Led by Juris Ulmanis, QCDC Project Leader and Director of Quantum Technologies at Alpine Quantum Technologies (AQT) in Innsbruck, the EU-funded QCDC initiative has established a cloud-based quantum computing service providing European researchers with access to trapped-ion quantum computers. A collaboration between AQT, QC Ware (USA), Covestro (Germany), and Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany) successfully employed the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) algorithm to calculate the interaction energies of molecules—a crucial step in understanding complex chemical reactions like those in the Nitrogen Cycle—even on current, noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices, achieving results closely matching classical calculations. The completed QCDC project aims to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty and provide local access to quantum computing, eliminating reliance on non-EU providers and fostering independent innovation in areas such as drug development and materials science.
Overview
The successful conclusion of the QCDC (Quantum Computers for Datacentres) project has resulted in Europe possessing its own cloud-based computing service for trapped-ion quantum computers, funded by the European Innovation Council. This service provides researchers with access to machines for performing advanced quantum computing tasks on European devices, representing a significant step in bolstering the region’s quantum capabilities. The project’s completion signifies a leap forward in establishing Europe as a leader in Quantum Computing Europe, strengthening technological sovereignty and reducing reliance on non-EU providers.
Researchers from Alpine Quantum Technologies (AQT), an Innsbruck-based company specialising in general-purpose ion-trap quantum computing, collaborated with teams from QC Ware (USA), Covestro (Germany), and Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany) to simulate the interaction energies of intermediate states in a chemical reaction. This collaboration employed the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) algorithm, which creates a trial state of a molecule and adjusts it to find the most stable, lowest-energy configuration, even on noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices. The resulting calculations closely matched classical computations, demonstrating the accuracy achievable with early-stage quantum computers.
According to Juris Ulmanis, QCDC Project Leader and Director of Quantum Technologies at AQT, the project has enabled researchers to solve problems previously out of reach for quantum computers. He stated that the potential for quantum computing is vast, spanning areas like drug discovery, material design, and sustainability. The project’s impact is expected to equip researchers with tools to address complex global challenges, accelerating innovation across various industries.
Key Details
Quantum computers leverage the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics to process information in a fundamentally different way than traditional computers, potentially allowing them to perform calculations impossible for classical computers. Unlike traditional computers, which process data linearly, quantum computers exploit quantum entanglement to process information, enabling the simulation of highly complex systems like molecules and materials with unmatched speed and accuracy. A quantum computer can compare all possible solutions at once, evaluating them in parallel, a capability absent in traditional computers which explore each path sequentially.
To illustrate the potential power of quantum computing, the total computing power of a vast data centre filled with traditional computers may not match the speed and capability of a single quantum machine operating at full capacity. These complex tasks, challenging for traditional computing or even supercomputers, are expected to become achievable with quantum machines developed and operated by Alpine Quantum Technologies (AQT), a company based in Innsbruck, Austria, specialising in general-purpose ion-trap quantum computing.
A collaboration between AQT and teams from QC Ware (USA), Covestro (Germany), and Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany) focused on simulating the interaction energies of intermediate states in a chemical reaction, a key task in quantum chemistry and essential for understanding complex molecular interactions in the Nitrogen Cycle. The team utilised a quantum algorithm called Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) to calculate the molecules energy, even on noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices, by creating a trial state and adjusting it to find the most stable, lowest-energy configuration. The results achieved with early-stage quantum computers were impressively accurate, closely matching classical calculations.
The advancements facilitated by the QCDC project are expected to accelerate the advantages of quantum computing for drug development and enable material scientists to unlock new possibilities in energy storage, sustainability, and manufacturing. The completion of the QCDC project has equipped researchers with the tools to address some of the world’s most complex challenges and represents a giant leap toward establishing Europe as a leader in Quantum Computing Europe. The project strengthened Europe’s technological sovereignty by providing local access to world-class quantum computing, eliminating reliance on non-EU providers and enabling European researchers and industries to innovate independently, protecting critical data and research from external influence.
Conclusion
Juris Ulmanis, QCDC Project Leader and Director of Quantum Technologies at Alpine Quantum Technologies (AQT), stated that the project represents a significant step forward in making quantum computing a practical tool for researchers across Europe. By providing scientists with access to AQT’s world-class quantum technology, researchers were enabled to solve problems previously out of reach for quantum computers, with potential impact across industries including drug discovery, materials design, and sustainability.
The conclusion of the QCDC project signifies a substantial advancement for Europe in establishing itself as a leader in Quantum Computing Europe. The initiative reinforced Europe’s technological sovereignty by offering local access to advanced quantum computing capabilities, thereby reducing dependence on providers outside the European Union and fostering independent innovation among European researchers and industries, while also safeguarding critical data and research from external influences.
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