Research from QphoX, Rigetti, and Qblox Demonstrating Optical Readout Technique for Superconducting Qubits Published in Nature Physics
QphoX, Rigetti Computing (Nasdaq: RGTI), and Qblox announced the publication of their joint research in Nature Physics, demonstrating successful optical readout of superconducting qubits using an optical transducer. The research addresses a critical challenge in quantum computing scalability.
The breakthrough involves converting microwave signals used to control qubits into infrared light that can be transmitted through fiber optics. This solution could overcome current limitations of dilution refrigerators, which cannot accommodate the extensive wiring needed for fault-tolerant quantum computers requiring 10,000 to a million physical qubits.
Using QphoX's piezo-optomechanical technology, the team successfully demonstrated that their transducer can convert qubit readout signals while protecting the qubit from decoherence caused by thermal noise or stray optical photons. This development represents a significant step toward more efficient and scalable quantum computing systems.
QphoX, Rigetti Computing (Nasdaq: RGTI) e Qblox hanno annunciato la pubblicazione della loro ricerca congiunta in Nature Physics, dimostrando il successo della lettura ottica dei qubit superconduttori utilizzando un trasduttore ottico. La ricerca affronta una sfida cruciale nella scalabilità del calcolo quantistico.
La novità consiste nella conversione dei segnali microonde utilizzati per controllare i qubit in luce infrarossa, che può essere trasmessa attraverso fibre ottiche. Questa soluzione potrebbe superare le attuali limitazioni dei frigoriferi a diluizione, che non possono ospitare i cablaggi estesi necessari per computer quantistici a tolleranza agli errori, richiedendo da 10.000 a un milione di qubit fisici.
Utilizzando la tecnologia piezo-optomeccanica di QphoX, il team ha dimostrato con successo che il loro trasduttore può convertire i segnali di lettura dei qubit proteggendo al contempo il qubit dalla decoerenza causata da rumore termico o fotoni ottici dispersivi. Questo sviluppo rappresenta un passo significativo verso sistemi di calcolo quantistico più efficienti e scalabili.
QphoX, Rigetti Computing (Nasdaq: RGTI) y Qblox anunciaron la publicación de su investigación conjunta en Nature Physics, demostrando con éxito la lectura óptica de qubits superconductores utilizando un transductor óptico. La investigación aborda un desafío crítico en la escalabilidad de la computación cuántica.
El avance implica la conversión de señales de microondas utilizadas para controlar los qubits en luz infrarroja que puede transmitirse a través de fibra óptica. Esta solución podría superar las limitaciones actuales de los refrigeradores de dilución, que no pueden acomodar el extenso cableado necesario para computadoras cuánticas tolerantes a fallos que requieren de 10,000 a un millón de qubits físicos.
Usando la tecnología piezo-optomecánica de QphoX, el equipo demostró con éxito que su transductor puede convertir las señales de lectura de qubits mientras protege el qubit de la decoherencia causada por ruido térmico o fotones ópticos dispersos. Este desarrollo representa un paso significativo hacia sistemas de computación cuántica más eficientes y escalables.
QphoX, 리게티 컴퓨팅 (Nasdaq: RGTI) 및 Qblox는 Nature Physics에 공동 연구 결과를 발표하며, 광학 트랜스듀서를 활용한 초전도 큐비트의 성공적인 광학 판독을 보여주었습니다. 이 연구는 양자 컴퓨팅의 스케일링에서 중요한 도전 과제를 다룹니다.
이 획기적인 방법은 큐비트를 제어하기 위해 사용되는 마이크로파 신호를 섬유 광학을 통해 전송할 수 있는 적외선 빛으로 변환하는 것입니다. 이 솔루션은 10,000에서 100만 개의 물리적 큐비트를 필요로 하는 내결함성 양자 컴퓨터를 위한 방대한 배선을 수용할 수 없는 희석 냉각기의 현재 한계를 극복할 수 있습니다.
QphoX의 압전-광기계 기술을 활용하여, 팀은 그들의 트랜스듀서가 큐비트의 판독 신호를 변환하면서 열 잡음이나 방사 광자에 의해 발생하는 decoherence로부터 큐비트를 보호할 수 있음을 성공적으로 입증했습니다. 이 개발은 더 효율적이고 확장 가능한 양자 컴퓨팅 시스템으로 나아가는 중요한 진전을 나타냅니다.
QphoX, Rigetti Computing (Nasdaq: RGTI) et Qblox ont annoncé la publication de leurs recherches conjointes dans Nature Physics, démontrant une lecture optique réussie des qubits supraconducteurs à l'aide d'un transducteur optique. Cette recherche aborde un défi critique en matière de scalabilité de l'informatique quantique.
