On October 2nd, Oxford Ionics joined nearly 100 graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and faculty from JILA, CU, and NIST to highlight some of their recent advancements in quantum computing in the third installment of the JILA Association of Graduate Students (JAGS) Industry Spotlight seminars. This seminar, given by Dr. David Allcock, highlighted the pivotal role that Boulder has played in forging the path towards large, fast, and robust quantum computing systems.
Quantum computers at Oxford Ionics take advantage of stable on-chip circuits developed in part by teams at NIST Boulder to trap and control ions. The problem with quantum computers, pointed out by Dr. Allcock, is that they need to be bigger, faster, and stronger (more robust) to compete with conventional computers. “Quantum computers can solve some problems much faster than classical computers thanks to their efficiency, not their clock speed,” said Dr. Allcock about the so-called quantum computing speed challenge, which Oxford Ionics is actively working to solve. The teams at Oxford Ionics identified the primary limiting factors in clock speed of cooling and transporting the qubits, both of which are mitigated by the development of the new 2 qubit gate scheme, dubbed the Smooth gate. The use of this new gate enables a 10 to 100 times speed-up, moving quantum computers a step closer to competing with classical computers.
During the seminar, Dr. Allcock posed the philosophical question of whether quantum computing is a tool or a toy. From the company’s perspective, trapped ion quantum computing is a technological tool with an integration challenge. By leveraging the existing semiconductor supply chain, the teams at Oxford Ionics can prioritize early integration of key functionalities, such as very high “set-and-forget” source stabilities, to put quantum computing on a highway to large-scale adoption.
This Industry Spotlight Seminar came at an important time for Oxford Ionics and quantum scientists in Boulder alike, coinciding with announcement of the acquisition of Oxford Ionics by IonQ and the opening of a new Boulder office. This new office, led by JILA and CU alum Dr. Bryce Bjork, presents exciting job opportunities for graduate students and post-doctoral researchers at CU, JILA, and NIST. In Boulder, Oxford Ionics is putting together a new team of quantum scientists, spearheaded by Dr. Steven Moses, another JILA alum, to focus on full system integration for a 256-qubit computer.
After the seminar, attendees had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of Oxford Ionics’s work and their relationship with lead Oxford Ionics scientists through an informal networking session. During this networking session, Drs. Bjork and Moses were able to reconnect with their research mentors, and all three scientists from Oxford Ionics worked to further their connections at JILA, NIST, and CU, reaffirming the close ties between quantum science industry and academia in Boulder. Along with their participation in this seminar, Oxford Ionics donated funds to support a JAGS Graduate Student Seminar, a seminar series enabling graduate students to hone their presentation skills and foster collaboration across various research areas.
Written by Keegan Finger, JILA Graduate Student