QCT Lab

IFAE Research Groups

Quantum Computing Technologies Group

  • Quantum Computing Technologies Group

    Quantum Computation (QC) is arguably the most revolutionary of all new quantum technologies, as it may transform many industrial sectors with a direct impact on society. In the past five years, the field has experienced a huge transformation as it is being adopted and developed by industry after two decades being an almost purely academic endeavor.

    There exist today small-scale prototypes produced by both research groups and large corporations. Those devices are getting powerful enough to provide advantages over conventional computers in specific applications. However, in order to achieve the long-sought “quantum supremacy”, several key developments are still necessary.

    IFAE is fully engaged in this technology since 2019. The particular implementation developed at IFAE, quantum annealing, is one of the most promising avenues by which to achieve an advantage over conventional computers by solving optimization problems which are ubiquitous in society (delivery, traffic, chemistry, etc.).

    The QCT group develops superconducting circuits for applications in quantum computation. By employing Josephson-junction technology, the group engineers superconducting qubits for the implementetion of quantum algorithms. Part of the research is focused on improving the qubit quality by mitigation of environmental noise sources, while at the same time the circuits are used to investigate fundamental physics of quantum optics phenomena.

    QCT Lab
    Refrigerator at the IFAE QCT Lab Credit: IFAE QCT Group
    In 2020, the QCT group achieved the complete construction of its laboratory at the IFAE workshop. The new laboratory was already used to complete the first complete work performed at IFAE, the demonstration of a single qubit as a universal approximant. This new quantum algorithm was deviced by the group led by Prof. J. I. Latorre, currently the director of the Center for Quantum Technologies in Singapore, and was implemented using the single superconducting qubit device that was fabricated by the group of Prof. Martin Weides at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The initial round of measurements had been performed at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) in the lab of Prof. S. O. Valenzuela while the IFAE laboratory was being built. This quantum algorithm uses the qubit properties to approximate the value of any bounded mathematical function after a series of quantum gates applied to the qubit. The experimental demonstration showed full agreement with the simulated values. A preprint was produced in early 2021.
    QCT Lab
    QCT Lab Credit: IFAE QCT Group

    You can find more information on the QCT group at IFAE website

  • Group Members

    Quantum Computing Technologies Group

    Staff Researcher

    • Pol Forn-Díaz

      Pol Forn-Díaz

    • Manel Martinez

      Manel Martinez

    Project Manager Assistant

    • Sara Martínez

      Sara Martínez

    Postdoc Researcher

    • Elia Bertoldo

      Elia Bertoldo

    PhD Student

    • Luca Cozzolino

      Luca Cozzolino

    • David López

      David López

    • Boris Nedyalkov

      Boris Nedyalkov

    • Alba Torras

      Alba Torras

    • Fabian Zwiehoff

      Fabian Zwiehoff

  • Research Projects

    Quantum Computing Technologies Group

    Avaqus

    AVaQus

    Annealing-based VAriational QUantum processorS

    AVaQus is a European project funded in the FET-Open 2019 call to develop a quantum processor that demonstrates coherent quantum annealing and its potential to solve real-life optimization problems.

    QUANTERA Logo

    SiUCs

    Superinductor-based Quantum Technologies with Ultrastrong Couplings

    SiUCS focus on improving the efficiency of qubit operations involving light-matter interactions. In addition, superinductors are used to engineer a missing device of the superconducting quantum circuit toolbox: the microwave single photon detector.

  • Publications

    Quantum Computing Technologies Group

  • Group News

    In the Media

    The QCT lab featured in the TV program 'El cazador de cerebros'

    May 11, 2022

    On Monday 3, May 2022 the TV program “El Cazador de cerebros” broadcasted in La2 of the Spanish National Television. The chapter focused on young students and had the title “Los Cerebros del Futuro”.

    Milestone

    First superconducting flux qubit observed in the QCT lab

    January 12, 2022

    The QCT group at IFAE has observed the existence of the first superconducting flux qubit. This is a milestone for the group.These are the kind of chips that are of interest for quantum computing with quantum annealing, quantum optics and detection.

    Award

    Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech wins the Senén Vilaró award

    December 9, 2021

    Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech receives the Senén Vilaró Prize for the top innovative business.

    Group vist

    The QCT group visits Can Franc

    December 1, 2021

    Members of the QCT group at IFAE visited the Canfranc underground laboratory last week to perform the installation of cryogenic cabling in the dilution refrigerator of the CROSS experiment.

    Lab

    New gas extractor hood installed at IFAE

    July 21, 2021

    New gas extractor hood installed in the IFAE clean room to be able to carry out part of the in-house manufacturing of chips and thus have better control of the results and production of chips.

    In The media

    Qilimanjaro in the Media

    July 6, 2021

    Qilimanjaro Quantum tech is fetaured in 2 online articles this week.