Keysight Quantum Control System Embedded within Fujitsu and RIKEN’s World-Leading 256-Qubit Quantum Computer

Keysight Technologies, Inc. has announced that its Quantum Control System (QCS) has been selected as the control system embedded within Fujitsu and RIKEN’s recently developed 256-qubit quantum computer at the RIKEN RQC-FUJITSU Collaboration Center in Japan, marking a pioneering step in the industry’s pursuit of a fault tolerant quantum computer.

The integration of diverse specialised processors such as graphics processing units (GPUs), tensor processing units (TPUs), and now quantum processing units (QPUs), is crucial for the next era of advanced scientific computing and algorithmic exploration. Realising the full potential of QPUs in hybrid computing environments necessitates significant progress in scaling-up numbers of qubits and reducing error rates. Keysight’s involvement in this 256-qubit quantum computer positions the company to support Fujitsu and RIKEN in driving critical innovations in these key areas.

Keysight QCS Elevates Quantum Computing

Quantum control systems are fundamental to the operation of any quantum computer, and are essential for scaling up quantum computing, as they need to be able to handle a large number of qubits and ensure smooth integration with quantum processors. They serve as the interface between classical and quantum worlds, translating user commands into precise operations executed by the quantum processor. Simultaneously, they interpret the subtle changes in signals that reveal qubit state information.

Keysight QCS does this by generating and modulating radiofrequency (RF) signals and microwave pulses that interact with qubits and control their evolution. These signals are used to prepare qubits in specific states and perform quantum gates to enable the execution of quantum algorithms and experiments, and read out their final states for feedback and optimisation. Precise control techniques and improved physical isolation of qubits, ensure the fidelity of quantum computations.

Dedicated hardware and software allow users to program experiments at the level of their quantum system, rather than worrying about low-level control of classical signals. Keysight’s QCS does this with direct digital conversion (DDC) for microwave signals to eliminate common sources of drift and prevent the need for frequent recalibration; a complete software stack that allows users to program experiments at the level of their quantum system rather than worry about classical channels; a simple-to-use Python API to enable powerful and flexible FPGA-based features without requiring specialised hardware programming; and a modular architecture to seamlessly scale as quantum systems grow.

A Natural Fit

Keysight’s QCS was a natural fit for the RIKEN RQC-FUJITSU Collaboration Centre due to its modularity, scalability, and market leading radio frequency (RF) performance. Since its introduction in February 2023, Keysight’s QCS has been adopted in academia, national laboratories, commercial companies, and innovative startups throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific region.

Dr. Eric T. Holland, General Manager Keysight Quantum Engineering Solutions, said: “Keysight is honoured to be a part of this significant quantum journey beginning in Japan. Quantum computing is still a nascent technology, and the capabilities that Fujitsu, in collaboration with RIKEN, have brought to market are essential for enabling both quantum scientific discoveries as well as training the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers.”