Exploring Quantum Technology

Turning Europe into a quantum industrial powerhouse Europe has been the cradle of quantum mechanics, the revolutionary science born from the genius of Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Erwin Schrödinger, and other visionaries who rewrote the rules of physical reality. On 2 July 2025, in the year marking a centenary since the initial development of quantum mechanics, the Commission has adopted an ambitious European Quantum Strategy, integrating Europe's unique scientific heritage with its vibrant quantum ecosystem of startups, SMEs, large industries, research and technology organisations, academia and research institutes. The mission is clear: turn Europe into a quantum industrial powerhouse that transforms breakthrough science into market-ready applications, while maintaining its scientific leadership. We are imagining a Union where medical scans can detect illnesses at the earliest stages, accelerating from weeks of uncertainty to mere seconds of precise diagnosis; where sensors are able to warn about volcanic activity or water shortages before they happen; and where unprecedented computational power will be available to solve complex problems in logistics, finance and climate modelling. A safer Europe, where our personal data, critical infrastructure, and businesses will always remain private and well-protected; where transport systems are optimised to reduce congestion and prevent accidents; and air travel is guided by quantum-enhanced precision navigation, pinpointing objects' locations down to the centimetre. A greener Europe, where sustainable energy grids can flawlessly manage millions of electric vehicles charging simultaneously overnight. These tangible, transformative technologies are within reach through support from the EU Quantum Strategy. The quantum community has clearly outlined what's needed to achieve this future: · Combine Europe's scientific excellence to bring quantum breakthroughs rapidly to market · Develop advanced quantum supercomputers like the ones we are supporting under the Quantum Flagship and are acquiring under the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking to operate as accelerators next to our leading network of supercomputers · Deploy secure communication networks such as those under EuroQCI, our secure quantum communication infrastructure that will be spanning the whole EU, composed of a terrestrial segment relying on fibre communications networks linking strategic sites at national and cross-border level, and a space segment based on satellites · Support quantum startups and SMEs, enhancing supply chain resilience, and foster supranational innovation clusters · Integrate quantum advancements into strategic capabilities for security and defence, protecting citizens and infrastructure · Educate Europe's workforce through specialised initiatives like the European Quantum Skills Academy Quantum is not one more technology to add to the list; is a high tide that will deeply transform our society and economy.

I updated my Schrödinger equation visuals. This time I included the unbounded inner product Gaussian in the first 2 animations, and used the more familiar localized inner product on the last. To review: The Schrödinger equation is one of the cornerstones of quantum mechanics, describing how the quantum state of a physical system changes over time. Here's a detailed explanation without using any equations: ### **Core Idea:** The Schrödinger equation governs the behavior of quantum systems, much like Newton's laws govern classical mechanics. Instead of predicting exact positions and velocities of particles, it tells us how the *probability amplitude* (a complex-valued function related to the likelihood of finding a particle in a certain state) evolves over time. ### **Key Concepts:** 1. **Wavefunction (ψ):** - In quantum mechanics, particles don’t have definite positions or paths. Instead, their state is described by a *wavefunction*, which contains all the probabilistic information about the system. - The wavefunction doesn’t tell us where a particle *is* but rather where it *might be* and with what probability. 2. **Time Evolution:** - The Schrödinger equation explains how the wavefunction changes with time. It doesn’t determine a single outcome but describes a smooth, deterministic evolution of probabilities. - If you know the wavefunction at one moment, the equation tells you how it will look in the next instant. 3. **Energy and Hamiltonian:** - The equation depends on the *Hamiltonian*, which represents the total energy of the system (kinetic + potential energy). - Different potentials (e.g., an electron in an atom vs. a free particle) lead to different wavefunction behaviors. 4. **Superposition & Quantization:** - The equation naturally leads to *superposition*—where a quantum system can exist in multiple states at once until measured. - For bound systems (like electrons in atoms), it predicts *quantized* energy levels, explaining why electrons occupy discrete orbitals. 5. **Uncertainty & Probabilities:** - The wavefunction’s square magnitude gives the probability density of finding a particle in a certain state. - Unlike classical physics, quantum mechanics is inherently probabilistic, and the Schrödinger equation encodes this randomness. ### **Analogy (Rough but Helpful):** Imagine a ripple spreading on a pond. The shape and motion of the ripple depend on the water’s properties (like depth and obstacles). Similarly, the Schrödinger equation describes how the "quantum ripple" (the wavefunction) evolves based on the system’s energy landscape. ### **Interpretations:** - The equation itself doesn’t explain *why* the wavefunction behaves this way or what it "really" is—that’s the realm of quantum interpretations (e.g., Copenhagen, Many-Worlds). #quantum #quantumphysics #quantummechanics #physics #math #engineering #programming #Schrödinger #science

