New Options Beyond Building Quantum Computers! NCKU Utilizes Amazon Braket to Launch Research Efforts and Explore Various Quantum Hardware Architectures

---

---

In parallel with AI and IoT, quantum technology stands as one of the three engines driving humanity’s Fourth Industrial Revolution. With the potential to reshape our daily lives, quantum technology and its applications have not only garnered worldwide attention but also become a focal point in the development strategies of advanced nations. Supported by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) of Taiwan, the Center for Quantum Frontiers of Research and Technology (QFort) at National Cheng-Kung University (NCKU) has chosen Amazon Braket from Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its primary computing platform. Amazon Braket is a unique quantum cloud service platform that can bolster QFort’s integrated research on quantum theory, materials, components, and computing equipment.

Adapting to Future Landscape of Quantum Research, QFort Focuses on Quantum Theory, Components, and Materials

Chen Yueh-Nan, a professor from the Department of Physics at NCKU and a researcher at QFort, said NCKU had started research on quantum technology nearly 20 years ago, establishing a center for quantum information science in November 2003. Since then, NCKU has been recruiting researchers from a diverse range of quantum-related fields and building up research capability. Presently, the members of QFort possess various expertise, but they mainly concentrate their efforts on three research domains: “quantum theory,” “quantum components and computers,” and “quantum materials.”

International collaboration is crucial for the sustained advancement of quantum technology research. Considering the long-term exploration of emerging quantum technology, interdisciplinary international collaboration is necessary. NCKU’s quantum physics team cultivates partnerships with esteemed institutes such as Japan’s Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN). The team also leads cooperative initiatives, including projects that connect Taiwan and the U.S. in the realm of superconducting qubits, as well as collaborations bridging Taiwan and the EU in quantum communication. Through the consolidation of resources and the harmonization of individual strengths, there exists the potential to enhance both the quality and quantity of research outcomes.

The development of applications related to quantum computation and communications must rest on a solid theoretical foundation. The quantum physics team at NCKU has specifically focused its attention on “quantum correlations,” which constitute a defining factor that distinguishes quantum computers from conventional computers. Their research pursuits also encompass open quantum systems and fundamental quantum principles. In the domain of quantum components, the team has pioneered the creation of the world’s first all-electric, all-semiconductor spin field-effect transistor, thereby introducing a new form of interferometer or design concept for quantum electronics. Furthermore, the team’s research on quantum materials encompasses monolayer graphene, topological materials, complex oxides, and van der Waals materials. Notable achievements in this area include the first theoretical prediction for a topological semimetal and the first gate-free monolayer WSe2 pn diode.

Amazon Braket Quantum Cloud Service: Introducing an Alternative to Building Quantum Computers

Presently, there is a diverse range of hardware architectures for achieving quantum computation. The mainstream technologies in the market are superconducting circuits and ion traps. The less mainstream technologies include quantum dots, photons, and topological qubits. The research being conducted in Taiwan primarily focuses on superconducting circuits and photonic qubits. According to Chen, empirical testing has shown that ion trap qubits perform exceptionally well in areas such as noise reduction, verification of quantum correlations, and the execution of simple algorithms.

However, in terms of hardware development, Taiwan currently lacks physical quantum computers. This is the primary reason why the team at NCKU has chosen Amazon Braket. Utilizing a cloud quantum service for research and validating quantum-related theories and technologies represents the best approach to gradually accumulate the relevant expertise. Through Amazon Braket, scientists in Taiwan can conduct research without being confined to a specific hardware architecture, thus avoiding delays and losses of opportunities to catch up with global trends in quantum technology development. As researchers make progress in maturing quantum theories and foundational research, they will eventually establish the groundwork for building hardware for quantum computation. In the future, with the synergy between Amazon Braket and locally-developed hardware and software, Taiwan is bound to create another “quantum miracle.”

