The DiCarlo Lab (QuTech) and OrangeQS kicked off a new joint project to accelerate quantum chip testing by automation and parallelization. The project is called PAC-QC (“Parallel and Automated qubit Characterization for scalable Quantum Chips”) and is funded by Holland High Tech.
The DiCarlo group at QuTech and OrangeQS at OrangeQS’ Lab1 facility for the kick-off of the PAC-QC project.
Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize industries by solving problems beyond the reach of classical computers. However, as quantum chips scale up, slow and resource-intensive testing and characterization are required to not block progress in development.
The DiCarlo Lab at QuTech and OrangeQS kicked off the project “Parallel and Automated qubit Characterization for scalable Quantum Chips” (PAC-QC) in OrangeQS’ Lab 1 facility. The new joint project is supported by the Holland High Tech, the foundation responsible for the Topsector High Tech Systems & Materials in The Netherlands and aims to make testing of qubits and quantum chips faster and more scalable. Automation and parallelization will be the main drivers of the faster characterization methods allowing scalability of quantum chips.
While parallelization is used frequently in classical computing, there are inherent challenges in quantum computing that require significant innovation at the interface between physics research and engineering. The challenges include crosstalk, unwanted entanglement and heating effects. Together, the DiCarlo group at TU Delft and OrangeQS have the right set of skills to solve this task.
A key goal is to develop generalizable parallelization approaches that can be applied across different quantum architectures, ensuring that improvements are not limited to a single system. Initial prototypes for parallelized calibration exist, and the problem space has been partially explored, making this the perfect moment to transition from concept to structured development.
The PAC-QC project builds on the collaboration between OrangeQS and the DiCarlo group in the DiagnostiQ project, funded by Quantum Delta NL (QDNL). This project improved the calibration and characterization of superconducting quantum devices with tunable couplers. The results of the DiagnostiQ project played an enabling role in the release of Tuna-5, an open-architecture quantum computer available via the Quantum Inspire public cloud platform, developed in the QDNL funded HectoQubit/2 project. The Tuna-5 system was built entirely using the Delft quantum technology ecosystem with Qblox providing the control electronics, QuantWare manufacturing quantum chips and OrangeQS delivering a quantum toolkit and operating system. System integration, stress-testing, characterization, and iterative feedback were led by the DiCarlo Lab at QuTech, resulting in several new and refined products with interoperable interfaces.
The results of PAC-QC will support and enable upcoming joint projects of OrangeQS and QuTech aimed at scaling up open-architecture quantum computers. With QDNL preparing for a challenge-based ‘DARPA-inspired’ third phase of funding programs, the ecosystem is laying robust foundations for the development of scaled-up quantum computers in The Netherlands.
The developments in PAC-QC should also benefit OpenSuperQPlus, a European Quantum Flagship project. One of the project goals is to develop a superconducting quantum computer with at least 100 qubits in Delft, to be integrated and hosted at the DiCarlo Lab at the TU Delft, while preparing for a tenfold scaled up qubit architecture by 2029.