Quantum Teleportation Achieved Over Internet for the First Time Researchers in the U.S. have successfully teleported a quantum state of light through over 30 kilometers (18 miles) of fiber optic cable while coexisting with regular internet traffic. This achievement marks a monumental step toward integrating quantum communication systems into existing telecommunications infrastructure, paving the way for future quantum internet networks. Key Highlights: • Teleportation Explained: Quantum teleportation involves transferring the quantum state of one particle to another distant particle, effectively replicating its state without physically moving the particle itself. • Overcoming Challenges: The experiment succeeded despite the interference from traditional internet data flowing through the same cables, showcasing an unprecedented level of stability and accuracy in a real-world environment. • Infrastructure Integration: The ability to teleport quantum states using existing fiber optic networks suggests that quantum and classical communication systems can share infrastructure, greatly reducing costs and accelerating deployment timelines. Why This Matters: • Quantum Internet Potential: Quantum networks promise ultra-secure encryption, seamless quantum computer connections, and advanced distributed sensing systems. • Real-World Feasibility: Demonstrating quantum teleportation in active fiber optic networks proves the technology can be scaled and deployed in real-world conditions. • Data Security: Quantum encryption methods, leveraging principles such as quantum key distribution (QKD), could make communications virtually unhackable. Researcher Insights: “This is incredibly exciting because nobody thought it was possible,” said Prem Kumar, a computing engineer at Northwestern University who led the study. “Our work shows a path towards next-generation quantum and classical networks sharing a unified fiber optic infrastructure. Basically, it opens the door to pushing quantum communications to the next level.” Implications for the Future: • Secure Communications: Enhanced encryption and ultra-secure networks could revolutionize cybersecurity. • Quantum Cloud Computing: Seamless connectivity between quantum computers across long distances could unlock unprecedented computational capabilities. • Scalable Deployment: Utilizing existing infrastructure minimizes costs and accelerates integration into global communication networks. While we’re still far from the Star Trek-style teleportation of physical objects, this achievement represents a profound advancement in quantum network engineering, bringing the vision of a global quantum internet significantly closer to reality.

Today, Anthony Chen and I are posting a theory paper tackling a problem that I have been contemplating for a long time. Conventional wisdom suggests that quantum states are very fragile, like Schrodinger’s cat — if you look at the state, you destroy it. This poses a huge problem in using quantum computers for quantum simulation. Suppose you spend 3 hours meticulously preparing the ground state of some material or molecule on my quantum computer. If you measure the state, you get a few bits of information, but you destroy the state. In order to accurately predict physical phenomena, you may need to measure millions of times. In this paper, we show how to measure a ground state without causing any disturbance to the state. We call it “catalytic tomography”, since the quantum state is used but not consumed. How is this possible? The key is to use the parent Hamiltonian, and to apply energy filtering. As a consequence, ground states are not fragile like Schrodinger’s cats, but are robust like a classical memory, and readable like a book! Link to paper ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eBxydfwh

🚨 BOOM - UAE and Qatar's $1.6 billions investments in quantum computing push the world to the future Sh. Zayed dreamed of a futuristic nation, Sh. Mohammed bin Thani imagined an ambitious nation. From their visions, Doha and Abu Dhabi now channel capital into qubits. Where oil once powered the world, quantum and AI will power tomorrow. And..that tomorrow is designed by Quantinuum - world’s largest quantum computing company. Here is how Qatar and UAE built their quantum capabilities. UAE national quantum infrastructure: • Technology Innovation Institute x Quantinuum • TII will use Quantinuum’s high-fidelity systems (Helios) • Expected to set new benchmarks (gate fidelity, qubit connectivity) • Khalifa University - research on hardware, quantum/AI • Mubadala, ADQ - HPC and AI quantum infrastructure • Adds to TII’s diverse quantum ecosystem, such as: - Superconducting chips (developed in-house) - IonQ’s trapped-ion processors - AWS Braket access to QuEra Computing Inc., Rigetti Computing, IQM Quantum Computers Qatar's national quantum infrastructure: • Quantinuum JV with Al Rabban Capital ($1 billion) • Quantum R&D, talent, and regional infrastructure • Training programs to build local talent in the GCC • Backed by Qatar Foundation, QRDI, QatarEnergy • Supported by QC2, QQRH (Dr. Saif Al Kuwari) • Barzan Holdings-HBKU for $10M QC2 Main focus industry areas are: •⁠ ⁠Energy optimization •⁠ ⁠Materials discovery •⁠ ⁠Genomics & precision medicine •⁠ ⁠Quantum finance & cryptography •⁠ ⁠Food security and sustainability Quantinuum's impressive capabilities: • 98 physical qubits (𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞) •⁠ ⁠⁠48 fully error-corrected logical qubits •⁠ ⁠⁠2:1 encoding ratio, thought impossible just years ago)  •⁠ ⁠Gate fidelity - single-qubit 99.9975%; •⁠ ⁠2 qubit across all pairs: 99.921% What makes Quantinuum the best player globally: •⁠ ⁠Quantum volume of >2²³ (𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲) • Its architecture is highly scalable and efficient • Present globally: US, EU and GCC • Integration with NVIDIA GB200 (high-performance apps) Quantinuum just got $850 million funding from Fidelity Investments and GCC investors, reaching a valuation of $10 billion! Doha builds ecosystems, Abu Dhabi fuels innovation. Kudos to Quantinuum leaders 👉 Waseem Shiraz, Rajeeb Hazra, Ilyas Khan

