Center for Materials, Devices and Integrated Systems Seminar

April 01 (Friday), 2022: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (ET)

“Overview of Quantum Computing Efforts at Quantinuum”

by: Steve Sanders, Ph.D.

Sr. Engineering Director, Quantinuum

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Abstract:  In this talk, I will give an overview of quantum computing efforts at Quantinuum, the world’s largest integrated quantum computing company.  Quantinuum is the union of what was, until recently, the trapped-ion hardware development group of Honeywell Quantum Solutions (HQS) with Cambridge Quantum (CQ), a world leader in quantum algorithm and quantum-information development.  This talk will briefly survey several topics: the promise of quantum computing; recent results obtained with Quantinuum’s H-series commercial trapped-ion computers (powered by Honeywell); the anatomy of a trapped-ion machine; some interesting scaling/engineering challenges in hardware development efforts; and our quantum algorithm offerings.

Biography:  Steve Sanders is Senior Engineering Director for Technology Development at Quantinuum.  Steve joined the quantum computing field in early 2017, leading the build of a quantum computing research and development effort at what was then Honeywell Quantum Solutions (HQS).  He helped build the team that has in recent years demonstrated many world firsts: reducing the trapped-ion Quantum Charge Coupled Device (QCCD) architecture to practice; the first demonstration of repeated, real-time cycles of quantum error correction; world-record quantum volume; and world-record state-preparation and measurement (SPAM) fidelity.  

Today he heads Technology Development at Quantinuum.  This team is tasked with conceptualizing and delivering subsystems for state-of-the-art trapped-ion quantum computers -- from lasers and control electronics to ion traps, including the trap powering our H1 commercial system series.  Steve joined Honeywell in 1998 as a research scientist in optical sensors, where he led groups designing fiber-optic gyroscopes, inertial measurement units, and celestial navigation systems for high-performance guidance and navigation.  Products of his design are currently operating at sea and in space.  Steve holds a B.S. in engineering physics from U.C. Berkeley and a Ph.D. in plasma physics from Caltech.

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contact: Deniz Rende (rended3@rpi.edu)