Quantinuum and GE Vernova use Helios to study high-temperature superconductors

[Ria88]

Quantinuum has teamed up with GE Vernova on one of the hardest problems in materials science. Quantum Computing Report says the two companies have started a research collaboration using Quantinuum's Helios trapped ion computer to model high temperature superconductivity

The work will run on Helios through the cloud using Quantinuum's Nexus platform. The method is a simulation of the two dimensional Fermi-Hubbard model, which captures the electron behaviour thought to underlie high temperature superconductors, including pseudogap behaviour, charge density waves and pairing symmetry. Classical methods such as density functional theory and quantum Monte Carlo struggle with these systems

Quantinuum has already measured pairing correlations on Helios and cites two qubit gate fidelity above 99.9 percent. It describes Helios as the world's most accurate quantum computer, which is the company's own claim

For GE Vernova's Advanced Research Center, this is a step from classical simulation to real quantum hardware. Its earlier work on carbon capture materials used GPU simulated quantum algorithms. Possible long term benefits include lighter wind and marine generators, compact motors, high capacity cables and fault current limiters. Jonathan Owens, a senior scientist at GE Vernova, said understanding and improving these materials remains a significant scientific challenge

High temperature superconductivity is one of the problems most often named as a target for quantum computers, so it is good to see an industrial partner involved. This is the start of a collaboration rather than a set of results, and the Fermi-Hubbard model is a simplification of real materials. Still, it is a meaningful use of real hardware

Could quantum computers crack the mystery of high temperature superconductivity? And what would better superconductors mean for energy?

Quantinuum and GE Vernova Target High-Temperature Superconductivity Using Helios Trapped-Ion Hardware - Quantum Computing Reportquantumcomputingreport.com