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NPL scientists, as part of a consortium led by the University of Glasgow, will help take quantum computing from the lab to the real-world via the Empowering Practical Interfacing of Quantum Computing (EPIQC) project, which is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UKRI.
Unlike conventional digital computers, which encode information in the form of binary ‘bits’, quantum computers harness the phenomena of superposition and entanglement to encode information, unlocking the potential for much more advanced computing.
Currently, there is no overarching infrastructure to enable widespread interaction with quantum computers through information and communication technologies, as there is with digital computers. Without an established ICT structure, quantum computing cannot be extended to the devices, networking, and components that are commonplace in today’s digital world.
The EPIQC brings together researchers to work on the interface of quantum computing and ICT through various networking activities. The collaborators will focus on three key areas of work to help overcome some of the barriers which are currently preventing the field of quantum computing from scaling up to practical applications through ICT: optical interconnects, wireless control and readout, and cryoelectronics.
One of the main problems that needs to be solved in the quantum field is the development of the interface technologies needed to carry large amounts of information to and from quantum processors. This is a very challenging problem since the processors are operated in extreme environments where conventional electronics won’t work.
The EPIQC project is an excellent opportunity for NPL to support this important R&D effort; while at the same time developing the metrology that will be needed to test and validate future products.
Find out more about NPL’s work in Quantum technologies
21 Mar 2022