New “Trapped Ion” Algorithm Predicts Computational Power of Early Quantum Computers

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Computational Power Early Quantum Computers

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Visual representation of the algorithm utilized to increase the computational power of early quantum computer systems. Credit: Winfried Hensinger, University of Sussex

  • University of Sussex quantum physicists have actually established an algorithm which assists early quantum computer systems to carry out computations most effectively  
  • The group utilized their design to determine the anticipated computational power of early quantum computer systems 
  • Their research study highlights an essential benefit of the ‘trapped ion’ technique over other techniques 

Quantum physicists at the University of Sussex have actually developed an algorithm that accelerates the rate of computations in the early quantum computer systems which are presently being established.  They have actually developed a brand-new method to path the ions – or charged atoms – around the quantum computer system to enhance the performance of the computations.   

The Sussex group have actually demonstrated how computations in such a quantum computer system can be done most effectively, by utilizing their brand-new ‘routing algorithm.’ Their paper “Efficient Qubit Routing for a Globally Connected Trapped Ion Quantum Computer” is released in the journal Advanced Quantum Technologies.  

The group dealing with this job was led by Professor Winfried Hensinger and consisted of Mark Webber, Dr. Steven Herbert, and Dr. Sebastian Weidt. The researchers have actually developed a brand-new algorithm that manages traffic within the quantum computer system much like handling traffic in a hectic city. In the caught ion style the qubits can be physically carried over cross countries, so they can quickly engage with other qubits. Their brand-new algorithm indicates that information can stream through the quantum computer system with no ‘traffic jams’. This in turn triggers a more effective quantum computer system.   

Quantum computer systems are anticipated to be able to fix issues that are too intricate for classical computer systems. Quantum computer systems utilize quantum bits (qubits) to process details in a brand-new and effective method. The specific quantum computer system architecture the group examined initially is a ‘trapped ion’ quantum computer system, including silicon microchips with specific charged atoms, or ions, levitating above the surface area of the chip. These ions are utilized to save information, where each ion holds one quantum little details. Executing computations on such a quantum computer system includes walking around ions, comparable to playing a video game of Pacman, and the faster and more effectively the information (the ions) can be walked around, the more effective the quantum computer system will be. 

In the international race to construct a big scale quantum computer system there are 2 leading techniques, ‘superconducting’ gadgets which groups such as IBM and Google concentrate on, and ‘trapped ion’ gadgets which are utilized by the University of Sussex’s Ion Quantum Technology group, and the freshly emerged business Universal Quantum, to name a few. 

Superconducting quantum computer systems have fixed qubits that are generally just able to engage with qubits that are instantly beside each other. Calculations including far-off qubits are done by interacting through a chain of surrounding qubits, a procedure comparable to the telephone video game (likewise described as ‘Chinese Whispers’), where details is whispered from a single person to another along a line of individuals. In the very same method as in the telephone video game, the details tends to get more damaged the longer the chain is. Indeed, the scientists discovered that this procedure will restrict the computational power of superconducting quantum computer systems. 

In contrast, by releasing their brand-new routing algorithm for their caught ion architecture, the Sussex researchers have actually found that their quantum computing technique can accomplish a remarkable level of computational power.  ‘Quantum Volume’ is a brand-new criteria that is being utilized to compare the computational power of near term quantum computer systems. They had the ability to utilize Quantum Volume to compare their architecture versus a design for superconducting qubits, where they presumed comparable levels of mistakes for both techniques. They discovered that the trapped-ion technique carried out regularly much better than the superconducting qubit technique, due to the fact that their routing algorithm basically enables qubits to straight engage with much more qubits, which in turn triggers a greater anticipated computational power. 

Mark Webber, a doctoral scientist in the Sussex Centre for Quantum innovations, at the University of Sussex, stated: 

“We can now predict the computational power of the quantum computers we are constructing. Our study indicates a fundamental advantage for trapped ion devices, and the new routing algorithm will allow us to maximize the performance of early quantum computers.” 

Professor Hensinger, director of the Sussex Centre for Quantum Technologies at the University of Sussex stated: 

“Indeed, this work is yet another stepping stone towards building practical quantum computers that can solve real world problems.” 

Professor Winfried Hensinger and Dr Sebastian Weidt have actually just recently released their spin-out business Universal Quantum which intends to construct the world’s very first big scale quantum computer system. It has actually brought in support from a few of the world’s most effective tech financiers. The group was the very first to release a blue-print for how to construct a big scale caught ion quantum computer system in 2017. 

Reference: “Efficient Qubit Routing for a Globally Connected Trapped Ion Quantum Computer” by Mark Webber, Steven Herbert, Sebastian Weidt and Winfried K. Hensinger, 7 July 2020, Advanced Quantum Technologies.
DOI: 10.1002/qute.202000027