Hardware Podcasts

483: An Ion of the Highest Fidelity

Embedded.fm · 23 Aug 2024 · 1h 01m · Episode 483

What this episode covers

Rick Altherr, a Senior Staff Software Engineer at IonQ, explains the real-time control systems required for trapped-ion quantum computers. He details the challenge of synchronizing 32 channels of arbitrary waveform generators to within picoseconds to manipulate ytterbium or barium ions using lasers and electro-optic modulators. Altherr also discusses the translation of high-level Python quantum circuits into low-level FPGA instructions, the current limitations of quantum utility versus classical simulation, and the emerging security considerations for these complex hybrid systems.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
IonQ, IBM, D-Wave
Tools
Qiskit, PennyLane, Yocto, Rust, Electro-optical modulator, Acousto-optic modulator, Arbitrary waveform generator

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