Monday, December 25th 2023
Rigetti Launches the Novera QPU, the Company's First Commercially Available Quantum Processor
Rigetti Computing, Inc. (Nasdaq: RGTI) ("Rigetti" or the "Company"), a pioneer in full-stack quantum-classical computing, announced today the launch of its Novera QPU, a 9-qubit quantum processing unit (QPU) based on the Company's fourth generation Ankaa -class architecture featuring tunable couplers and a square lattice for denser connectivity and fast 2-qubit operations. The Novera QPU is manufactured in Rigetti's Fab-1, the industry's first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility.
The Novera QPU includes all of the hardware below the mixing chamber plate (MXC) of a dilution refrigerator. In addition to a 9-qubit chip with a 3x3 array of tunable transmons, the Novera QPU also includes a 5-qubit chip with no tunable couplers or qubit-qubit coupling which can be used for developing and characterizing single-qubit operations on a simpler circuit. In addition to the 9-qubit and 5-qubit chips, Novera QPU components include:
Fundamental research to gain a better understanding of how qubits operate, how to optimize control systems, testing how to design and characterize gates, ways to mitigate decoherence, and how to develop more efficient quantum algorithms are among the key focus areas for building higher quality quantum computers.
"With the launch of the Novera QPU, quantum computing professionals and students can now have on-premise access to years of Rigetti's internal R&D within a matter of weeks. Rigetti has been pioneering full-stack quantum computing technology for 10 years. This is an exciting moment for us to equip the quantum computing ecosystem with the same caliber of hardware and engineering that we use on our most powerful QPUs," says David Rivas, Rigetti CTO.
The Novera QPU implements universal, gate-based quantum computing and can be used by quantum software and algorithm experts to prototype and test: (1) hybrid quantum algorithms, (2) characterization, calibration, and error mitigation, and (3) quantum error correction (QEC) experiments.
Additionally, organizations looking to develop components of their quantum computing stack can leverage the Novera QPU to accelerate areas such as: (1) control electronics and software, (2) QEC decoders, (3) control optimization algorithms, (3) native gate architectures, and (4) measurement and calibration, and accompanying software.
The Novera QPU is designed to be integrated with commercially available dilution refrigerators and control systems.
The Novera QPU is available to order at rigetti.com/novera starting at $900,000 and ships within 4-6 weeks after the order is confirmed and shipping and logistics are finalized.
The Novera QPU includes all of the hardware below the mixing chamber plate (MXC) of a dilution refrigerator. In addition to a 9-qubit chip with a 3x3 array of tunable transmons, the Novera QPU also includes a 5-qubit chip with no tunable couplers or qubit-qubit coupling which can be used for developing and characterizing single-qubit operations on a simpler circuit. In addition to the 9-qubit and 5-qubit chips, Novera QPU components include:
- A puck that contains both the 9-qubit and 5-qubit chips, interposers and a PCB to route signals to SMPM connectors at the puck periphery.
- A tower that hangs from the MXC and connects coaxial cables between the puck and the SMA patch panel. The tower delivers cooling power from the MXC to the chips.
- Shields that surround the tower to isolate the puck from infrared radiation and stray magnetic fields.
- Payload brackets and a signal chain installed around the tower with mounted signal conditioning devices, including ferrite isolators, diplexers, filters, and optional quantum-limited amplifiers.
Fundamental research to gain a better understanding of how qubits operate, how to optimize control systems, testing how to design and characterize gates, ways to mitigate decoherence, and how to develop more efficient quantum algorithms are among the key focus areas for building higher quality quantum computers.
"With the launch of the Novera QPU, quantum computing professionals and students can now have on-premise access to years of Rigetti's internal R&D within a matter of weeks. Rigetti has been pioneering full-stack quantum computing technology for 10 years. This is an exciting moment for us to equip the quantum computing ecosystem with the same caliber of hardware and engineering that we use on our most powerful QPUs," says David Rivas, Rigetti CTO.
The Novera QPU implements universal, gate-based quantum computing and can be used by quantum software and algorithm experts to prototype and test: (1) hybrid quantum algorithms, (2) characterization, calibration, and error mitigation, and (3) quantum error correction (QEC) experiments.
Additionally, organizations looking to develop components of their quantum computing stack can leverage the Novera QPU to accelerate areas such as: (1) control electronics and software, (2) QEC decoders, (3) control optimization algorithms, (3) native gate architectures, and (4) measurement and calibration, and accompanying software.
The Novera QPU is designed to be integrated with commercially available dilution refrigerators and control systems.
The Novera QPU is available to order at rigetti.com/novera starting at $900,000 and ships within 4-6 weeks after the order is confirmed and shipping and logistics are finalized.
13 Comments on Rigetti Launches the Novera QPU, the Company's First Commercially Available Quantum Processor
No, but really, quantum computing is so far removed from anything that any average hardware enthusiast can even comprehend that I am still trying to fully understand what the actual use-case even is besides vague “security” and “scientific research”. I understand some of the theory behind the tech, but mostly it feels above my pay grade.
Not cheap.
If this really is a quantum computer, then we are entering a new era.
It would also be interesting to see if this thing can really break those super-long encryptions (like 4096-bit RSA).
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I remain of the opinion that error correction will be the Achilles heel.
The target market for this is universities, research labs, and other entities that do have the money for something like this and can actually use it for real uses. Not those who think computers are for slapping RGB all over it and playing games. There's a whole world of stuff that's sold strictly to professionals who are interested in R&D type applications that will never show up in peoples homes but has practical uses and does just fine.
Getting products like this into the hands of people who can do something with it at a low price (and 900k is chump change for R&D and not even a rounding error in those budgets) is a great step into actually getting into use. So kudos on this!