The future for quantum technology certainly looks very interesting, with fast development of quantum hardware in many fields and a significantly increased interest from the Swedish government. 

Finally, I most of all look forward to continue working together with you all, in this new role!

Göran Johansson

WACQT meeting 2024

Attendance was at a record high as the fifth edition of WACQT's annual May meeting took place on 14 – 16 May. Approximately 170 PhD students, postdocs, researchers, industrial partners, advisors – among them a Nobel Laureate - active in WACQT gathered to take part in the center's development and activities in the past year. Two important milestones from the last 12 months are the implementation of the Swedish infrastructure for quantum communication, NQCIS, and the launch of the center's quantum testbed, which was made available to WACQT's researchers and partners earlier this year.

Great interest from the industry at WACQT workshop

Societal interest in the possibilities of quantum technology is increasing – a tendency quite noticeable at WACQT's industry workshop, which took place at the end of March. The number of people registered for the workshop was undeniably high. Nearly 90 global actors from business and academia showed up at Kollektorn to learn more about how quantum technology is already being used by the center’s established industrial partners - and to gain insights into how the technology could develop their own operations.

New WACQT Fellow

Alvaro Alarcón och Guilherme B. Xavier presenting the photonic integrated chip designed at Linköping University.
Photo: Simon Höckerbo

Improved quantum cryptography with optical circuit

Researchers Alvaro Alarcón and Guilherme B. Xavier at Linköping University have developed an optical circuit to enhance the security of quantum cryptography. The circuit, designed as a photonic integrated chip, was manufactured in the Netherlands. The chip performs joint measurements on energy-time or time-bin entangled photons, providing certification of the entanglement’s quality. This is crucial for quantum cryptography, where it’s important to certify that the photons are truly entangled to ensure security. The work, which was recently published in the scientific journal Optica, is a collaboration between the University of Padua, the University of Seville, and Linköping University.

The circuit diagram illustrates how different operations were able to be turned on and off by sending microwave pulses (wiggly arrow) to the control system embedded in the oscillator. The researchers used the system to generate a cubic phase state, a quantum resource for quantum error correction. Illustration: Timo Hillman

Breakthrough may clear major hurdle for quantum computers

A research team at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a system that combats the trade-off problem between operation complexity and fault tolerance in quantum systems. The system is based on continuous-variable quantum computing and uses harmonic oscillators to encode information linearly. Attempts to combine harmonic oscillators with control systems such as superconducting quantum systems have been made before but have been hindered by the Kerr-effect, which in turn scrambles the many quantum states offered by the oscillator, cancelling the desired effect. By embedding a control system device at the heart of the oscillator, the Chalmers researchers were able to circumvent the Kerr-effect and combat the trade-off problem. “We have created a system that enables extremely complex operations on a multi-state quantum system, at an unprecedented speed,” says Simone Gasparinetti, senior author of the study which has been published in Nature Communications.  

Photo: SNOLAB

Quantum challenge to be solved one mile underground

A recently discovered cause of errors in quantum computers is cosmic radiation. Highly charged particles from space disturb the sensitive qubits and cause them to lose their quantum state, as well as the ability to continue a calculation. But now quantum researchers from WACQT/Chalmers University of technology and Canada will join forces to find a solution to the problem – in the world's deepest located clean room, two kilometers underground. 

WISE organising a call on behalf of KAW

Proof of Concept call in Materials Science for Sustainability

Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation’s Proof of Concept project call in materials science for sustainability opens on September 2, 2024. Between 1 and 4 million SEK will be granted for innovation-targeting research projects, financed by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

The aim of the call is to is to bridge the gap between academic research and innovations in materials science for sustainability.

Deadline: 2024-10-11 at 13.00

• Wise materials - calls for projects 
• WISE LinkedIn

QSIP Innovation Intelligence Digest newsletter was launched late 2023. Quantum Sweden Innovation Platform late 2023 started its curated monthly newsletter: Innovation Intelligence Digest newsletter. It covers external quantum innovation business news from around the globe. 

The May issue highlighted among other things the newly created QSIP investor network, QuSIN. A first meeting was held online in late May. There will be match making event for start-ups and investors on 27 August QSIP Annual Day.

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