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  • Quantum Information Science

Quantum Information Science

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The Quantum Information Science program focuses on the fundamental science behind quantum information and quantum technologies in order to understand how best to harness it, solve important computational problems, and develop new insights into physics and information. The program takes a broad interdisciplinary approach, bringing together physicists, computer scientists, and others working in connected disciplines in order to address the field’s most fundamental challenges.

 

RESEARCH AND SOCIETAL IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

A breakthrough in silicon quantum computing

Through a Catalyst Fund grant bridging quantum hardware communities, Fellows Stephanie Simmons (Simon Fraser University) and Lilian Childress (McGill University) developed a new approach to silicon quantum computing. Introducing point defect colour centres — or altering the regular spacing of atoms within a solid that absorbs light — via ion implantation, makes silicon a competitive candidate for integration into future commercial-scale quantum networks with long-lived quantum memory and computing capabilities. If successful, their collaboration could lead to a research shift at a scale rarely seen in two decades. This platform could not only be used to make a quantum computer but also to make provably secure quantum communication, quantum sensors, and more.

Tailoring the characterization of quantum devices with machine learning

Quantum computers require careful calibration of their components for operation, and accurate device characterization is crucial for producing highfidelity quantum operations and algorithms. Fellows Alexandre Blais (Université de Sherbrooke) and Irfan Siddiqi (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) collaborated to utilize machine learning to characterize the fundamental component of a quantum computer: a qubit. This was done by weakly measuring the qubit and inferring information from the collected state about the qubit’s dynamics. Introducing the basic rules of quantum mechanics into the machine learning model improves the accuracy and efficiency of this characterization task to efficiently extract the most information, thus laying the groundwork for more scalable characterization techniques.

Simulating subatomic particles on a quantum computer

A team of researchers led by CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar Christine Muschik (University of Waterloo) performed the first-ever simulation of baryons — a type of subatomic particle — on a quantum computer. With this result, the group has taken a step toward more complex quantum simulations that will allow scientists to better understand the origins of the Universe and large celestial objects such as neutron stars, learn more about the earliest moments of the Universe, and realize the revolutionary potential of quantum computers. This breakthrough demonstration is an important step toward a new era of understanding our Universe based on quantum simulation.


SELECTED PAPERS

Knill, E., R. Laflamme et G.J. Milburn. "A scheme for efficient quantum computation with linear optics." Nature 409 (2001) : 46-52. ABSTRACT

Negrevergne, C. et al. "Benchmarking quantum control methods on a 12-qubit system." Physical Review Letters, 96 (2006) : 170501 ABSTRACT

L. A. Rozema et al., “Quantum Data Compression of a Qubit Ensemble,” Physical Review Letters 113, 16 (2014). ABSTRACT

J. Zhang et al., “Digital quantum simulation of the statistical mechanics of a frustrated magnet,” Nature Communications 3, 880 (2012). ABSTRACT

Founded In

2002

Renewal Dates

2007, 2012, 2019

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Computer science, including quantum computing and theory of computation
Quantum, condensed matter, mathematical and atomic physics
Optics
Electronic and information engineering
Applied mathematics

Contact

Fiona Cunningham

Fellows & Advisors

Program Directors

Aephraim M. Steinberg

Aephraim M. Steinberg

Program Director

Quantum Information Science
University of Toronto
Canada

Fellows

David Bacon

David Bacon

Associate Fellow

Quantum Information Science
Google
United States
Alexandre Blais

Alexandre Blais

Fellow

Quantum Information Science
Université de Sherbrooke
Canada
Lilian Childress

Lilian Childress

Fellow

Quantum Information Science
McGill University
Canada
Jay Gambetta

Jay Gambetta

Associate Fellow

Quantum Information Science
IBM
United States
David Gosset

David Gosset

Fellow

Quantum Information Science
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
University of Waterloo
Canada
Patrick Hayden

Patrick Hayden

Fellow

Quantum Information Science
Stanford University
United States
Stacey Jeffery

Stacey Jeffery

Fellow

Quantum Information Science
CWI
QuSoft
The Netherlands
Ben Lanyon

Ben Lanyon

Fellow

Quantum Information Science
University of Innsbruck
Austria
Irfan Siddiqi

Irfan Siddiqi

Fellow

Quantum Information Science
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
United States
Stephanie Simmons

Stephanie Simmons

Fellow

Quantum Information Science
Simon Fraser University
Canada
Matthias Troyer

Matthias Troyer

Associate Fellow

Quantum Information Science
Microsoft
United States
Guifré Vidal

Guifré Vidal

Associate Fellow

Quantum Information Science
Google
Canada
Thomas Vidick

Thomas Vidick

Fellow
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2017-2019

Quantum Information Science
California Institute of Technology
United States

Advisors

Dorit Aharonov

Dorit Aharonov

Advisor

Quantum Information Science
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Israel
Gilles Brassard

Gilles Brassard

Advisor

Quantum Information Science
Université de Montréal
Canada
Michel Devoret

Michel Devoret

Advisor

Quantum Information Science
Yale University
United States
Raymond Laflamme

Raymond Laflamme

Advisory Committee Chair

Quantum Information Science
University of Waterloo
Canada
John Preskill

John Preskill

Advisor

Quantum Information Science
California Institute of Technology
United States

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars

Ashok Ajoy

Ashok Ajoy

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2022-2024

Quantum Information Science
University of California Berkeley
United States
Nir Bar-Gill

Nir Bar-Gill

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2016-2018

Quantum Information Science
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Israel
Giulio Chiribella

Giulio Chiribella

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2016-2018

Quantum Information Science
University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Gerhard Kirchmair

Gerhard Kirchmair

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2016-2018

Quantum Information Science
University of Innsbruck
Austria
Peter McMahon

Peter McMahon

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2020-2022

Quantum Information Science
Cornell University
United States
Christine Muschik

Christine Muschik

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2020-2022

Quantum Information Science
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
University of Waterloo
Canada
Alexei Ourjoumtsev

Alexei Ourjoumtsev

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2020-2022

Quantum Information Science
Collège de France
France
Paul Skrzypczyk

Paul Skrzypczyk

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2022-2024

Quantum Information Science
University of Bristol
United Kingdom
Pablo Solano

Pablo Solano

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2022-2024

Quantum Information Science
Universidad de Concepción
Chile
Thomas Vidick

Thomas Vidick

Fellow
CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2017-2019

Quantum Information Science
California Institute of Technology
United States

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Quantum supremacy: Giant leap, or one small step?

October 29, 2019
Quantum Information Science

Award

CIFAR fellows awarded 2019 Micius Quantum Prize

May 08, 2019
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