Welcome to the Institute for Quantum Computing
News
Designing new materials as platforms for robust quantum devices
Dr. Jonathan Baugh, a professor at the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) and the University of Waterloo’s Department of Chemistry, is working to create new, high-quality materials with desirable properties for future applications in quantum computing.
Connecting Canada’s quantum networks
The inaugural networking conference brought together over 150 quantum professionals from government, industry and academic sectors to foster collaborations and create connections over two days. Quantum Connections attendees critically examined the challenges we face as a country within the landscape of quantum and had proactive conversations considering Canada’s quantum future.
IQC celebrates women in mathematics
Today, on May 12th, the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) is joining the world-wide mathematical community in celebrating women in mathematics. On this day of recognition, IQC is featuring some of the highly accomplished women in our community to share their experience, achievements, and advice for the next generation of women in math.
Events
An Optimal Oracle Separation of Classical and Quantum Hybrid Schemes
Math/CS Seminar - Atsuya Hasegawa (University of Tokyo)
Recently, Chia, Chung and Lai (JACM 2023) and Coudron and Menda (STOC 2020) have shown that there exists an oracle $\mathcal{O}$ such that $\mathsf{BQP}^\mathcal{O} \neq (\mathsf{BPP^{BQNC}})^\mathcal{O} \cup (\mathsf{BQNC^{BPP}})^\mathcal{O}$. In fact, Chia et al. proved a stronger statement: for any depth parameter $d$, there exists an oracle that separates quantum depth $d$ and $2d+1$, when polynomial-time classical computation is allowed.
Jack Davis PhD Thesis Defence
Wigner negativity on the sphere
The rise of quantum information theory has largely vindicated the long-held belief that Wigner negativity is an indicator of genuine nonclassicality in quantum systems. This thesis explores its manifestation in spin-j systems using the spherical Wigner function. Common symmetric multi-qubit states are studied and compared. Spin coherent states are shown to never have vanishing Wigner negativity. Pure states that maximize negativity are determined and analyzed using the Majorana stellar representation. The relationship between negativity and state mixedness is discussed, and polytopes characterizing unitary orbits of lower-bounded Wigner functions are studied. Results throughout are contrasted with similar works on symmetric state entanglement and other forms of phase-space nonclassicality.