quantum error correction, and how the Mitiq framework makes it easier to code up and compare mitigation strategies on a wide variety of qubits and SDKs. Lees meer

    You can find a sampling of Misty's reasearch papers and talk on her personal website, mistywahl.com

    Error mitigation in quantum computing with Misty Wall. 0:02

    Misty Wahl, technical staff at Unitary Fund, discusses Mitiq project for error mitigation in quantum computers.

    Misty discusses the growth of quantum computing as a field, with a focus on the Unitary Fund and its role in developing error mitigation techniques.

    Non-traditional background in quantum computing. 3:31

    Misty Wahl shares her non-traditional background in mechanical engineering and project management, transitioning to quantum software development and research through self-study and online courses.

    Misty joined Mitiq as a full-time technical staff member in March 2022, contributing to quantum error mitigation and software development through their experience with unitary hack.

    Unitary Hack is a unique event hosted by Unitary Fund, where participants can tag issues in their GitHub repos and community can choose to solve them, providing valuable experience and connections in the quantum computing field.

    Quantum error mitigation techniques and software frameworks. 8:31

    Misty Wahl describes her experience with the Mitiq framework

    Misty explains how zero noise extrapolation works

    Misty Wahl: By intentionally adding noise to quantum computations, researchers can extrapolate to the zero noise limit and estimate the o…

50. Neutral atom arrays with Alex Keesling of QuEra Computing

    2 oktober 2023 · 54 min

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    In this episode, Kevin and Sebastian are joined by Alex Keesling, CEO of QuEra Computing, for a discussion about his work with neutral atom arrays for simulation and computation. Alex describes his very early introduction to quantum information science as a high school student in Mexico, which kicked off a defining fascination with the field. At MIT as an undergraduate he started working with photonic systems, and as a PdD student with Misha Lukin at Harvard he played an instrumental role in the "atom array" project that eventually was spun out as QuEra. Today, QuEra's Aquila device has 256 atoms in its array that can be used as for analog Hamiltonian simulations, and is accessible on the cloud via AWS' Braket service. Alex explains in detail how these devices work, what physics breakthroughs they rely on for their operation, and where they may be going in the future with work underway on digital gates for universal computation. Additionally Alex takes us through some of the incredible scientific results these devices have already made possible, and discusses what the future of both scientific and commercial applications might hold. Lees meer

    The QuEra team published a deep dive into their Aquila device and its capabilities in a paper called Aquila: QuEra's 256-qubit neutral-atom quantum computer.