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Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Connecting Canada’s quantum networks

En français

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.

Tuesday, May 23, 2023 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

IQC Student Seminar featuring Sarah Meng Li

Graphical CSS Code Transformation Using ZX Calculus

Abstract: In this work, we present a generic approach to transform CSS codes by building upon their equivalence to phase-free ZX diagrams. Using the ZX calculus, we demonstrate diagrammatic transformations between encoding maps associated with different codes. As a motivating example, we give explicit transformations between the Steane code and the quantum Reed-Muller code, since by switching between these two codes, one can obtain a fault-tolerant universal gate set. To this end, we propose a bidirectional rewrite rule to find a (not necessarily transversal) physical implementation for any logical ZX diagram in any CSS code.

Then we focus on two code transformation techniques: code morphing, a procedure that transforms a code while retaining its fault-tolerant gates, and gauge fixing, where complimentary codes (such as the Steane and quantum Reed-Muller codes) can be obtained from a common subsystem code. We provide explicit graphical derivations for these techniques and show how ZX and graphical encoder maps relate several equivalent perspectives on these code transforming operations.

Wednesday, May 17, 2023 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

IQC Student Seminar featuring Brendan Bramman

13-level Qudit Measurement Demonstrated in Trapped Ions

Abstract: Qudits are an interesting alternative to qubits for a number of algorithmic reasons, but for trapped ions they could be a path for scaling. Ion traps are running into limitations on the number of qubits they can confine in a single trap, and using more of the computational space available in the ions to make qudits is an attractive solution. We have proposed using trapped ion qudits in a previous paper, developing all of the necessary quantum information protocols for their implementation. Here, we present an experimental result of a 13-level qudit measurement with a fidelity of 91.3%. The protocol can be used to measure up to a 25-level qudit in barium. The error scaling is not inherent to the dimension of the qudit, so we can envision going to higher dimensions without a significant increase in error.
Friday, April 21, 2023

IQC researchers honoured for excellence in scientific outreach

En français

The David Johnston Award for Scientific Outreach recognizes students who have shown an outstanding commitment to promoting public awareness of quantum research through scientific outreach and community engagement. The Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) is proud to announce this year's award recipients: Stephen Harrigan, Sarah (Meng) Li, and Alev Orfi. 

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

IQC Student Seminar featuring Emma Bergeron

Development of InSb Surface Quantum Wells for hybrid superconducting device applications. 

Abstract: Surface quantum well (QW) heterostructures in III-V semiconductors are compatible with proximitized superconductivity and offer a scalable planar platform for superconductor-semiconductor systems, such as those suggested for topological quantum computation and those suitable for topological phase transitions involving Majorana zero modes. Amongst III-V binary semiconductors, Indium Antimonide (InSb) has the smallest electron effective mass, highest spin orbit coupling and largest Land´e g-factor. Such material properties makes the pursuit of InSb QWs desirable for a number of quantum device applications, including quantum sensing, quantum metrology, and quantum computing.

Unfortunately, high quality two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) in InSb QWs have so far been difficult to realize. InSb QWs have generally relied on the use of modulation doping for 2DEG formation, but these structures have frequently reported issues with parasitic parallel conduction and unstable carrier densities. We report on the transport characteristics of field effect 2DEGs in surface InSb quantum wells which overcome these challenges and are suitable for future hybrid superconducting device applications.

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Friday, April 14, 2023

IQC celebrates world quantum day

En français

At the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC), every day is a quantum day. But today, on April 14th, we are especially excited to join a community of scientists around the world in the celebration and promotion of the public understanding of quantum science and technology.

Wednesday, April 19, 2023 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

IQC Student Seminar featuring Andrew Jena

AEQuO: A Comprehensive Measurement Allocation Protocol

Abstract: The variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) is a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm for solving the electronic structure problem, a problem foundational to the field of computational chemistry. In the VQE, a classical optimizer directs the state preparation protocol while a quantum device is used to measure the expectation value of the Hamiltonian with the prepared state. We developed the adaptive estimation of quantum observables (AEQuO) protocol in an attempt to use all of information from the measurement outcomes to minimize the number of measurements needed. I will give an overview of the VQE and the techniques we employ in our protocol, and I will discuss where our approach fits in with the previous measurement allocation techniques.
Monday, April 24, 2023 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Another Round of Breaking and Making Quantum Money: How to Not Build It from Lattices, and More

IQC Colloquium on ZOOM - Mark Zhandry, NTT Research

Public verification of quantum money has been one of the central objects in quantum cryptography ever since Wiesner's pioneering idea of using quantum mechanics to construct banknotes against counterfeiting. In this talk, I will discuss some recent work giving both attacks and new approaches to building publicly verifiable quantum money.

Friday, April 14, 2023 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants: Experiments in the Quantum Realm

Quantum mechanics helps us understand what happens below what a microscope can see, describing the world of atoms, electrons, photons, and more. In celebration of World Quantum Day on April 14th, Dr. John Donohue from the Institute for Quantum Computing will sit down with Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants to explore quantum science and its applications, from light particles and electron waves to superconductors and quantum computers.