Modular Industrial Large-scaLE quaNtum computing with trapped IONs

ongoing

The MILLENION project focuses on modular scalability and accessibility aspects of trapped-ion quantum computers (QCs), tackling the transition from current laboratory-based experiments to industry-grade quantum computing technologies with technology readiness level above 8. The envisaged platform, which builds on top of the rack-mounted 50-qubit QC demonstrator realised in the flagship project AQTION, will offer a quantum advantage for various use-cases in a fully automated 100-qubit ion-trap QC. Our consortium will aggressively pursue disruptive development goals: (a) changing from one-dimensional strings of ions to two-dimensional arrays will allow us to support more than 1000 qubits; (b) consistently encoding quantum information in the electronic ground state of ion qubits enables error rates smaller than 10-4 per gate operation compatible with fault-tolerant error correction; and (c) implementing parallel gate operations will enable larger algorithmic depth. The new demonstrator device will be equipped with a hardware-optimised firmware suite and will be integrated in a high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure to realise a QC/HPC solution, supporting standardised interfaces to various quantum software development kits with cloud accessibility. Finally, we will pave the way to scalable quantum computing by introducing long-range connectivity between quantum processors using photonic interconnects. We will combine these quantum information techniques with trap fabrication and packaging technologies which integrate optical and electronic components to achieve stable long-term operation in an industrial environment. These scientific and technological advances will provide a powerful hardware platform that can be exploited by partnering quantum software consortia to solve problems of major commercial and industrial importance such as computational problems in chemistry and machine learning.