IonQ announces the launch of its industry's strongest quantum computer on the Microsoft cloud platform

Last month, IonQ launched its next-generation ion trap quantum computer, the IonQ Aria, and achieved a record 20 algorithmic qubits (#AQ), which represents the effective number of qubits used for algorithmic operations. Based on #AQ, IonQ claims IonQ Aria is the most powerful quantum computer in the industry.

Now, IonQ has announced an agreement with Microsoft to bring IonQ Aria to the Azure Quantum platform. The collaboration will add the company's latest quantum system, the IonQ Aria, to the cloud platform, which already features IonQ's previous-generation system. Through this partnership, anyone with an internet connection will be able to leverage the capabilities of the IonQ Aria to further democratize quantum computing.

Peter Chapman, President and CEO of IonQ, said: “We are excited to bring the leading capabilities of IonQ Aria to more customers through Microsoft Azure and our extended beta program. We believe the future of quantum computing depends on getting it within the grasp of as many people as possible. The capabilities of today's systems, building on our existing partnership with Microsoft is an important step on that path."

This collaboration marks the entry of IonQ Aria into the commercial market. Early access partners are already using the system to solve problems such as financial modeling and electric vehicle battery chemistry. More customers are now using leading-edge hardware to explore applications ranging from quantum machine learning to logistics.

IonQ Aria's small "card-style" ion trap and vacuum chamber package. The compact form factor not only makes the system core smaller, but also makes the system overall more stable.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has partnered with French neutral atom quantum computing company Pasqal to provide cloud access to Pasqal's neutral atom-based quantum computer on Azure Quantum.

The Pasqal system, due to go live in the second half of 2022, will be the first neutral atom-based processor on Azure Quantum, with an expected 100 qubits, providing end users with a range of new digital and analog quantum computing capabilities.

Pasqal's quantum computing technology controls neutral atoms (atoms with equal numbers of electrons and protons) through tools called "optical tweezers," using lasers to design full-stack processors with high connectivity and scalability. Its software-agnostic quantum processors can run at lower energies at room temperature, allowing the company to solve complex problems more efficiently than classical computers.

With the announcement of the roadmap for a state-of-the-art quantum platform, the company aims to bring a 1,000-bit quantum processor to market by the end of 2023, delivering value to customers in multiple verticals, including finance, energy and supercomputing. 

Georges-Olivier Reymond, Pasqal CEO and Founder, said: "Running algorithms on Pasqal neutral atom hardware opens the door to unique capabilities not offered by other quantum systems. With the system we offer at Azure Quantum, we hope to accelerate this The platform’s quantum developers and researchers’ community of quantum projects and ultimately help them achieve real-world solutions to the world’s most critical challenges.”

Pasqal has seen strong growth this year, including a partnership with Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil producer, to develop quantum computing applications for the energy industry. In January, Pasqal also completed a merger with Qu&Co, a leading developer of quantum computing algorithms and software, making Pasqal the full-stack leader in neutral atom-based quantum computers. Pasqal's customers include Johnson & Johnson, LG, Airbus, BMW Group, EDF, Thales, MBDA and CIB Credit Agricole, providing a wide range of quantum solutions to a variety of industries.

With the addition of the IonQ Aria and Pasqal systems, the Microsoft quantum ecosystem continues to grow. In addition, Rigetti's superconducting quantum computer will be available to users of Microsoft's Azure Quantum via the cloud this month. So far, Azure Quantum has become the cloud platform with access to the most types of quantum computers (superconducting, ion trap, neutral atom).

All members of Azure Quantum

On the addition of the new system, Dr. Krysta Svore, Distinguished Engineer, Vice President of Quantum Software at Microsoft, said: "Azure Quantum is a unified, open quantum innovation cloud ecosystem that enables customers to achieve impact through a variety of quantum hardware, software and solutions. The addition of IonQ Aria provides more functionality and hardware diversity, and innovators on our platform will benefit from IonQ Aria's ability to execute quantum circuits with more gates, pursuing the development and exploration of larger quantum programs. Pasqal's The neutral atom quantum processor opens up new computing possibilities for Azure Quantum users, including simulating quantum computing, opening up new avenues to pursue real-world quantum impact."

Azure Quantum access link:

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/quantum/

Link:

[1] https://ionq.com/news/march-21-2022-ionq-aria-coming-to-microsoft-azure-quantum

[2] https://pasqal.io/2022/03/21/pasqal-quantum-computers-coming-to-azure-quantum/