Rosatom planning to build universal quantum computer with cloud access by end-2024

MOSCOW. Dec 28 (Interfax) - Scientists from the Russian Quantum Center and the P.N. Lebedev Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences have presented a prototype of a quantum ion computer, Rosatom state corporation said in a statement. The prototype was developed as part of the roadmap for quantum computing implemented by Rosatom.

In classical computing devices all information is decomposed into bits - 0 or 1, whereas in quantum computing devices the smallest unit of information is a quantum bit (cubit) capable of being in both states at once - 0 and 1. The number of states a quantum processor is in increases rapidly with the number of qubits, due to the ability to bind them together. This feature allows quantum devices to solve various computational problems by orders of magnitude faster than classical computers and supercomputers, the report explains.

The researchers were able to develop a system of 4 qubits, not by scaling up the number of ions, but by applying the original technology of scaling quantum processors using multilevel information carriers - qubits.

"For us, this is the first significant result in our work on the quantum computing roadmap. A universal quantum computer with cloud access will be built on this basis by the end of 2024. Today the platform on ions shows some of the most interesting results, which is especially noteworthy because ions were not considered a priority for development 5 years ago," Ruslan Yunusov, head of the project office on quantum technologies at Rosatom, was quoted as saying in the statement.

As part of the implementation of the roadmap for the development of quantum computing, Rosatom acts as an integrator and coordinator of interaction between the country's leading research centers and technology business.

"In general, in 2021 Rosatom allocated more than 6 billion rubles for the development of quantum technologies and the creation of the necessary research infrastructure - the purchase of equipment and outfitting of the first laboratories. Further work will continue in accordance with the roadmap: through 2024, more than 23 billion rubles of budget and non-budget funds will be allocated in total to create a quantum computer,"Ekaterina Solntseva, director of digitalization at Rosatom, was also quoted in the statement.