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A group of scientists at the U.S. Department of Energys Ames Laboratory has developed computational quantum algorithms that are capable of efficient and highly accurate simulations of static and dynamic properties of quantum systems. The algorithms are valuable tools to gain greater insight into the physics and chemistry of complex materials, and they are specifically designed to work on existing and near-future quantum computers.

Scientist Yong-Xin Yao and his research partners at Ames Lab use the power of advanced computers to speed discovery in condensed matter physics, modeling incredibly complex quantum mechanics and how they change over ultra-fast timescales. Current high performance computers can model the properties of very simple, small quantum systems, but larger or more complex systems rapidly expand the number of calculations a computer must perform to arrive at an accurate model, slowing the pace not only of computation, but also discovery.

This is a real challenge given the current early-stage of existing quantum computing capabilities, said Yao, but it is also a very promising opportunity, since these calculations overwhelm classical computer systems, or take far too long to provide timely answers.

The new algorithms tap into the capabilities of existing quantum computer capabilities by adaptively generating and then tailoring the number and variety of educated guesses the computer needs to make in order to accurately describe the lowest-energy state and evolving quantum mechanics of a system. The algorithms are scalable, making them able to model even larger systems accurately with existing current noisy (fragile and prone to error) quantum computers, and their near-future iterations.

Accurately modeling spin and molecular systems is only the first part of the goal, said Yao, In application, we see this being used to solve complex materials science problems. With the capabilities of these two algorithms, we can guide experimentalists in their efforts to control materials properties like magnetism, superconductivity, chemical reactions, and photo-energy conversion.

Our long-term goal is to reach quantum advantage for materials to utilize quantum computing to achieve capabilities that cannot be achieved on any supercomputer today, said Ames Laboratory Scientist Peter Orth.

This topic is further discussed in two papers: (1)Adaptive Variational Quantum Dynamics Simulation, authored by Y.-X. Yao, N. Gomes, F. Zhang, C.-Z. Wang, K.-M. Ho, T. Iadecola, and P. P. Orth; and published in PRX Quantum; (2) Adaptive Variational Quantum Imaginary Time Evolution Approach for Ground State Preparation, authored by N. Gomes, A. Mukherjee, F. Zhang, T. Iadecola, C.-Z. Wang, K.-M. Ho, P. P. Orth, Y.-X. Yao; accepted in Advanced Quantum Technologies.

Ames Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science National Laboratory operated by Iowa State University. Ames Laboratory creates innovative materials, technologies and energy solutions. We use our expertise, unique capabilities and interdisciplinary collaborations to solve global problems.

Ames Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

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Innovative New Algorithms Advance the Computing Power of Early-Stage Quantum Computers - SciTechDaily

PayPal head of emerging technology research, Hubert Le Van Gong.

PayPal

PayPal is looking to get in on the ground floor of a cutting-edge technology that could change the way the payments giant catches fraud and measures the creditworthiness of its customers.

Whether it's Goldman Sachs looking to speed up how it prices derivatives, or JPMorgan using quantum computing to test an algorithm that predicts options prices, top financial firms are exploring how and where the tech can be deployed.

Quantum computing, unlike traditional computing, uses a branch physics that runs on quantum bits rather than 1s and 0s. Because of this, quantum computing is helpful when executing large, complex calculations, like those in risk analytics or algorithmic trading.

The firm partnered with IBM in October 2020 to figure out how to use quantum computing to improve fraud detection, credit-risk operations, and overall security posture.

Early research shows quantum computing can be better than traditional computers in sweeping through large data sets and discovering patterns in data that can be indicative of fraudulent behavior or identifying credit-worthy individuals, Hubert Le Van Gong, PayPal's head of emerging technology research, told Insider.

Applying quantum computing to existing machine-learning capabilities could mean PayPal would improve its ability to detect fraud and save costs during the modelling process.

But it's a long-term play many of the benefits are theoretical and have yet to be proven.

"I wouldn't say this technology is going to detect fraud in a meaningful way anytime soon," Jay Gambetta, an IBM fellow and vice president of IBM Quantum, told Insider. "It's still very research-based," he added.

And even with "pretty aggressive" timelines in regards to quantum hardware and software, the technology won't be ready to implement until 2023, Gambetta added.

Even at such an early stage, it's a play the payments giant is ready to take on.

"It's not a matter of if, it's more a matter of when this is going to happen," Le Van Gong said. "The companies that are just sitting back and looking at it, waiting for it to become ready are going to miss out."

PayPal sifts through big, constantly changing data sets to detect fraudulent activity and make decisions around credit worthiness. However the data sets are large and can have millions of samples and up to 10,000 different properties like IP address, device type, or location, Le Van Gong said.

To cut down the number of properties and shave off computational costs of modelling, PayPal currently uses a method called "feature selection," Le Van Gong said. The process uses machine learning to pinpoint which properties are most useful in flagging fraudulent behaviors.