As a platform, the Amazon Braket brings together suppliers that provide hardware for different quantum computing technologies. These suppliers include Rigetti that leverages superconducting circuit technology, Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) that has also adopted superconducting circuit, IonQ that has adopted ion traps, QuEra that uses neutral atoms, and Xanadu that supports the photonic technology. Chen said the team at NCKU possesses unique quantum theories. Using different quantum computing technologies, the team aims to cross-validate and compare these theories. Since the Amazon Braket supports various quantum computing hardware architectures, it only requires minor code adjustments to perform comparison and validation across different architectures.

As a Project Funded by the NSC, Amazon Braket Serves as an Experimental Quantum Computing Platform for Academic Departments and Research Institutes of Colleges and Universities

For the current year of 2023, the NSTC has allocated a budget of TWD 34.9 billion to establish eight advanced technology platforms, encompassing fields like semiconductors and quantum technology. Bolstered by substantial funding from the NSTC, QFort at NCKU began accepting applications to utilize Amazon Braket in August 2021. Scholars holding positions equivalent to or higher than research professors or research specialists are eligible to apply. The project has already spanned two years and successfully completed its eighth phase, with plans for another three years of continuation.

Currently, QFort utilizes the Amazon Braket to test theories such as quantum batteries and quantum heat engines. Since the fee for using the Amazon Braket is based on actual usage time, users have the option to prototype using a free simulator under AWS. This enables them to pinpoint and address potential syntax or environmental issues beforehand.

Chen described the Amazon Braket as a platform for verifying quantum theories. The chief benefit of the platform is its support for different architectures. The team at NCKU mainly employs quantum processors from Rigetti and IonQ. Furthermore, the team also cross-validates its results with other providers of quantum cloud services.

The ion trap technology of IonQ has received high praise from the team. In particular, Aria, which is the latest generation of IonQ, offers significantly greater computational capacity than its predecessor Harmony. The team at NCKU was among the first users of Aria shortly after its release on the Amazon Braket on May 17th of this year. Testing has indicated that Aria offers a substantial improvement in signal-to-noise ratio, meaning it possesses superior and stable noise reduction capability. The team at NCKU is also the first within Taiwan’s academic circle to utilize Amazon Braket for publishing research papers on quantum technology, and it has just submitted a new paper concerning the IonQ Aria.

AWS Integrates Various Services into a Single Platform so as to Provide Quantum Resources and Launch Community Projects at a Global Scale

AWS collaborates with a growing number of suppliers for quantum suppliers. Together, they bring more quantum computing technologies to the platform and thereby offer more diverse services to users. Computation, data storage (such as Amazon’s S3 cloud storage service), machine learning (such as Amazon’s SageMaker), account management, billing, etc. are all integrated into a single platform with a unified access interface. Additionally, for the rapid development of quantum software, the Amazon Braket features a dedicated SDK and a calculator for estimating usage costs. With the calculator, users can effectively set their budgets.

AWS is strongly committed to advancing quantum research, and it has demonstrated this commitment by setting up the Quantum Solution Lab in California. This lab specifically assists research institutions by offering guidance, collaboration opportunities, and financial support. Moreover, AWS has created the AWS Cloud Credit for Research and Amazon Science to support community research efforts. Researchers can apply for grants and other kinds of resources with the AWS Cloud Credit for Research, while Amazon Science aggregates projects, sources of financial assistance, and collaboration opportunities from third-party research institutes.

Cultivate Emerging Tech Talents at Grassroots Level so as to Inject New Momentum inn Quantum Science Research

To educate the public about quantum science and establish a knowledge foundation for those looking to enter this field, QFort has been offering a “micro-course” designed to teach the basics of quantum computers to high school students. The course was initiated in 2020 and is conducted annually. The fourth edition has recently concluded successfully. “There is a need to bring more young talent into the quantum technology field,” stated Chen. “Whether in the aspect of hardware or software, investing in and nurturing talents should be a priority. It all begins with high school students!”

Caption for the image at the top of this article:

The names and titles of individuals, from left to right, are as follows: Huang Yi-Te, Ph.D. candidate from the Department of Physics under the College of Sciences at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU); Professor Chen Yueh-Nan, member of NCKU’s QFort; and Bryan Chu, Senior Business Development Manager at Amazon Web Services (AWS).

This article is from TechNews, a collaborative media partner of TrendForce.

(Photo credit: TechNews)