Large Scale Modular Quantum Computer Architecture with Atomic Memory and Photonic Interconnects

TL;DR

This paper proposes a scalable modular quantum computer architecture combining ion trap qubits with photonic interconnects, enabling fault-tolerant quantum computation over large distances.

Contribution

It introduces a hierarchical architecture integrating local ion trap gates and probabilistic photonic links for large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Findings

Architecture can be scaled to large qubit numbers.

Fault-tolerance is achievable within this design.

Viability demonstrated for executing modest quantum circuits.

Abstract

The practical construction of scalable quantum computer hardware capable of executing non-trivial quantum algorithms will require the juxtaposition of different types of quantum systems. We analyze a modular ion trap quantum computer architecture with a hierarchy of interactions that can scale to very large numbers of qubits. Local entangling quantum gates between qubit memories within a single register are accomplished using natural interactions between the qubits, and entanglement between separate registers is completed via a probabilistic photonic interface between qubits in different registers, even over large distances. We show that this architecture can be made fault-tolerant, and demonstrate its viability for fault-tolerant execution of modest size quantum circuits.