But even with feature selection, it's still an extremely complex, expensive, and time-intensive task to do with classic computers, he said.

"The scale at which PayPal operates in terms of machine learning is such that even classical computers, and the best computers you can find today, are going to be limited," Le Van Gong said. Quantum computers hold the promise of scaling beyond traditional computers when it comes to the number of data features and the size of the datasets, he added.

In addition to scale, quantum computers could help PayPal improve its prediction of important features and do so at a reduced cost compared with traditional computers, Le Van Gong said.

PayPal, which has been researching quantum computing for the past few years, is still in the learning stage of how the technology works and can integrate with classical computers.

The initiative is led by Le Van Gong's emerging technology research team, established in 2021, that explores the use of advanced technologies like cryptography and distributed-ledger security.

"It's still early in the process and it's very much humbling work," he added.

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PayPal is experimenting with quantum computing to supercharge how it analyzes fraud and risk. An exec takes us inside the payment giant's playbook for...

The University of Michigan has formed a collaboration with Michigan State University and Purdue University to study quantum science and technology, drawing together expertise and resources to advance the field.

The three universities are partnering to form the Midwest Quantum Collaboratory, or MQC, to find grand new challenges we can work on jointly, based on the increased breadth and diversity of scientists in the collaboration, said Mack Kira, professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Michigan Engineering and inaugural director of the collaboration.

U-M researchers call quantum effects the DNA of so many phenomena people encounter in their everyday lives, ranging from electronics to chemical reactions to the study of light wavesand everything they collectively produce.

We scientists are now in a position to start combining these quantum building blocks to quantum applications that have never existed, said Kira, also a professor of physics at U-Ms College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. It is absolutely clear that any such breakthrough will happen only through a broad, diverse and interdisciplinary research effort. MQC has been formed also to build scientific diversity and critical mass needed to address the next steps in quantum science and technology.

Collaborators at U-M include Steven Cundiff, professor of physics and of electrical engineering and computer science. Cundiffs research group uses ultrafast optics to study semiconductors, semiconductor nanostructures and atomic vapors.

The main goal of the MQC is to create synergy between the research programs at these three universities, to foster interactions and collaborations between researchers in quantum science, he said.

Each university will bring unique expertise in quantum science to the collaboration. Researchers at U-M will lead research about the quantum efforts of complex quantum systems, such as photonics, or the study of light, in different semiconductors. This kind of study could inform how to make semiconductor-based computing, lighting, radar or communications millions of times faster and billions of times more energy efficient, Kira says.

Similar breakthrough potential resides in developing algorithms, chemical reactions, solar-power, magnetism, conductivity or atomic metrology to run on emergent quantum phenomena, he said.

The MQC will be a virtual institute, with in-person activities such as seminars and workshops split equally between the three universities, according to Cundiff. In the first year, MQC will launch a seminar series, virtual mini-workshops focused on specific research topics, and will hold a larger in-person workshop. The collaboration hopes fostering connections between scientists will lead to new capabilities, positioning the MQC to be competitive for large center-level funding opportunities.

We know collaboration is key to driving innovation, especially for quantum, said David Stewart, managing director of the Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute. The MQC will not only provide students with scientific training, but also develop their interpersonal skills so they will be ready to contribute to a currently shorthanded quantum workforce.

The MQC will also promote development of the quantum workforce by starting a seminar series and/or journal club for only students and postdocs, and encouraging research interaction across the three universities.

MQC also provides companies with interest in quantum computing with great opportunities for collaboration with faculty and students across broad spectrums of quantum computing with the collaborative expertise spanning the three institutions, said Angela Wilson, director of the MSU Center for Quantum Computing, Science and Engineering.

Additionally, bringing together three of our nations largest universities and three of the largest quantum computing efforts provides potential employers with a great source of interns and potential employees encompassing a broad range of quantum computing.

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U-M forms collaboration to advance quantum science and technology - University of Michigan News

In the first part of thisweek's technology segment on RNZ's Nine to Noon show Italk with Kathryn Ryan about some of the big trends in techthis year, starting with plugging gaps in broadbandcoverage, the work done by the RuralConnectivity Group and extending the 5Gnetwork.

By March 2022 willreach 87 percent of NZ.

As we get towards the endof the build the rate of filling in those gaps drops.Well see why later.

The RuralConnectivity Group built close to 300 mobiletowers. A lot of the work was done while the country was inlockdown.

The last announcement was in Septemberwhen it reached 272 towers.

Bigtech companies are making moves to head off regulatoryaction after all what do you think Facebook changing itsname to Meta was really about?

They think there will be soon bebreakthroughs in quantum computing that will let them readall that top secret material.

"Tech consultancyBooz Allen Hamilton has warned that China will soon plan thetheft of high value data, so it can decrypt it once quantumcomputers break classicalencryption.

