The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have cemented their efforts to advance quantum computing with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
Formal ratification of the MoU is hoped to establish a framework for planning and coordinating future research, as well as development, engineering, and test and evaluation activities related to quantum computing.
The activities of both organisations will be geared toward ensuring maximum impact of U.S government investment in quantum science, enabling the application of quantum technology to the DOE’s mission areas.
According to an announcement, part of this work will include a deep analysis of the current status of quantum computing and its future direction. Altepeter also said that together, the DOE and DARPA will form a verification and validation team for fault tolerate quantum computers.
Speaking about the work in the area, Dr Joe Altepeter, the DARPA programme manager, said: “Our opening position is scepticism. Specifically, scepticism that a fully fault-tolerant quantum computer with a sufficient number of logical qubits can ever be built. We will walk into the room and say, ‘We’re pretty sure whatever you’re doing is not going to work.’ I will bring a small army of scientists and engineers, we will listen to your evidence, and we will double and triple check using our own analysis.”
As part of these scientific efforts, DARPA will be leveraging Department of Defense experts, including quantum scientists and engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory in New York.
Ultimately, the goal of the initiative is to quantify progress in quantum computing applications and algorithms and expand efforts to validate quantum computer hardware progress.
Lead image: Science
