The quantum revolution is poised to move out of the laboratory and into the marketplace. Technologies that exploit the laws of quantum mechanics will outperform their classical counterparts providing advantages we are only beginning to capitalize on. These technologies will be one step closer with the development of a new method for linking small quantum processors.
Canada Excellence Research Chair, David Cory, in partnership with Leiden Cryogenics, is developing an experimental platform where spin and superconducting quantum systems can be engineered together. The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) announced $200,000 in funding for Professor Cory’s platform through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund.
“Canadian researchers need state-of-the-art tools in order to undertake world-class research. Our government believes significant investment in these tools is essential to making scientific breakthroughs, which improve the lives of Canadians and increases economic prosperity,” said Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology).
It is generally thought that linking small quantum processors is the most direct route to achieving larger processors that could outperform their classical counterparts. Dr. Cory aims to build a unique tool to link unlike quantum systems, in particular spin-based and superconducting quantum processors. The challenge is that spin systems require magnetic fields for control while superconducting systems work best in the absence of a magnetic field.
This new platform will provide two experimental spaces: one in a magnetic field and one in zero field in the same system. Both spaces will have a similar base temperature (~ 15 mK) and signals can be directly wired from one to the other. The platform will enable testing of the first hybrid solid-state devices.
David Cory is a professor of Chemistry and Canada Excellence Research Chair in Quantum Information Processing at the Institute for Quantum Computing.