Trapped-Ion Quantum Computing

Abstract

AbstractThe future of quantum information processing requires a stable hardware platform to execute quantum circuits reliably and with low error rates, such that solutions for industrial applications can be built on top of it. Trapped-ion quantum computing, among other platforms, currently proves to be very suitable for the transition from tabletop, lab-based experiments to rack-mounted, on-premise systems which allow operation in data center environments. Several technical challenges need to be solved and controlling many degrees of freedom needs to be optimized and automated, before industrial applications can be successfully implemented on quantum computers situated within data centers. These necessary developments range from the architecture of an ion trap that fundamentally defines the supported instruction sets, over the control electronics and laser systems, which limit the quality of qubit operations, to the optimized compilation of quantum circuits based on qubit properties and gate fidelities. In this chapter, we give an introduction to the ion-trap quantum computing platform, present the current technical state of the art of Advanced Query Tool’s ion-trapping hardware and rack-based quantum computing systems, and highlight parts of the execution stack.