Cette percée consiste à convertir les signaux micro-ondes utilisés pour contrôler les qubits en lumière infrarouge pouvant être transmise par fibre optique. Cette solution pourrait surmonter les limitations actuelles des réfrigérateurs à dilution, qui ne peuvent pas accueillir le câblage étendu nécessaire pour des ordinateurs quantiques tolérants aux pannes, nécessitant de 10,000 à un million de qubits physiques.
En utilisant la technologie piezo-optomécanique de QphoX, l'équipe a réussi à démontrer que leur transducteur peut convertir les signaux de lecture des qubits tout en protégeant le qubit de la décohérence causée par le bruit thermique ou les photons optiques errants. Ce développement représente un pas significatif vers des systèmes de calcul quantique plus efficaces et évolutifs.
QphoX, Rigetti Computing (Nasdaq: RGTI) und Qblox haben die Veröffentlichung ihrer gemeinsamen Forschung in Nature Physics angekündigt, die die erfolgreiche optische Auslesung von supraleitenden Qubits mithilfe eines optischen Transducers demonstriert. Die Forschung adressiert eine kritische Herausforderung in der Skalierbarkeit der Quantencomputing-Technologie.
Der Durchbruch besteht darin, Mikrowellensignale, die zur Steuerung von Qubits verwendet werden, in Infrarotlicht umzuwandeln, das über Glasfaser übertragen werden kann. Diese Lösung könnte die derzeitigen Einschränkungen von Verdünnungsanlagen überwinden, die das umfangreiche Verkabelungssystem für fehlertolerante Quantencomputer, die zwischen 10.000 und einer Million physikalische Qubits benötigen, nicht aufnehmen können.
Durch die Verwendung der piezo-optomechanischen Technologie von QphoX konnte das Team erfolgreich nachweisen, dass ihr Transducer Qubit-Auslesesignale umwandeln kann, während er das Qubit vor Dekohärenz schützt, die durch thermisches Rauschen oder streuende optische Photonen verursacht wird. Diese Entwicklung stellt einen wesentlichen Fortschritt hin zu effizienteren und skalierbaren Quantencomputing-Systemen dar.
- Successfully demonstrated new optical readout technique for superconducting qubits
- Technology could solve major scalability challenges in quantum computing
- Publication in prestigious Nature Physics journal validates research significance
- None.
Insights
The successful demonstration of optical readout for superconducting qubits marks a pivotal technological breakthrough that directly addresses one of the most significant scaling bottlenecks in quantum computing. The current architecture of quantum computers requires extensive wiring and components that generate heat and take up considerable space in dilution refrigerators. This limitation has been a major obstacle in scaling beyond a few hundred qubits, while practical quantum computers need 10,000 to 1,000,000 qubits.
The collaboration's achievement in developing an optical interface for superconducting qubits through microwave-to-optical transduction is particularly significant for several reasons:
- The technology potentially eliminates the physical constraints of traditional wiring, replacing bulky coaxial cables with compact optical fibers
- The demonstration proves that qubits can be protected from decoherence during the transduction process - a critical requirement for maintaining quantum information
- The modular approach allows for scalable integration with existing quantum computing infrastructure
For Rigetti specifically, this breakthrough could provide a significant competitive advantage in the race to achieve fault-tolerant quantum computing. The company's modular technology stack approach, demonstrated through this successful collaboration, shows strategic foresight in addressing scaling challenges. However, investors should note that while this is a promising technical achievement, significant engineering work remains to implement this technology at scale in commercial systems.
The publication in Nature Physics also validates the technical capabilities of Rigetti and its partners, potentially strengthening their position for future research funding and commercial partnerships. This could be particularly valuable as quantum computing moves closer to practical applications in fields like materials science, AI and drug discovery.
DELFT, The Netherlands and Berkeley, Calif., Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QphoX B.V., a Dutch quantum technology startup that is developing leading frequency conversion systems for quantum applications, Rigetti Computing, Inc. (Nasdaq: RGTI), a pioneer in full-stack quantum-classical computing, and Qblox, a leading innovator in quantum control stack development, today announced that their joint research demonstrating the ability to readout superconducting qubits with an optical transducer was published in Nature Physics.
Quantum computing has the potential to drive transformative breakthroughs in fields such as advanced material design, artificial intelligence, and drug discovery. Of the quantum computing modalities, superconducting qubits are a leading platform towards realizing a practical quantum computer given their fast gate speeds and ability to leverage existing semiconductor industry manufacturing techniques. However, fault-tolerant quantum computing will likely require 10,000 to a million physical qubits. The sheer amount of wiring, amplifiers and microwave components required to operate such large numbers of qubits far exceeds the capacity of modern-day dilution refrigerators, a core component of a superconducting quantum computing system, in terms of both space and passive heat load.
