German 100-Qubit optical quantum computer project launched
On September 23, QuiX Quantum announced [1] a €14 million contract with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for a general purpose quantum computer that will create a prototype optical quantum computer for DLR.
01Four years to develop 100-Qubit optical quantum computer
Optical quantum computers are part of the DLR Quantum Computing Initiative, where Germany plans to build prototype quantum computers based on different architectures over the next four years [1], including superconductors, neutral atoms, etc. The DLR issued a Call for Proposals to build optical quantum processors last December, awarding large-scale contracts through a competitive bidding process.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWi) provided resources to DLR for the development and construction of quantum computers and software.
The advantages of photonic technology are that the platform can operate at room temperature, is particularly easy to interface with quantum communication technologies, and has great potential for scaling. However, to date, photon-based quantum processors have not been fully developed compared to other systems.
Therefore, DLR issued a call for proposals: its goal is to obtain a prototype scalable and error-correctable optical quantum processor, capable of running generic algorithms with a high degree of user-friendliness, where the number of input modes and photonic quantum bits will grow through several phases.
According to the plan, the construction will take place in two phases, eventually reaching at least 64 photonic quantum bits. The first phase, developing 8 quantum bits, will be reached after three years; the second phase will be reached after four years of the total project duration: it is possible to expand to systems with more than 100 quantum bits.
02QuiX gets DLR contract, first commercial sale of optical quantum computer
QuiX Quantum is an optical quantum technology startup based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in January 2019 by a team of photonics industry veteran and serial entrepreneur Dr. Hans van den Vlekkert, quantum photonics expert Dr. Jelmer Renema and a professor at the University of Twente.
QuiX Quantum has developed a non-generic quantum computer and the currently running bosonic sampler is a special-purpose quantum computer. At its core is the QuiX Quantum photonic processor in the form of a reprogrammable interferometer.
Overview of the QuiX subprocessor. (a) Schematic diagram and scanning electron microscope photograph of the asymmetric two-stripe cross section for waveguides. (b) Functional design of the 12-mode photonic processor. The blue line represents a tunable beam splitter (TBS), implemented by a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with two 50:50 directional couplers (black line) and a thermal optical phase shifter (red line). When calibrating the unit, light is injected, e.g., at the top input, and both outputs are monitored simultaneously. (c) Picture of the 12-mode processor photonic assembly mounted in the control box. (b) Schematic of the QuiX control system, i.e., the control box is controlled remotely via a software interface in Python.
QuiX Quantum's commercially available 20-mode photonic processors are low-loss, multi-mode, fully reconfigurable interferometers for quantum computing that operate at room temperature, significantly reducing cost and size. The QuiX Quantum photonic processor is now the de facto standard at leading photonic quantum processing institutes in the UK, France, Germany and Hungary.
The current contract was signed within the framework of DLR's quantum computing program and is in line with QuiX Quantum's roadmap for the development of a general-purpose quantum computer: QuiX Quantum has many years of valuable experience in quantum photonics, which led them to the DLR contract.
QuiX Quantum will deliver fully universal quantum computers based on photonics with 8 and 64 bits, integrating its processor's existing technology with signal sources, detectors and feedforwards to create a modular optical quantum computer.
QuiX said this represents the first commercial sale of a light-based general-purpose quantum computer.
"We have merged our Dutch and German capabilities in the innovation center of the DLR quantum computing initiative in Ulm. quiX Quantum has demonstrated the capabilities of its integrated quantum photonic technology and successfully delivered quantum photonic processors to customers throughout Europe," said QuiX Quantum Chief Executive Officer Dr. Stefan Hengesbach said, "One of the things we look forward to with DLR is the systematic investigation and demonstration of potential application areas, especially in the many disciplines of DLR."
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) is providing DLR with funding for the development of a German quantum computer and the establishment of a related economic environment. Industry, research institutions and startups will participate in this initiative under the leadership of the DLR. Launching a joint development application with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), QuiX Quantum will have a dedicated space in the DLR Innovation Center in Ulm.
"With QuiX Quantum, we are including another company in our quantum computing program, entrusting it with the development of a technology area, here dedicated to photonic quantum computing. At our Innovation Center in Ulm, another player in the quantum computing ecosystem will work with us to advance this technology." says Dr. Robert Axmann, head of the DLR Quantum Computing Initiative.
In this close collaboration, the companies involved will work at the DLR Quantum Computing Initiative's Innovation Center. This creates a favorable environment for development through a strong ecosystem.
Reference links:
[1]https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2021/04/20211220_call-for-proposals-to-construct-photonic-quantum-processors.html
[2]https://www.quixquantum.com/news/quix-quantum-wins-eu14-million-contract-with-the-german-aerospace-center-to-deliver-a-universal-quantum-computer
