So much has been happening on the quantum technology front in recent days that it would be unwise to try to cram it all into one wrap-up story… but we’re going to try anyway:
…Pretty easy to choose the biggest news of the week: Honeywell and quantum software provider Cambridge Quantum completed a deal involving the Honeywell Quantum Solutions unit being spun off and merged with Cambridge Quantum into a new venture called Quantinuum. The deal was announced about six months ago, and did its part to fuel excitement around quantum-related funding, IPOs and acquisitions. Honeywell sends Quantinuum off into the world with up to $300 million in pocket money, so we’ll see what comes next…
…Speaking of funding, Q-CTRL, which is focused on quantum computing control and software solutions, announced $25 million in new funding from Airbus Ventures and other investors. Airbus’ interest should come as no surprise, as aerospace and defense present some near-term market opportunities for quantum computing applications…
...We should probably start getting used to new discoveries like this: A team of Harvard-led researchers said they discovered a new kind of matter called quantum spin liquids, which apparently have nothing to do with liquid as we know it, but are a form of magnet matter with spinning electrons that, when frozen, becomes a “fluctuating” solid. Where is this all leading? Potentially to more robust qubits…
…Like we said, get used to it: Google AI this week discussed a recent experiment involving time crystals. Despite sounding like something comic book characters might use to traverse the multi-verse, a time crystal has layers of atoms in an oscillating pattern “formed in time.” Google used its Sycamore quantum processor to establish that these time crystals are possible to observe.
“Observing a time crystal shows how quantum processors can be used to study novel physical phenomena that have puzzled scientists for years,” a blog post stated. “Moving from theory to actual observation is a critical leap and is the foundation for any scientific discovery. Research like this opens the door to many more experiments, not only in physics, but hopefully inspiring future quantum applications in many other fields...”
...Finland officially has joined the quantum computing space race. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and quantum computing start-up IQM this week announced that the country’s first operational 5-qubit quantum computer is up and running…
…IBM CEO Arvind Krishna this week urged India to play a larger role in the international quantum computing sector…
Watch for our weekly quantum update reports on future Friday afternoons...