AZoQuantum speaks to Yuval Boger at QuEra about the exciting advancements in neutral-atom quantum computing and how QuEra is pushing the boundaries of scalable quantum systems. Yuval shares insights into the company’s unique approach and the future potential of this rapidly evolving technology.
Can you give us an overview of how this approach differs from other quantum computing paradigms, such as superconducting or trapped-ion qubits?
Neutral-atom quantum computing employs individual atoms as qubits, arranging them with laser-based “optical tweezers” and leveraging the atoms’ inherent properties for both storage and processing of quantum information. This approach differs from other paradigms in several key ways:
Interaction on Demand
One major advantage is the ability to bring qubits closer or move them apart as needed. When two atoms are brought into proximity, they can interact with each other. Being able to spatially rearrange qubits on-the-fly is extremely beneficial for implementing more efficient algorithms and new error correction codes.
Perfectly Identical Qubits
Unlike superconducting circuits, which require delicate nanofabrication and can exhibit qubit-to-qubit variability, every neutral atom is identical by nature. This uniformity simplifies calibration and helps maintain consistent performance across all qubits, reducing one of the key sources of error in large-scale quantum systems.
Room-Temperature Operation
Neutral-atom platforms operate at or near room temperature, confined by laser fields within a vacuum chamber. In contrast, superconducting qubits require deep cryogenic cooling and complex infrastructure. This more relaxed thermal requirement makes neutral-atom systems potentially simpler to house and maintain, including in high-performance computing (HPC) environments that often have space and power constraints.
Scalability and Reconfigurability
With neutral-atom arrays, scaling up is mainly a matter of adding more atoms to the trap arrays—no new fabrication runs or specialized chip designs are necessary. Because of this, it’s possible to move toward larger numbers of qubits at relatively low incremental cost and effort. Additionally, the layout of atoms can be reshaped in real time, making it feasible to experiment with different topologies or problem mappings without major hardware overhauls.
While trapped-ion systems have also demonstrated high-fidelity quantum operations, neutral-atom platforms excel in scalability and reconfigurability. With neutral atoms, it’s straightforward to add more qubits or alter their arrangement for different applications—something significantly more complex in a trapped-ion setup where ions are typically arranged in a linear chain or must be shuttled between multiple zones. Indeed, existing neutral atom systems such as QuEra’s 256-qubits include many more qubits than any available trapped ion system.
Overall, neutral-atom technology brings together high scalability, strong controllable interactions, inherent qubit uniformity, and the convenience of near-room-temperature operation. Indeed, given the scientific developments of recent years, many experts believe that neutral atoms moved from being a “dark horse” to becoming a “work horse”, the leading quantum modality.
Image Credit: QuEra
What recent advancements has QuEra made in increasing qubit counts and improving coherence times, and how close are we to large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computation?
Over the last few years, QuEra has made consistent strides in building larger arrays of neutral-atom qubits while preserving—and in many cases, improving—their coherence times. Through advancements in laser systems, vacuum technology, and control electronics, QuEra has been able to extend the time during which qubits remain stable and reduce error rates. Additionally, ongoing improvements in system design and calibration techniques continue to push coherence times higher, enabling more complex algorithms to run reliably.
In addition to scaling our qubit arrays, we’re also seeing significant global adoption. Notably, we recently delivered a neutral-atom quantum system to the National Institute of Science and Technology in Japan, underscoring the international traction our platform has gained.
Despite these milestones, the journey to large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computation is an ongoing endeavor. Achieving fault tolerance will require further breakthroughs, including perfecting advanced error-correction schemes that can handle more qubits and gate operations with extremely low error rates. QuEra’s roadmap, like those of other quantum hardware developers, looks toward integrating hardware, software, and algorithmic optimizations in tandem. While it may still take a few more years of research and development to reach fully fault-tolerant machines, the progress so far signals that neutral-atom platforms are particularly well suited for moving up the scale—from today’s hundreds of qubits to the thousands or millions needed to tackle the most challenging real-world quantum problems.
Error correction and noise reduction remain major challenges in quantum computing. How is can we tackle these issues, and what innovations in error mitigation are you particularly excited about?
Error correction and noise reduction are at the forefront of quantum computing research, and neutral-atom platforms offer unique ways to approach these challenges. Broadly, we tackle them by improving hardware components to reduce noise, implementing advanced error-correcting codes, and exploiting the flexibility of atomic arrays to shuttle and rearrange qubits when needed. In addition to these foundational efforts, three recent developments underscore the rapid progress being made:
48 Logical Qubit Experiment (December 2023)
This Harvard-led milestone experiment demonstrated a sizable logical qubit array on a neutral-atom platform, effectively pushing error-corrected quantum operations into a regime well beyond small-scale prototypes. Creating and operating 48 logical qubits in such a controlled environment highlights both the scalability of neutral-atom systems and the viability of sophisticated error-correcting strategies at this scale. It offers a crucial proof of concept that neutral-atom architectures can incorporate complex error protection for larger numbers of qubits.
