New frontier of Quantum Computing

A broad effort is currently underway to develop quantum computers that can outperform classical counterparts for certain computational, simulation or sensing tasks. The practical realization of such systems and exploration of their potential capabilities and limitations are central themes in the new field of quantum science and engineering. A central challenge in quantum computing is error suppression, which requires quantum error correction for large-scale processing. However, the overhead involved in creating error-corrected "logical" qubits-where information is redundantly encoded across multiple physical qubits-presents a significant obstacle to scalable quantum computing. In this talk, we will discuss recent advances in the programmable, coherent manipulation of quantum systems using neutral atom arrays excited into Rydberg states. These advances allow control over several hundred qubits and the exploration of quantum algorithms with encoded logical qubits and quantum error correction techniques. Enabled by the remarkable interdisciplinary effort, involving academia and industry, these advances have redefined the frontier of quantum computing and quantum information. They herald the advent of early error-corrected quantum computation, paving the way for new applications and inspiring a shift in addressing both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Several examples of emerging applications, ranging from quantum many-body physics to quantum computing enhanced imaging will be discussed.

Speaker: Mikhail Lukin, Harvard University