Quantum component manufacturer Infleqtion is to install a neutral atom quantum computer at the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) in Harwell, UK.
Infleqtion will be the first company to deploy hardware at the NQCC, as part of the centre’s quantum testbed program. Founded in 2007 and with offices in the US, the UK, and Australia, Infleqtion develops and designs instruments and systems for quantum technology applications.
“Our recent installation is part of Infleqtion’s dedication to leading facility logistics in partnership with our colleagues at the NQCC,” said Tim Ballance, President of Infleqtion UK. “Together, we are establishing crucial infrastructure components such as network infrastructure, safety protocols, and security measures.
He added that primary lasers and optical, vacuum, and electronic subsystems – all equipment necessary to support the functionality of the quantum computer – have been included in this installation.
Infleqtion is also working with NQCC researchers and its partners at Oxfordshire County Council, Riverlane, and QinetiQ, using its Superstaq software to apply quantum optimisation to tackle challenges such as traffic management in Oxfordshire.
The company says its “principal goal” is to demonstrate the practical applications of quantum technology on both a regional and national scale, particularly in areas such as national security and defence.
“These system-level prototypes will help the NQCC and its collaborators to understand the unique characteristics of different hardware approaches, establish appropriate metrics for each qubit architecture, and explore the types of applications that benefit most from each technological approach,” said NQCC’s Director, Dr Michael Cuthbert.
“This will directly feed into the NQCC’s ongoing engagement with organisations across academia, industry, and government to develop use cases for early-stage quantum computers and to identify the innovations needed to accelerate the development and adoption of this transformative technology.”
The NQCC is the UK’s national lab for quantum computing, jointly delivered by two research councils within UK Research and Innovation – the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
The centre works with partners across industry, government, and the research community, with its core funding provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the main funding body for engineering and physical sciences research in the UK.
Quantum computing firm Rigetti has previously said it will deliver a QPU to the NQCC. The company aims to develop and deploy a 24-qubit quantum computer based on the Company’s Ankaa-class architecture, to the NQCC’s Harwell Campus.