Magic State Distillation Work
Magic state distillation is a pivotal technique for achieving universal fault-tolerant quantum computation because it enables the generation of non-Clifford states, which are essential for implementing a fully universal gate set. By showing how magic state distillation can be efficiently executed on neutral-atom devices, this QuEra-led research team has taken a significant step toward using error correction in universal quantum circuits.
AI Decoding of Quantum Error Correction
A recent collaboration between QuEra and NVIDIA is focused on exploring AI-based decoders for quantum error correction, leveraging NVIDIA’s high-performance computing expertise and GPU-based architectures. By applying machine learning techniques to decode quantum error syndromes more efficiently, this partnership aims to accelerate the development of robust fault-tolerant quantum systems.
Together, these breakthroughs illustrate how neutral-atom systems are moving beyond proof-of-principle demonstrations.
One of the unique features of your platform is its ability to reconfigure qubit arrangements dynamically. How does this reconfigurability impact quantum algorithm development, and what kinds of problems does it make more accessible to solve?
Reconfigurability and dynamic qubit shuttling is a game-changer for quantum algorithm development because it allows us to physically rearrange atoms to create more efficient algorithms relative to systems that are constrained by a static hardware layout. Researchers and developers can “dial in” the structure best suited for each step of the problem at hand. This flexibility can significantly shorten circuit depth and reduce overhead in quantum operations, making computations more efficient overall.
In the realm of error correction, reconfigurability also enables the implementation of advanced schemes—such as Quantum Low-Density Parity-Check (QLDPC) codes—that may not be feasible on static architectures with fixed qubit layouts. Because neutral-atom arrays can be rearranged dynamically, it becomes easier to establish and maintain the intricate connectivity patterns that these codes often demand. It can also support parallel operations on multiple qubits at once.
If quantum algorithms become shorter and error correction codes become more efficient, quantum computers with dynamic reconfiguration are likely to be suitable to real-life problems sooner than those with static configuration.
QuEra recently made its quantum computing platform available via the cloud. What does this mean for researchers and businesses looking to experiment with or develop quantum algorithms? Have you seen any interesting use cases emerge from early adopters?
QuEra’s integration into the cloud—most notably through Amazon Braket since November 2022—opened the door for researchers and businesses worldwide to experiment with and develop quantum algorithms at will and in a very cost-effective manner. To date, it remains the only publicly-accessible neutral atom platform in the world. By offering on-demand access to 256 neutral-atom qubits, users gain the flexibility to explore various applications, from optimization and machine learning to chemistry simulations, with minimal setup and immediate scalability.
In practice, this cloud accessibility has attracted hundreds of companies and research groups eager to leverage neutral-atom quantum computing. Notable examples include BMW, JPMorgan, Merck, and Deloitte, all of which have actively probed new frontiers in optimization, finance, drug discovery, and strategic use cases. Researchers have also taken advantage of the platform to test out algorithms, explore physical phenomena and generate exciting scientific discoveries. Early adopters are already illustrating the immediate value of near-term access.
What role do you envision for neutral-atom quantum processors in real-world applications?
Neutral-atom quantum processors will excel at simulating the quantum behaviour of atoms and molecules, making them ideal for applications like drug discovery, materials design, battery optimisation and cleaner industrial processes. Beyond physics and chemistry, these systems are also well suited to optimisation problems, AI and financial modelling, where quantum advantages could lead to significant speedups.
Image Credit: QuEra
What are the next major milestones for the industry, both in terms of hardware advancements and software development?
Progress hinges on advancing both hardware scale and software usability. Key milestones include:
- Building larger, error-corrected systems with better logical qubits
- Refining quantum algorithms to solve real-world problems
- Integrating quantum with classical HPC systems for hybrid computing
- Growing the quantum talent pipeline through education and accessibility
QuEra’s roadmap is strongly aligned with these goals.
As quantum computing continues to evolve, what do you think will be the defining breakthroughs in the field over the next five to ten years?
From a business perspective, the value of quantum computing lies in its ability to tackle problems that are either beyond the reach of today’s classical computers or so resource-intensive that solving them classically becomes prohibitively expensive. In some instances, quantum processors could deliver answers more quickly, or with significantly lower energy consumption, leading to cost savings and more sustainable computational strategies. Among the industries most likely to see breakthroughs first, chemistry and materials science stand out. Within the next three to five years, we may see quantum algorithms that expedite the discovery of new catalysts, streamline drug development, or enable the design of advanced materials with highly tailored properties.
Neutral-atom platforms are particularly well suited to a wide range of algorithmic approaches and computational challenges. QuEra stands at the forefront of both the scientific and commercial development of neutral-atom quantum technology, actively driving the field with larger qubit counts, improved error correction, and novel algorithms. As a result, neutral-atom processors—and QuEra’s systems, specifically—are poised to play a central role in delivering real-world breakthroughs.
About the Speaker
Yuval Boger is the chief commercial officer of QuEra, the leader in neutral atom quantum computers. In his career, he has served as CEO and CMO of frontier-tech companies in markets including quantum computing software, wireless power, and virtual reality. His Superposition Guy’s Podcast hosts CEOs and other thought leaders in quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communications to discuss business and technical aspects that impact the quantum ecosystem.
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