At Google Quantum AI, our mission has at all times been clear: construct quantum computing for in any other case unsolvable issues. For over a decade, we’ve pioneered the event of superconducting quantum bits (qubits), attaining milestones like beyond-classical performance, error correction and verifiable quantum advantage that after appeared a long time away. We at the moment are more and more assured that commercially related quantum computer systems based mostly on superconducting expertise will grow to be out there by the top of this decade.
At this time, we’re excited to share that Google Quantum AI is increasing our quantum computing effort to incorporate impartial atom quantum computing, which makes use of particular person atoms as qubits.
Two promising approaches to quantum computing
Google will speed up our timeline to near-term milestones and broaden our influence by exploiting the complementary strengths of two modalities. Superconducting qubits have already scaled to circuits with hundreds of thousands of gate and measurement cycles, the place every cycle takes only a microsecond. Impartial atoms, in the meantime, have scaled to arrays with about ten thousand qubits. They make up for his or her slower cycle instances — measured in milliseconds — with a versatile, any-to-any connectivity graph that permits for environment friendly algorithms and error-correcting codes. The highway forward displays these distinct beginning factors: an impressive problem for impartial atoms stays demonstrating deep circuits with many cycles, whereas the subsequent job for the superconducting modality is to display computing architectures with tens of hundreds of qubits. In knowledgeable jargon, we regularly say that superconducting processors are simpler to scale within the time dimension (circuit depth), whereas impartial atoms are simpler to scale within the area dimension (qubit depend). Investing in each approaches will increase our means to ship on our mission, sooner. By advancing each, we cross-pollinate analysis and engineering breakthroughs, and may ship entry to versatile platforms tailor-made to several types of issues.
An entire analysis program
Our impartial atoms program is constructed on three crucial pillars:
- Quantum Error Correction (QEC): Adapting error correction to the connectivity of impartial atom arrays, leading to low area and time overheads for fault-tolerant architectures.
- Modeling and Simulation: Using Google’s world-class compute sources and model-based design to simulate {hardware} architectures, optimize error budgets and refine part targets.
- Experimental {Hardware} Improvement: Realizing the {hardware} capabilities to govern atomic qubits at utility scale with fault-tolerant efficiency.
To steer the experimental cost, we’re excited to welcome Dr. Adam Kaufman to Google Quantum AI. Adam states, “I’m thrilled to affix Google’s world-leading program in quantum computing, and to broaden that management to a brand new and extremely promising platform of impartial atoms.” Based mostly in Boulder, Colorado — a world epicenter for Atomic, Molecular and Optical (AMO) physics — Adam will lead a rising impartial atoms {hardware} group at Google. He’ll proceed as a JILA Fellow and CU Boulder college, with an affiliation within the Physics Division at CU Boulder.
We additionally look ahead to continued fruitful collaboration with our portfolio company, QuEra, whose researchers pioneered foundational strategies and are advancing progress in impartial atom computing.
Insights from the quantum ecosystem
By tapping into the unimaginable expertise from establishments like CU Boulder, JILA and NIST Boulder, we’re embedding our efforts inside one of the crucial subtle physics and engineering ecosystems on the earth. Leaders at CU Boulder, NIST and Elevate Quantum all emphasize the chance for Adam and Google to construct on long-held relationships and additional strengthen the Boulder and U.S. quantum ecosystems.
“We’re delighted that Google Quantum AI has engaged Adam Kaufman to guide this essential work in Boulder,” says CU Boulder Senior Vice Chancellor for Analysis & Innovation and Dean of the Institutes, Massimo Ruzzene. “Adam’s work displays the imaginative and prescient and excellence of CU Boulder’s quantum ecosystem — from JILA and our physics division to initiatives such because the CUbit Quantum Initiative and the Colorado Quantum Incubator. This partnership strengthens Boulder’s nationally acknowledged quantum panorama, supported by main federal investments together with the NSF Q‑SEnSE Institute, the National Quantum Nanofab and the U.S. EDA Quantum TechHub.” NIST Physical Measurement Laboratory Director James Kushmerick notes, “It’s at all times unhappy having a researcher with the creativity and influence of Adam go away [NIST]. However strikes like this are one of many methods NIST helps to strengthen U.S. trade. Whereas this can be a loss for NIST, it’s a acquire for the quantum ecosystem in Boulder and the U.S. quantum trade broadly.” Each Massimo and James look ahead to continued collaboration alternatives with Adam in his new function at Google.
The thrilling highway forward
We’re assured in our means to unravel the remaining issues in physics and engineering in the direction of large-scale quantum computing, and we’re humbled and excited concerning the scale of the problem.
