Event

QSciTech-QuantumBC Virtual Workshop: Superconducting Circuits and Qubits, Summer 2021

July 19 to 30, 2021, Online

Quantum computing has the potential to solve problems beyond the capabilities of conventional supercomputers. It could revolutionize the advancement of several fields, including biochemistry, finance, logistics, and artificial intelligence. However, building quantum hardware is a great challenge, involving both concepts and technology that have little in common with those in conventional silicon chips. It involves cryogenic environments and in the currently most advanced approach, it relies on superconducting circuits that display macroscopic quantum effects. These concepts and techniques are not part of the usual science and engineering curriculum. 

To fill this gap, two NSERC CREATE programs – Quantum BC and QSciTech – have joined forces to bring to you the first workshop worldwide on the design, fabrication, and testing of superconducting circuits used in quantum computer hardware. 

With support from CMC Microsystems, the IBM Quantum Hub at Institut quantique and the Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute, Quantum BC and QSciTech invite you to join a virtual workshop taking place from July 19 to 30, 2021. The workshop will teach participants how to design, fabricate, and test their own superconducting circuits. The workshop will cover the fundamentals of superconductors and Josephson junctions, and how to design circuits such as resonators, SQUIDs, analog to digital converters and qubits. Students will brainstorm with researchers at leading Canadian universities and industry to pitch their device ideas and use IBM Qiskit Metal software and CMC-provided design tools to submit devices for fabrication by a foundry facilitated by CMC. Participants who have access to a low-temperature laboratory will be able to test their chips at their home institution. The Quantum FabLab at Institut quantique of Université de Sherbrooke will provide access to dilution fridges for participants who would not, otherwise, have access to such equipment.

The workshop will include an awards ceremony for the best student presentations.​​

Don’t miss this QSciTech-QuantumBC virtual workshop, which will allow you to learn why superconducting devices are at the heart of today’s commercial quantum computers such as those of D-Wave, IBM, and Rigetti.

Workshop Details

The workshop will run 4.5 hours per day in three 1.5-hour sessions with breaks in between. The schedule is adapted for participants from both the West and East coasts. It will be focused on teamwork and problem-based learning. Specific topics include:

  • Superconductivity and the London equations. The Josephson junction. The RF- and DC-SQUID. Elementary QFP circuits. Elementary SFQ logic circuits.
  • Circuit extraction and distributed circuit design. Transmission lines, resonators, and filters.
  • Readout of superconducting circuits. Superconducting Analog to Digital converters.
  • Design-Fabricate-test cycle (completed after the workshop):
    Participants will design their circuits, then submit them for manufacturing using the new established CMC process (target submission deadline will be 3 months after the workshop). Students may also use their own home institution fabrication infrastructure. Participants will then test their chips at their home institution (chips will be delivered 3-6 months after submission), or at 4 K infrastructure arranged by CMC (see below).
  • Example circuits that students can design, and which can be tested at 4 K:
    RF resonators, transmission lines and filters; AC SQUIDs – at 4 K they work as magnetic field sensors and at low T become qubits; SFQ logic circuits.

The workshop activities are listed below. You may click the table to see an enlarged view.

 

Target Audience

The target audience for this workshop are:​

Registration and Fees

Attendee GroupOption 1: Workshop and FabricationOption 2: Workshop Only (No fabrication)
Subscriber$500$500
Academic (in Canada)$1,500
General$3,500$1,500
Registration closed.

Contact

If you have any comments or questions regarding the contents or registrations of this workshop, please contact:

Cancellations

Event cancellations must be received in writing at least one (1) week before the beginning date of the event in question to receive a full refund of the registration fee. A cancellation made after the deadline will not receive a refund.

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