From: mk_thisisit
Jakub Rożek, who defended his doctorate at Oxford University, is currently creating a quantum computer in Helsinki with IQM [00:00:00]. IQM is described as the largest private company in Europe that creates quantum computers [00:00:10]. The company’s headquarters are located in Espoo, Finland, very close to Helsinki [00:01:07].
Current Development and Future Goals
IQM is actively working on a 150-qubit quantum computer [00:00:19], which is currently being measured and calibrated in a freezer [00:01:32]. This development is a significant step towards achieving a universal quantum computer [00:00:23], which would be capable of executing any quantum algorithm with an arbitrarily small error rate [00:02:16]. The current limitation in executing quantum algorithms is noise, which leads to errors [00:02:23].
IQM’s roadmap aims to announce a one-million-qubit quantum computer by 2033 [00:11:49]. However, for such large numbers of qubits, the focus shifts to “logical qubits” through quantum error correction [00:12:12].
How Quantum Computers Work
Unlike classical computers that operate on bits (zeros and ones) [00:05:23], quantum computers use qubits (quantum bits) [00:05:29]. The main difference is that a classical bit can only be 0 or 1 at a given moment, whereas a qubit can exist in any state between zero and one (superposition), allowing for many more different states [00:05:39].
Furthermore, with multiple qubits, their collective state cannot be described by simply detailing each one separately [00:05:57]. This concept, known as quantum entanglement, means “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts” [00:06:17]. Entanglement is a “dance” where qubits interact with each other, making it impossible to describe them by looking at each one separately; one must look at them together [00:07:38]. This phenomenon is a primary difficulty in describing or simulating quantum computers on classical machines [00:07:50].
Technology at IQM
IQM primarily focuses on superconducting transmons [00:08:41]. These are very small loops with current that can flow for extended periods due to superconductivity, meaning there is no resistance [00:08:47]. When such a qubit is cooled to a very low temperature, it begins to behave quantumly [00:09:07].
IQM’s computers operate at temperatures very close to absolute zero (about 120 degrees above relative zero) [00:09:17]. This extremely low temperature slows down particle movement, revealing quantum effects where matter cannot move at any speed but only at specific, allowed speeds or energy levels [00:09:44]. The goal is to reach a state where only one or two allowed energy levels remain, as a qubit requires at least two energy levels to operate [00:11:02].
The large, golden, fridge-like structure of a quantum computer is primarily a cryogenic cooling system and cabling, not the quantum computer chip itself, which is very small and located at the bottom [00:15:31]. The design aims to limit heat transmission and losses, ensuring the chip’s temperature remains unaffected by external devices or signals [00:16:06].
Other Technologies
While IQM focuses on superconducting transmons, other technologies for building quantum computers include cold atoms [00:08:27].
Engineering Challenges and Progress
The path to scaling up quantum computers faces significant engineering challenges [00:13:44]. One major hurdle is cabling: each qubit requires its own steering and control mechanisms, meaning about two cables per qubit currently [00:13:48]. A million-qubit computer would require a million cables if current methods were maintained, necessitating new solutions like connecting multiple chips or developing different wiring methods [00:14:06]. This requires ensuring data transfer between chips remains quantum, allowing them to remain entangled [00:14:34].
A revolutionary development in quantum computing progress this year was Google’s confirmation of achieving quantum error correction [00:20:21]. Google demonstrated the creation of a “logical qubit” that lives longer than any physical qubit, proving that quantum error correction works as predicted, exponentially reducing errors [00:20:29]. This breakthrough is crucial for large-scale quantum computers, allowing separation and control of individual qubits even in large systems, circumventing the issue of thermodynamic behavior [00:21:45].
Applications of Quantum Computers
One of the greatest motivations for working on quantum computers is their potential to simulate nature [00:02:34]. All chemical phenomena, such as photosynthesis, medicine, and pharmacology, are inherently quantum [00:03:10]. While classical methods can approximate these, quantum computers will allow for a much better understanding of chemical processes and enable faster creation of new drugs [00:03:33].
There are also studies on simulating cosmology on a quantum computer, exploring the fabric of space-time [00:00:32]. This could potentially lead to a redefinition of the concept of time [00:04:02].
Quantum Machine Learning
Quantum machine learning combines quantum computers with standard machine learning techniques [00:23:24]. There are three main varieties:
- Using a normal classical computer to learn from quantum data [00:23:38].
- Using a quantum computer to work on classical data [00:24:12]. This field holds significant business potential, as it can accelerate the solution of optimization problems and other mathematical challenges [00:24:26].
- Using a quantum computer to work on quantum data [00:24:08].
Accessibility and Business Model
At present, IQM’s five-qubit quantum computers can cost around one million euros [00:17:45]. The high price is largely due to the prototype nature of the technology and the engineering solutions required [00:18:18]. As the technology develops and solutions are found, prices are expected to decrease [00:19:04]. However, quantum computers are not expected to become consumer products for home use; instead, they will likely remain in supercomputer centers, accessible via the internet [00:19:29].
Quantum Cloud
The “quantum cloud” is IQM’s system for making its quantum computer in Espoo accessible via the internet to customers [00:24:58]. This involves maintaining the computer’s calibration and cooling to ensure optimal performance [00:25:09]. Customers are primarily research centers [00:25:43].
Quantum Internet and Security Implications
The concept of a “quantum internet” involves a network that can transmit quantum information [00:26:54]. While the speaker doesn’t know much about it, they believe that standard classical internet is sufficient for communicating with quantum computers, as every quantum computer relies on a large classical computer for control and operation [00:27:17].
Current research on quantum internet involves fiber optic networks, such as those in England, used by researchers to send quantum-entangled photons [00:27:58]. This is a difficult engineering problem because signal amplifiers kill quantum information, meaning the entanglement chain cannot be interrupted [00:28:30]. Europe is considered stronger than the United States in this area of research [00:28:48].
Regarding security, there are concerns that a universal quantum computer could break current encryption methods like RSA codes, which rely on the difficulty of factoring large numbers into prime factors [00:32:40]. However, experts have been developing new, less susceptible coding algorithms for over 20 years, known as quantum cryptography [00:33:01]. Banks are advised to implement these new algorithms now to prepare [00:33:20]. Quantum key distribution, based on quantum entanglement, is one such method [00:34:10].
IQM’s Team and Collaborations
Jakub Rożek, a physicist with a doctorate from Oxford, moved to Finland specifically for the job at IQM, believing that quantum computers can change the world [00:29:07]. He works in the calibration department, focusing on the control and quantum gates of the quantum computer, from cooling the chip to making it usable, by creating and calibrating quantum gates to reduce noise [00:29:34].
IQM collaborates with Polish institutions, including a project with Gdańsk University of Technology to connect their quantum computer to a supercomputer and test quantum-classical algorithms [00:30:42]. IQM also has a sales office in Warsaw [00:31:08].