Developing an error corrected quantum processor solution for commercial quantum computing

量子计算机将改变众多工业部门，从用于优化喷气发动机设计的主要空气动力学模拟，到人工智能、机器学习和数据经济，再到药物发现。量子计算机将像上个世纪传统计算机的发展一样改变游戏规则，因为它们将能够解决高影响的问题，而最快的超级计算机将需要数十亿年的时间。英国国家量子技术计划的一个主要目标是，通过建立包括相关供应链在内的量子计算产业部门，将英国在开发实用量子计算机方面的学术卓越转化为经济繁荣。实现普遍量子计算的最大剩余挑战是扩大到拥有数百万量子比特的容错机器。QEqut开发的量子硬件将能够克服世界各地竞争对手面临的限制，推动英国成为商业量子计算领域的领先者。尽管基于超导量子比特的竞争平台可以实现的量子比特数量有限，因为需要将微芯片冷却到-273C，但我们的平台是基于囚禁离子的，不需要这样的冷却。我们的平台还适合于实现高效和可扩展的纠错算法，这些算法在提高计算机性能的同时降低了对硬件的要求。这些因素的结合为开发具有更大量子比特数的系统提供了机会。全硅微芯片集成将允许创建自给自足的电子量子计算模块，以便在项目期间部署并使最终用户可以通过云访问进行调查。硬件/软件联合开发由系统集成商Universal Quantum和量子软件开发商Riverlane牵头，以及真空系统(爱德华兹)和微波技术(TMD技术、钻石微波)的领先子系统制造商在英国孵化量子计算供应链。苏塞克斯大学将进行用例演示，并在伦敦帝国理工学院的理论创新的帮助下提供性能改进。为了确保实现商业化，劳斯莱斯和STFC的应用计算流体动力学(CFD)专家将与Riverlane和UQ合作，开发一种量子方法来求解偏微分方程，这是英国航空航天领域商业相关模拟的基础。开发/传播合作伙伴Sia Partners将制定CFD中特定应用工具商业化的路线图，Qureca将开发更广泛的依赖于求解偏微分方程的用例。该联盟将执行第一批用例演示，并针对实际应用简化硬件/软件开发。

Quantum computers will transform numerous industrial sectors, from the major aerodynamic simulations used to optimise jet engine design, through artificial intelligence, machine learning and the data economy, to drug discovery. Quantum computers are set to be as game-changing as the development of conventional computers in the last century, as they will be able to solve high-impact problems which would take the fastest supercomputer billions of years. A primary goal of UK's National Quantum Technology Programme is translating the UK's academic excellence in developing practical quantum computers into economic prosperity, by building a quantum computing industry sector including relevant supply chains.The biggest remaining challenges in realising universal quantum computation are in scaling up to fault-tolerant machines with millions of qubits. The quantum hardware developed in QCorrect will be capable of overcoming the limitations faced by competitors around the world propelling the UK to become a leader in commercial quantum computing. While competing platforms based on superconducting qubits are limited in the number of qubits they can realise because of the requirement to cool microchips to -273C, our platform is based on trapped-ions and does not require such cooling. Our platform is also suitable for implementation of efficient and scalable error-correction algorithms which improve the performance of the computer whilst reducing the hardware requirements.The combination of these factors offers the opportunity to develop systems featuring much larger qubit numbers. Full silicon microchip integration will allow the creation of self-sufficient electronic quantum computing modules to be deployed and made cloud-accessible for end-user investigation during the project. Hardware/software co-development is led by system integrator Universal Quantum and quantum software developer Riverlane, together with leading subsystem manufacturers for vacuum systems (Edwards) and microwave technologies (TMD Technologies, Diamond Microwave) incubating a quantum computing supply chain in the UK. The University of Sussex will perform use-case demonstrations and deliver performance enhancements aided by theoretical innovations from Imperial College London.In order to ensure a pathway to commercialisation, applied Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) experts at Rolls-Royce and STFC will work with Riverlane and UQ to develop a quantum approach to solving partial differential equations that underpin commercially-relevant simulations in the UK aerospace sector. Exploitation/dissemination partners Sia Partners will develop a roadmap to commercialisation of application-specific tools in CFD and Qureca will develop broader use-cases that depend on solving partial differential equations. The consortium will execute the first use-case demonstrations and streamline hardware/software development towards practical applications.