A potential solution to this problem may be to replace coaxial cables and other cryogenic components with optical fibers, which have a considerably smaller footprint and negligible thermal conductivity. The challenge lies in converting the microwave signals used to control qubits into infrared light that can be transmitted through fiber. This is where microwave-to-optical transduction comes into play, a field dedicated to the coherent conversion of microwave photons to optical photons. QphoX has developed transducers with piezo-optomechanical technology that are capable of performing this conversion, forming an interface between superconducting qubits and fiber-optics.
To demonstrate the potential of this technology, QphoX, Rigetti and Qblox connected a transducer to a superconducting qubit, with the goal of measuring its state using light transmitted through an optical fiber. The results of this collaborative effort have been published in Nature Physics. Remarkably, it was discovered that not only is the transducer capable of converting the signal that reads out the qubit, but that the qubit can also be sufficiently protected from decoherence introduced by thermal noise or stray optical photons from the transducer during operation.
"Microwave-to-optics transduction is a rapidly emerging technology with far-reaching implications for quantum computing. Our work demonstrates that transducers are now ready to interface with superconducting qubit technology. This is an exciting and crucial demonstration, with the potential for this technology being far reaching and potentially transformative for the development of quantum computers,” says Dr. Thierry van Thiel, lead author of the work and Lead Quantum Engineer at QphoX.
“Developing more efficient ways to design our systems is key as we work towards fault tolerance. This innovative, scalable approach to qubit signal processing is the result of our strong partnerships with QphoX and Qblox and showcases the value of having a modular technology stack. By allowing our partners to integrate their technology with ours, we are able to discover creative ways to solve long-standing engineering challenges,” says Dr. Subodh Kulkarni, Rigetti CEO.
“Realizing industrial-scale quantum computers comes with solving several critical bottlenecks. Many of these lie in the scalability of the readout and control of qubits. As Qblox is entirely focused on exactly this theme, we are proud to be part of this pivotal demonstration that shows that QphoX microwave-to-optical transducers are a solid route to scalable quantum computing. We look forward to the next steps with Rigetti and QphoX to scale up this technology,” says Dr. Niels Bultink, Qblox CEO.
About QphoX
QphoX is the leading developer of quantum transduction systems that enable quantum computers to network over optical frequencies. Leveraging decades of progress in photonic, MEMS and superconducting device nanofabrication, their single-photon interfaces bridge the gap between microwave, optical and telecom frequencies to provide essential quantum links between computation, state storage and networking. QphoX is based in Delft, the Netherlands. See https://www.qphox.eu/ for more information.
About Rigetti
Rigetti is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The Company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. In 2021, Rigetti began selling on-premises quantum computing systems with qubit counts between 24 and 84 qubits, supporting national laboratories and quantum computing centers. Rigetti’s 9-qubit Novera™ QPU was introduced in 2023 supporting a broader R&D community with a high-performance, on-premises QPU designed to plug into a customer’s existing cryogenic and control systems. The Company’s proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides high-performance integration with public and private clouds for practical quantum computing. Rigetti has developed the industry’s first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. The Company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility. Learn more at https://www.rigetti.com/.
About Qblox
Qblox is a leading provider of scalable and modular qubit control stacks. Qblox operates at the frontier of the quantum revolution in supporting academic and industrial labs worldwide. The Qblox control stack, known as the Cluster, combines key technologies for qubit control and readout and supports a wide variety of qubit technologies. Qblox has grown to 130+ employees and continues to innovate to enable the quantum industry. Learn more at https://www.qblox.com/.
Reference
T.C. van Thiel, M.J. Weaver, F. Berto, P. Duivestein, M. Lemang, K.L. Schuurman, M. Žemlička, F. Hijazi, A.C. Bernasconi, C. Ferrer, E. Cataldo, E. Lachman, M. Field, Y. Mohan, F.K. de Vries, C.C. Bultink, J.C. van Oven, J.Y. Mutus, R. Stockill, and S. Gröblacher, Optical readout of a superconducting qubit using a piezo-optomechanical transducer, Nature Physics, 11 February 2025.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-024-02742-3
QphoX Media Contact
Simon Gröblacher, CEO
press@qphox.eu
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press@rigetti.com
Qblox Media Contact
Eva Flipse, Head of Marketing
eflipse@qblox.com
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FAQ
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