Alice & Bob Unveils 18-Cat Qubit ‘Helium’ System for Fault-Tolerant Quantum Research

Alice & Bob France

Overview

Quantum computing firm Alice & Bob has launched its first on-premise quantum system, the 18-cat qubit ‘Helium Quantum System,’ for research partners. Designed for operational efficiency with a modest ~40kW power consumption and featuring a custom monitoring interface called Starboard, Helium provides researchers a unique platform to explore cat qubit technology and accelerate the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing.

In Depth

Background

The quantum computing field is witnessing intense competition in the development of various physical platforms, including superconducting, ion trap, neutral atom, and photonic systems. While superconducting qubits traditionally offer high gate speeds, they face challenges with short coherence times and the vast number of physical qubits required for error correction. Alice & Bob’s cat qubits, however, are designed with inherent error robustness, aiming to overcome these challenges and are regarded as a promising technology to accelerate the realization of fault-tolerant quantum computers.

Key Findings

French quantum computing company Alice & Bob has unveiled its first quantum system, the ‘Helium Quantum System,’ an on-premise solution equipped with 18 cat qubits. This system is now available to research partners, marking a significant step towards realizing fault-tolerant quantum computing with a strong focus on operational efficiency and usability.

The Helium Quantum System is built upon Alice & Bob’s pioneering cat qubit technology. These unique superconducting qubits are engineered to significantly extend coherence times—the duration a quantum state can be reliably maintained—thereby reducing the overhead required for quantum error correction. This approach is central to developing more efficient and fault-tolerant quantum computers.

Featuring 18 cat qubits, Helium offers the research community a substantial platform to deeply explore cat qubit characteristics and develop novel quantum algorithms. Unlike some other superconducting quantum computers that demand extensive cryogenic infrastructure, Helium is designed for relatively low power consumption, approximately 40kW, making it easier to install and operate.

Accompanying Helium is ‘Starboard,’ a custom monitoring interface streamlining system management. Starboard empowers researchers to monitor individual qubit performance in real-time, efficiently schedule quantum workloads, and track critical hardware metrics, ultimately enhancing system stability, reliability, and research efficiency.

The availability of the Helium Quantum System represents a major leap towards the practical application of cat qubit technology. Through this platform, research partners can validate cat qubit properties, optimize error correction protocols, explore new quantum algorithms, and expand the possibilities of quantum computing across various industrial applications. This deployment is expected to accelerate the roadmap for fault-tolerant quantum computing, ultimately contributing to the realization of large-scale, reliable quantum computers and driving innovation in fields such as drug discovery, materials science, and financial optimization.

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