Rydberg Atom Quantum Computing and Simulation

Quantum computers are currently in the noisy intermediate scale quantum (NISQ) era, where noise and decoherence are still a major challenge for quantum computing platforms, and which also limits the scale of the machines that can be built. However, a combination of hardware-dependent optimization, hybridization with classical computing and clever algorithms can demonstrate quantum advantage for specific tasks. We develop a scalable platform along these principles, based on ultracold Rydberg atoms in optical tweezers.

The Rydberg atom platform is a development platform both for technology and for applications, and it will be available for the Dutch quantum ecosystem and beyond, via the Quantum Inspire facility, accessible 24/7 online. This project brings different areas of expertise together: the knowledge of fundamental atomic physics on interacting atoms, the development of hardware-specific hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, the experimental knowledge of laser cooling and quantum gases, and the engineering of all components to a full stack cloud-based quantum computer.

The qubits in our platform are based on ultracold (Rydberg) atoms. With optical tweezers these atoms will be hold in a lattice configuration with good optical access, controllability and readout. Our lab contains an operational atomic Rubidium quantum computing testbed, and we are constructing a cloud-based quantum computing facility based on Strontium atoms. In both platforms, with the excitation to Rydberg states, strong nearest-neighbor coupling can be realised, giving rise to multi-qubit entanglement. These Ryberg platforms are very suitable for the execution of specific tasks such as hybrid algorithms for quantum chemical problems.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s NextGenerationEU and is part of the Quantum Delta NL program. This research is partially funded by the European Union through the HorizonEurope programme HORIZON-CL4-2021-digital-emerging-01-03 via the project10170144 (EuRyQa).

For recent publications, see below. Our key findings involve both theory and experiment with a focus on VQE algorithms for quantum chemistry. We are working on a Srontium quantum computer facility and two testbeds; one with Rubidium at TU/e and one with Strontium at UvA.

Neutral Atom Kat-1 Collaboration

We are developing and constructing a full-stack pulse-based Rydberg atom quantum computing platform. At TU/e this work is being carried out in the Center for Quantum Materials and Technology (QT/e), and is part of several focus groups of the Casimir Institute, and of the KAT-1 program of Quantum Delta NL. We collaborate closely with the Ultracold Strontium lab at the UvA in Amsterdam and multiple groups within TU/e. We are part of the EuRyQa project (https://www.euryqa.eu/), where we collaborate with multiple companies and research groups to create an European Infrastructure for Rydberg Quantum Computing. Within QT/e and the focus groups we collaborate on topics ranging from foundations of quantum algorithms to full-stack quantum computing and quantum chemsitry as well as societal impact.

Our Neutral Atom Kat-1 Collaboration consists of the following members:

SrQC-Team at TU/e
• Rik van Herk
• Marijn Venderbosch
• Max Festenstein 
• Jesus J. del Pozo Mellado
• Zhichao Guo
• Rianne Lous
• Edgar Vredenbregt
• Servaas Kokkelmans

Rb-Team at TU/e
• Rogier Venderbosch
• Ricky Teunissen
• Jesus J. del Pozo Mellado
• Yuri van der Werf
• Rianne Lous
• Edgar Vredenbregt
• Servaas Kokkelmans

Theory-team at TU/e
• Raul Parcelas Resina dos Santos
• Emre Akaturk
• Servaas Kokkelmans

Sr-Team at UvA (www.strontiumbec.com)
• Alex Urech
• Ivo Knottnerus
• Yu Chih Tseng
• Robert Spreeuw
• Florian Schreck

Collaborators
• Oliver Tse and Luke Visser (Optimal Control)
• Oded Raz (Photonic Integration)
• Aida Todri Sanial and Neven Gentil (Quantum Circuit Design)
• Guus Bertens and Richard Zoontjens (HPC integration)
• Ivana Nikoloska (QML)
• Alberto Ravagnani (QEC theory)
• Yunus Gültekin, Alexios Balatsoukas Stimming, Alex Alvarado (QEC hardware implementation)
• Gabriele Liga (classical and quantum coding theory) 
• Aida Abiad Monge and Benjamin Jany (Graph theory)
• Sharon Dolmans (Societal Impact)
• SintAQS-lab (Novel QPUs)
• AND-group [Lee, Tielrooij, Bakkers] (Novel QPUs)
• TNO: Quantum Inspire (User Interface)

Alumni
• Jasper Postema (PhD)
• Robert de Keijzer (PhD)
• Madhav Mohan (PhD)
• Deon Janse van Rensburg (PhD)

Project manager
• Suzan van Dongen