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Barium qubits for Ion Trapping

Updated: Jan 27, 2022


 

Superconducting qubits are man-made and connected via wires together. Ion trapping qubit does not need the wiring of the atoms. They use lasers to poke them and connect them. An ion is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton (A proton is a subatomic particle,) which is considered to be positive by convention.


One of the leading quantum computing companies is the IonQ system, a technology group from the University of Maryland and Duke University .

Instead of building and wiring qubits (superconducting quantum systems), they use the naturally occurring quantum systems, using the individual Ytterbium atoms. These atoms are the heart of quantum processing units, trapped in a 3D space inside a special trap. To flip them, manipulate them, build gates and circuits and perform computation logic and run algorithms, laser pulses at specific rate are used to do everything from initial preparation to final readout. Building and scaling up an Ion Trap quantum processing system requires counterintuitive physics, precision optical and mechanical engineering, and fine-grained firmware control over various components, ranging from laser and microwave generators to precision software running on classical computers.

Image: IonQ website: Ion Trap drawing.


Credit: Honeywell ion trap system - An actual trap.

IonQ's current quantum system architecture is similar to Honeywell Quantum systems. An ion trapping system from ionq designed with various atoms trapped inside an ion trapping system used for quantum calculations.


The new hardware system promises a different atomic species using the Barium for quantum computing. Barium is a Chemical Element, with atomic number 70 and an atomic mass of 173.05 u. Looking at the Periodic Table Elements, Barium is a Lanthanide. The lanthanide is a series of chemical elements comprises the 15 metallic chemical elements with atomic numbers 57-71, from lanthanum through lutetium. Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is the fifth element in group 2 and is a soft, silvery alkaline earth metal. Because of its high chemical reactivity, barium is never found in nature as a free element. The most common minerals of barium are baryte and witherite.


After research for looking for a better candidates for quantum computing, the Barium qubits offering highly stable superposition states which means increased computing fidelity and speed

Using standard photonics devices building more reliable quantum computers.

Barium atoms when charged as ions enables an ion trapping system (IonQ) to more easily network multiple quantum computer systems together, forming powerful modular systems that quickly scale qubit counts.


 

Resources:

Ytterbium (highly toxic) is a soft, malleable, and ductile element that exhibits a bright silvery luster. Rare-earth element is readily attacked and dissolved by mineral acids, slowly reacts with water, and oxidize in air. The oxide forms a protective layer on the surface. Compounds of ytterbium are rare.

Discovered by: Jean de Marignac in 1878

Atomic mass: 173.04 g.mol -1

Atomic number: 70

More on Ytterbium:

Ytterbium is a chemical element with the symbol Yb and atomic number 70. It is the fourteenth and penultimate element in the lanthanide series, which is the basis of the relative stability of its +2 oxidation state. Wikipedia

Symbol: Yb

Atomic number: 70

Atomic mass: 173.04 u

Electron configuration: [Xe] 4f146s2

Electrons per shell: 2,8,18,32,8,2

Discovered: 1878

Melting point: 1,506°F (819°C)


 

Barium

Chemical element

Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is the fifth element in group 2 and is a soft, silvery alkaline earth metal. Because of its high chemical reactivity, barium is never found in nature as a free element. The most common minerals of barium are baryte (barite) and witherite. Wikipedia

Symbol: Ba

Electron configuration: [Xe] 6s2

Atomic number: 56

Atomic mass: 137.327 u

Van der Waals radius: 268 pm

Electronegativity: 0.89

Melting point: 1,341°F (727°C)

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