Stephanie Simmons, Ph.D.

Organization:  Ph.D. Founder & Chief Quantum Officer, Photonic Inc. Associate Professor of Physics, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia

Abstract title: Distributed Quantum Computing in Silicon

Abstract resume:

Quantum technology will usher in world-changing capabilities only once scalable, distributed, fault-tolerant quantum systems emerge. In this talk, I will discuss a few quantum system engineering design principles which directly follow from the single axiom that scalable, fault-tolerant quantum systems will ultimately be modular in their construction to allow for unlimited horizontal scaling. Essentially, in this view [1], quantum networks and quantum computers ultimately can be seen as the same core technology. I will walk through the importance of the quantity and quality of quantum I/O, and how connectivity is the key to fault-tolerance as it unlocks highly efficient quantum LDPC error correcting codes. I then dive into how Photonic’s quantum computing and networking platform is competitively positioned to address these challenges and offer a scalable high-performing quantum system based upon the newly rediscovered T centre [2] which is the silicon colour centre that is the foundation of our system. It has zero-phonon optical transitions in the telecommunications bands, long-lived spins in their ground states, and can be integrated into silicon photonics chips at scale [3].

[1] S. Simmons, https://arxiv.org/pdf/2311.04858.pdf (2023).
[2] L. Bergeron, C. Chartrand, A.T.K. Kurkjian, et al. PRXQuantum 1:020301 (2020).
[3] D. Higginbottom, A.T.K. Kurkjian, C. Chartrand et al. Nature 607:266 (2022).

About the speaker:

Dr Stephanie Simmons is the Founder and Chief Quantum Officer of Photonic Inc, an Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair, CIFAR Quantum Information Science Fellow, Co-chair of Canada’s National Quantum Strategy Advisory Council, and is based out of the Department of Physics at Simon Fraser University (SFU). Her work on silicon quantum technologies was awarded a Physics World Top Ten Breakthrough of the Year of 2013 and again in 2015, she is one of only 5 individuals to have ever won this award twice, and she was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 for 2020.