Expertise in Quantum Computing
The University of Edinburgh together with the University of Glasgow and University of Strathclyde host the Quantum Computing Applications (QCA) cluster and is home to a wide range of expertise in quantum computing. QCA develops quantum hardware and software solutions driven by end-user applications. Capabilities are further outlined below.
Hardware
Broadly, there is a lot of regional strength across all areas of quantum technologies, with the Universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow the only two universities in all four quantum technologies hubs of the national quantum technologies programme. This includes the major hardware platforms of Neutral Atoms, Superconducting qubits, and Silicon qubits.
Neutral atoms: The University of Strathclyde is the leading UK department in quantum computing and simulation with neutral atoms, developing cold atoms in optical lattices, and tweezer arrays in collaboration with industry. Neutral atom quantum computing offers the potential to rapidly scale up the number of qubits and thereby tackle a larger range of “real world problems” earlier.
Superconducting Circuits: The University of Glasgow hosts a strong programme in developing cryogenic hardware for quantum computing, including superconducting detectors and circuits that form the basis of quantum computers being developed also by IBM and Google. We have unique access to the leading James Watt Nanofabrication Centre (JWNC) with an established commercial unit, Kelvin Nanotechnology to provide components for quantum computing.
Other developing platforms and technologies: We have ongoing work in spin qubits (Strathclyde), and hybrid superconducting-semiconductor qubits (Glasgow). More broadly, there is a lot of regional strength across all four areas of quantum technologies, with the Universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow the only two universities in all four quantum technologies hubs.
Software
Our software capabilities are spread between The University of Edinburgh Quantum Informatics Group, which is the largest of its kind in the UK, and the University of Strathclyde, which specialises in specific connections to near-term hardware and scientific computing. They cover software applications as well as the full underpinning software stack for quantum computing.
Software applications: We work on software applications including
- Quantum simulation, with applications to materials science and quantum chemistry
- Variational quantum algorithms and optimisation tasks
- Quantum Machine Learning
- Quantum Cyber Security, including post-quantum security and quantum cryptanalysis
Software stack: We develop the full underpinning software stack for quantum computing, including:
- Quantum Programming Languages and circuit compilation
- Benchmarking, testing and verification of quantum technologies
- Quantum Systems/Architectures and the quantum internet
- Emulation of quantum hardware for algorithm design and testing
Applications
Applications of quantum computing include large scale optimisations, problems not easily solved on traditional HPC, models/simulations etc. that already run on classical computing but are slow/costly, and problems which we believe to be intractable (as in are not believed to be possible to solve). Our joint capabilities include key high performance computing challenges as well as sector specific applications.
High Performance computing and connections to end-user applications: A key distinguishing characteristic of our cluster is the involvement of the Edinburgh Performance Computing Centre (EPCC), an international centre for excellence in HPC, and host of world-class systems (including the national supercomputer, Archer2). They bring the opportunity for joined-up connections with HPC hardware, as well as connections to end users and an understanding of key computational challenges in industry.