If youre on this call youre partof the unlucky group being laid off, said Vishal Garg,chief executive of mortgage firm Better.com, on the call,later uploaded to social media.

The year we filled in the telecommunicationsgaps was first posted atbillbennett.co.nz.

Scoop Media

New Zealand technology news

Bill Bennett publishes technology news and features that are directly relevant to New Zealand readers.

Covering enterprise and small business computing, start-ups, listed companies, the technology channel and devices. Bennett's main focus is on New Zealand innovation.

Bill Bennett stories are republished on Geekzone and Scoop.

Stories published on this site are available to publishers for a fixed fee or a monthly subscription.

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The year we filled in the telecommunications gaps | Scoop News - Scoop

2021 will be remembered for a lot of things, but when its all said and done we think itll eventually get called the year quantum computing finally came into focus.

Thats not to say useful quantum computers have actually arrived yet. Theyre still somewhere between a couple years and a couple centuries away. Sorry for being so vague, but when youre dealing with quantum physics there arent yet many guarantees.

This is because physics is an incredibly complex and challenging field of study. And the difficulty gets cranked up exponentially when you start adding theoretical and quantum to the research.

Were talking about physics at the very edge of reason. Like, for example, imagining a quantum-powered artificial intelligence capable of taking on the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.

That might sound pretty wacky, but this story explains why its not quite as out there as you might think.

But lets go even further. Lets go past the edge of reason and into the realm of the speculative science. Earlier this year we wondered what would happen if physicists could actually prove that reality as we know it isnt real.

Per that article:

Theoretically, if we could zoom in past the muons and leptons and keep going deeper and deeper, we could reach a point where all objects in the universe are indistinguishable from each other because, at the quantum level, everything that exists is just a sea of nearly-identical subparticulate entities.

This version of reality would render the concepts of space and time pointless. Time would only exist as a construct by which we give meaning to our own observations. And those observations would merely be the classical side-effects of existing in a quantum universe.

So, in the grand scheme of things, its possible that our reality is little more than a fleeting, purposeless arrangement of molecules. Everything that encompasses our entire universe may be nothing more than a brief hallucination caused by a quantum vibration.

Nothing makes you feel special like trying to conceive of yourself as a few seasoning particles in an infinite soup of gooey submolecules.

If having an existential quantum identity-crisis isnt your thing, we also covered a lot of cool stuff that doesnt require you to stop seeing yourself as an individual stack of materials.

Does anyone remember the time China said it had built a quantum computer a million times more powerful than Googles? We dont believe it. But thats the claim the researchersmade. You can read more about that here.

Oh, and that Google quantum system the Chinese researchers referenced? Yeah, it turns out it wasnt exactly the massive upgrade over classical supercomputers it was chalked up to be either.

But, of course, we forgive Google for its marketing faux pas. And thats because, hands down, the biggest story of the year for quantum computers was the time crystal breakthrough.

As we wrote at the time:

If Googles actually created time-crystals, it could accelerate the timeline for quantum computing breakthroughs from maybe never to maybe within a few decades.

At the far-fetched, super-optimistic end of things we could see the creation of a working warp drive in our lifetimes. Imagine taking a trip to Mars or the edge of our solar system, and being back home on Earth in time to catch the evening news.

And, even on the conservative end with more realistic expectations, its not hard to imagine quantum computing-based chemical and drug discovery leading to universally-effective cancer treatments.

Talk about a eureka moment!

But there were even bigger things in the world of quantum physics than just advancing computer technology.

Scientists from the University of Sussex determined that black holes emanate a specific kind of quantum pressure that could lend some credence to multiple universe theories.

Basically, we cant explain where the pressure comes from. Could this be blow back from white holes swallowing up energy and matter in a dark, doppelganger universe that exists parallel to our own? Nobody knows! You can read more here though.

Still there were even bigger philosophical questions in play over the course of 2021 when it came to interpreting physics research.

Are we incapable of finding evidence for God because were actually gods in our rights? That might sound like philosophy, but there are some pretty radical physics interpretations behind that assertion.

And, if we are gods, can we stop time? Turns out, whether were just squishy mortal meatbags or actual deities, we actually can!

Alright. If none of those stories impress you, weve saved this one for last. If being a god, inventing time crystals, or even stopping time doesnt float your boat, how about immortality? And not just regular boring immortality, butquantum immortality.

Its probably not probable, and adding the word quantum to something doesnt necessarily make it cooler, but anythings possible in an infinite universe. Plus, the underlying theories involving massive-scale entanglement are incredible read more here.

Seldom a day goes by where something incredible isnt happening in the world of physics research. But thats nothing compared to the magic weve yet to uncover out there in this fabulous universe we live in.

Luckily for you, Neural will be back in 2022 to help make sense of it all. Stick with us for the most compelling, wild, and deep reporting on the quantum world this side of the non-fiction realm.

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Neural's best quantum computing and physics stories from 2021 - The Next Web