Circuit QED Quantum Science

Focus
Quantum computing, Quantum simulations, Superconducting circuits, Circuit quantum electrodynamics, Transmons and Quantum optics

Group Leader
A. Prof. Nathan Langford

Quantum computers are coming. We no longer need to ask if they can be built in principle, we can ask when and how they will be built in practice.

One of the most exciting applications of quantum computing is called quantum simulations. The basic idea is that quantum systems are “exponentially difficult” to model on classical computers, but they can in principle be modelled efficiently using a quantum simulator. Exponentially difficult means that there are important problems that would take longer than the lifetime of the universe to solve on the world’s largest supercomputers.

Our research is focused around building small-scale quantum simulators from superconducting circuits (or circuit QED), which is one of the most promising candidates for quantum computing. We are trying to understand how to run quantum simulations most efficiently on a quantum computer. We want to learn how to squeeze as much power out of the quantum computers we have, so that we can solve more complicated problems sooner. With the techniques we develop, we aim to help shorten the timeline to when industrial quantum computers will be able to solve the first commercially relevant problems. Current research projects include studying advanced quantum programming techniques for making our quantum simulations more powerful.

Other research interests include studying quantum phase transitions, using Josephson junctions to mediate novel, higher-order multibody interactions (e.g., for microwave frequency conversion), and optimal and adaptive methods for characterising quantum states and processes.