The biggest threat to your data isn’t happening tomorrow. It happened yesterday. If you haven’t heard of HNDL (Harvest Now, Decrypt Later), your long-term data strategy has a massive blind spot. Here is the reality: State actors and cybercriminals are capturing your encrypted data today. They can’t read it yet, so they’re storing it in massive data vaults, waiting for the "Qday"—the moment quantum computers become powerful enough to break current encryption. If your data needs to stay private for 5, 10, or 20 years, it’s already at risk. What’s on the line? ↳ Intellectual Property (IP) and trade secrets. ↳ Government and identity data. ↳ Long-term financial records and contracts. ↳ Sensitive customer health data. How do we solve it? 🛠️ We cannot wait for quantum supremacy to react. The fix starts now: ↳ Inventory: Identify which data has a long shelf-life. ↳ Crypto-Agility: Move toward systems that can swap encryption methods without a total overhaul. ↳ Hybrid PQC: Implement Post-Quantum Cryptography alongside classical methods to ensure traffic captured today remains a mystery tomorrow. The transition to quantum-resistant security is a marathon, not a sprint. Are you tracking HNDL on your current risk register? Let’s discuss in the comments. 👇 P.S. If you want help mapping your exposure or building a PQC migration plan, drop me a message. ♻️ Share this post if it speaks to you, and follow me for more. #QuantumSecurity #PQC

Bank for International Settlements – BIS has published "Quantum-readiness for the financial system: a roadmap" The document counts with well-known experts as co-authors: Raphael Auer, Andras Valko (BIS), Angela Dupont (BIS and Banque de France), Maryam Haghighi, Danica Marsden (Bank of Canada), Sarah McCarthy (University of Waterloo) , Donna F. Dodson, and Nicolas Margaine. It provides a comprehensive overview of the #QuantumSafety topic and how it applies to the financial sector systemically and to financial organizations individually. It is useful and insightful, including the most mature thought leadership. Some highlights on general messages: 👉 Trust in the financial system is fundamentally tied to the trust provided by cryptography. 👉 Implementation challenges require coordinated planning and bring an opportunity to build more resilient infrastuctures. 👉 In line with the Canadian roadmap, it emphasizes implementing robust governance structures. 👉 It recommends the implemantation of crypto-agility, understood as per the definition created by the FS-ISAC PQC WG (https://lnkd.in/dgzW_rn8). On "A systemic roadmap": 👉 The document underlines the need for a coordinated and proactive action plan by central banks, supervisory authorities and financial institutions around the world. 👉 Warns about the risk of dual-speed transitions: "In the absence of coordination, actors that are not adequately protected against the quantum threat could become weak links, impacting the security of the entire financial system." 👉 While not suggesting a timeline, the document calls for global alignment: "During the planning phase participants in the financial system translate the jointly agreed priorities and requirements into a system-level migration timeline and a set of common technical choices". 👉 It also recommends protections against the doom of backwards compatibility: "a cut-off date for phasing out legacy cryptographic protocols needs to be approved by all organisations that use those protocols". 👉 And covers the importance of cross-border alignment: "domestic plans need to be aligned with transition plans in other jurisdictions and in cross-border systems, such as multi-currency payment and settlement infrastructures". On organizations' roadmaps: 👉 Underlines the need to appoint an executive leader responsible for driving the programme. 👉 "Forming a dedicated, cross-functional team is essential in this initial phase. This team should include representatives from technology, legal, human resources, finance, operations and security departments". On responsibilities: 👉 "Central banks, as pivotal entities in the global financial system, are well positioned to support and lead the way to increased resilience. [...] Central banks can promote a proactive, systemic approach and help create the alignment necessary for coordinated action across the global financial system". https://lnkd.in/dU4fS4TX

