Quantum Computing - The tiny and the big challenges

How do you program a computer using the strange rules of quantum mechanics? This talk explores the hardware and software challenges, from superconducting circuits to live coding a quantum algorithm.

#1about 2 minutes

The foundational physics behind quantum computing

The principles of atomic energy levels and specific light wavelengths form the basis for manipulating quantum systems.

#2about 2 minutes

An overview of qubits and quantum hardware architectures

Quantum computers operate by applying gates to qubits, which can be built using various hardware technologies like superconducting circuits.

#3about 3 minutes

A deep dive into superconducting qubit design

Superconducting qubits use a capacitor-inductor circuit with a Josephson junction to create distinct, addressable energy levels for computation.

#4about 3 minutes

The major challenges in building quantum hardware

Building scalable quantum computers involves overcoming issues like qubit connectivity, stability (T1/T2 times), gate fidelity, and the lack of a single agreed-upon technology.

#5about 2 minutes

Exploring spin qubits and NMR technology

Alternative hardware approaches like spin qubits leverage transistor technology or Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), which was used to run the first Shor's algorithm.

#6about 4 minutes

Understanding the mathematics of quantum software

Quantum states are represented by wave functions or state vectors with complex coefficients, where each additional qubit exponentially increases the computational space.

#7about 2 minutes

Using quantum interference to build algorithms

Quantum algorithms use superposition and interference to constructively or destructively combine probabilities, amplifying the correct answers.

#8about 6 minutes

Live coding a simple quantum circuit with Qiskit

A step-by-step demonstration shows how to build and run a single-qubit interference circuit using Python and the Qiskit framework on a simulator.

#9about 2 minutes

Advanced software concepts and future challenges

Modern quantum programming involves concepts like observables and estimators, while facing challenges in error correction, data storage, and debugging.

#10about 2 minutes

A framework for responsible quantum technology development

Advancing the quantum field responsibly requires ensuring new ideas are technologically sound, unique, reproducible, and supported by educational materials.