Welcome to the Institute for Quantum Computing

The Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) is a scientific research institute at the University of Waterloo. The research happening at IQC harnesses the quantum laws of nature in order to develop powerful new technologies and drive future economies.

What is quantum computing?

Start with our Quantum computing 101 page. It's a quick start guide on quantum computing to help you understand some of the basic principles of quantum mechanics.

Delivering on the quantum promise

The Transformative Quantum Technologies (TQT) program at the University of Waterloo aims to advance the use of quantum mechanics from laboratory curiosity to an impactful device.

1. May 28, 2020How atomic physics is central to the new definition of the kilogram

Standard measurement units like the meter and the kilogram used to be defined by physical objects, such as a prototype bar and a platinum cylinder. As of May 2019, all measurement units are now defined by the cesium atom and the fundamental constants of the universe.

2. May 19, 2020Seed fund backs $2.8M in new quantum ideas at the University of Waterloo Improving thermal medical imaging of the eye with a new quantum camera and developing new materials to enable “beyond 5G” wireless communications are among the goals of six projects recently supported by the Quantum Quest Seed Fund (QQSF). 3. Apr. 30, 2020Researchers sort theory from reality to enable new communication protocols New research demonstrates scientists can now take advantage of a fundamental theory that expands the scope of quantum mechanics to develop communication protocols. Read all news 1. June 8, 2020Towards Optimal Separations between Quantum and Randomized Query Complexities Colloquium featuring Avishay Tal, University of California, Berkeley The query model offers a concrete setting where quantum algorithms are provably superior to randomized algorithms. Beautiful results by Bernstein-Vazirani, Simon, Aaronson, and others presented partial Boolean functions that can be computed by quantum algorithms making much fewer queries compared to their randomized analogs. To date, separations of$O(1)\$ vs.

2. June 9, 2020Exploring the Unruh Effect for many oscillating photon detectors inside a microwave cavity

Seminar featuring Hui Wang, Dartmouth College

In the Unruh Effect (UE) a uniformly accelerating observer (photodetector) is expected to ’see' thermal photons in vacuum while an inertial observer would see none. A longstanding challenge to demonstrate the UE in the lab is that a photodetector's required proper acceleration seems impossibly high for any current or planned table top experiment. In this presentation, we describe two complementary ways to realize close analogues of the UE that overcome the apparent need for large proper accelerations.

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