MRI: Development of a Next-Generation Modular Ion-Trap Quantum Computer

Quantum computers can tackle some computational problems that are intractable using conventional computers, ranging from hard optimization problems to the modeling of physical phenomena such as complex chemistry and advanced materials. The instrumentation to be developed here will support the design and fabrication of a next-generation quantum computer system with a modular and scalable architecture.

The new system features an interconnection between two smaller quantum computers in a way that can be extended to many more modules. This architecture is based on two clusters of interacting individual atoms controlled with laser beams, with the interconnection between modules provided by individual photons in an optical fiber. The goals in this project are to (i) advance the systems engineering of juxtaposing individual atom quantum memories with optical fiber interfaces, (ii) show the way toward a large-scale quantum computer with many modules and controlled with photonic switches, and (iii) deploy quantum applications and algorithms that exploit the modular connection pattern of the system.

The new quantum computer will be used by local and visiting scientists and engineers at Duke for running scientific applications in fields ranging from machine learning and optimization to simulations of chemistry and many body phenomena in materials and nuclear physics.

Quantum computers hold great promise for solving many classes of problems that are intractable using conventional computers. This instrumentation project will support the design, fabrication, and testing of a next-generation quantum computer system to be used by the quantum information community for scientific research. The system is composed of two separated ion trap quantum computers, each controlled with laser beams and connected with single photons traversing optical fibers.

This modular architecture can be extended to more than two modules for the scaling to quantum computers large enough to challenge or supersede the performance of conventional computers when applied to particular problems. The device envisioned in this project will leverage existing control technology, ion trap chips, and the latest photonic technology to build and operate this next generation research quantum computer.

The instrument will be available to scientists and engineers to test quantum protocols in areas such as molecular and material simulation, quantum error correction, and quantum machine learning. The use of this device will bring together scientists and engineers from many disparate areas to co-design quantum computers to their applications and propel this new form of computing.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.