The CXO’s guide to Quantum Security Customers often tell me that the migration to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) will take them years, and some assets won’t ever be upgraded. While quantum’s long-term threat is clear, security leaders are grappling with the practical, multiyear journey of upgrading potentially thousands of devices, applications and data stores to be quantum-resistant. The “harvest now, decrypt later” threat raises the stakes. Nation-state actors are siphoning and stockpiling encrypted data today, waiting for the arrival of quantum computers to retroactively break it. The implication? Sensitive data may already be in the wrong hands and it’s only a matter of time before it can be put to use. What CXOs need is a clear path forward: Discover - Complete a comprehensive crypto inventory across your environment. You cannot protect what you cannot see. Protect - Achieve post-quantum decryption at scale with NGFW that have crypto-agility built right in, enabling your security as standards evolve.   Accelerate - Leverage segmentation along with emerging new capabilities, like cipher translation, to instantly upgrade legacy devices and applications to secure your data now while your organization upgrades devices and applications.  Read more https://bit.ly/4nVkurw

This image is from an Amazon Braket slide deck that just did the rounds of all the Deep Tech conferences I've been at recently (this one from Eric Kessler). It's more profound than it might seem. As technical leaders, we're constantly evaluating how emerging technologies will reshape our computational strategies. Quantum computing is prominent in these discussions, but clarity on its practical integration is... emerging. It's becoming clear however that the path forward isn't about quantum versus classical, but how quantum and classical work together. This will be a core theme for the year ahead. As someone now on the implementation partner side of this work, and getting the chance to work on specific implementations of quantum-classical hybrid workloads, I think of it this way: Quantum Processing Units (QPUs) are specialised engines capable of tackling calculations that are currently intractable for even the largest supercomputers. That's the "quantum 101" explanation you've heard over and over. However, missing from that usual story, is that they require significant classical infrastructure for: - Control and calibration - Data preparation and readout - Error mitigation and correction frameworks - Executing the parts of algorithms not suited for quantum speedup Therefore, the near-to-medium term future involves integrating QPUs as accelerators within a broader classical computing environment. Much like GPUs accelerate specific AI/graphics tasks alongside CPUs, QPUs are a promising resource to accelerate specific quantum-suited operations within larger applications. What does this mean for technical decision-makers? Focus on Integration: Strategic planning should center on identifying how and where quantum capabilities can be integrated into existing or future HPC workflows, not on replacing them entirely. Identify Target Problems: The key is pinpointing high-value business or research problems where the unique capabilities of quantum computation could provide a substantial advantage. Prepare for Hybrid Architectures: Consider architectures and software platforms designed explicitly to manage these complex hybrid workflows efficiently. PS: Some companies like Quantum Brilliance are focused on this space from the hardware side from the outset, working with Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. On the software side there's the likes of Q-CTRL, Classiq Technologies, Haiqu and Strangeworks all tackling the challenge of managing actual workloads (with different levels of abstraction). Speaking to these teams will give you a good feel for topic and approaches. Get to it. #QuantumComputing #HybridComputing #HPC

Last week #NIST released three post-#quantum #encryption standards. Why is this significant? Put simply, from a practical standpoint: risk management and compliance. First, on risk management: experts now say that quantum computing is less than a decade away. Quantum computers are expected to have the power to search large keyspaces very quickly, which means they will be able to decrypt current encryption. Moreover, it is entirely plausible that encrypted information recorded today is being stored for decryption when quantum computing becomes available. If you speculatively apply quantum-resistant encryption to your data now, you will reduce the risk of an adversary being able to successfully exploit your data when they have access to quantum computing. Second, on compliance: NIST is the governing body for standards in the USA, and many other nations take their encryption standards from NIST, as they do not have resources at the same scale as NIST. You can be certain that NIST-approved post-quantum algorithms will start being mentioned in various compliance checklists, as is the case currently with algorithms such as AES-256 and SHA-256. Note well that these algorithms have #FIPS numbers associated with them - meaning "Federal Information Processing Standard". Briefly, the approved algorithms are: 🔒 ML-KEM, for encrypted key exchange, as FIPS 203 🔒 ML-DSA, for digital signatures, as FIPS 204 🔒 SLH-DSA, for stateless hash-based digital signatures, as FIPS 205 There is a fourth algorithm, FN-DSA, also used for digital signatures, that is expected to be released in the next year.