Europe puts into use VLQ quantum computer

According to a VNA correspondent in Europe, on September 23, in Ostrava city, Czech Republic, the European High Performance Computing Union (EuroHPC JU) officially put into use the second quantum computer named VLQ.

This event not only marks an important step forward in the effort to build Europe's leading modern supercomputer and quantum infrastructure, but also affirms Europe's determination to maintain its pioneering position in the global technology race.

The ceremony took place at the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Centre at the Technical University of Ostrava, bringing together senior representatives from across Europe, highlighting the transcontinental nature of the project.

The VLQ system was built with the participation of 8 countries: Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands. At the ceremony, Mr. Rafal Duczmal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of EuroHPC JU and Mr. Anders Jensen, CEO of EuroHPC JU, were both present, emphasizing the significance of this milestone.

VLQ, operated by IT4Innovations and provided by the Finnish company IQM Quantum Computers, is based on superconducting qubit technology. The system consists of 24 physical qubits arranged in a star structure connected to a central resonator, which minimizes the need to swap between qubits, thereby optimizing the execution of complex quantum algorithms.

Like other quantum computers in the EuroHPC system, VLQ will be integrated into the European High Performance Supercomputing Infrastructure and connected to the Karolina supercomputer. This will allow users to access a hybrid architecture of classical and quantum computing.

Although still in the calibration phase, VLQ is expected to make its computing resources available to the European research community later this year, serving cutting-edge applications such as quantum machine learning, which promises processing speeds far beyond traditional computing.

According to Mr. Anders Jensen, this event proves that Europe is taking an important step forward in building the world's leading quantum computing ecosystem. The combination of supercomputers and quantum technology is expected to open up solutions beyond the capabilities of existing systems, and is also a testament to the strength of cooperation between European countries.

Mr. Branislav Jansik, Director of Supercomputing Services at IT4Innovations and coordinator of the LUMI-Q alliance, emphasized that the VLQ computer will serve a diverse group of users, from academia to businesses and the public sector, with the goal of promoting research, innovation and practical applications.

VLQ, owned by EuroHPC JU, has a total investment cost of around 5 million euros ($5.9 million), of which EuroHPC JU funds half and the LUMI-Q consortium covers the rest. The consortium brings together 13 partners from eight countries, demonstrating cross-border collaboration for technological goals.

The name VLQ is meaningful: the V stands for the Technical University of Ostrava (VSB), the L stands for the LUMI-Q alliance, and the Q stands for Quantum. The name also evokes the Czech word “vlk”, meaning “wolf”, symbolically linking the LUMI supercomputer in Finland – one of the most powerful in Europe, which stands out for its green energy efficiency thanks to the use of hydroelectricity, liquid cooling and the reuse of waste heat for local heating.

EuroHPC JU has so far procured six quantum computers across Europe. Before VLQ, the PIAST-Q system in Poland was launched in June. In addition, EuroHPC has deployed two analog quantum simulators in France and Germany, and is preparing to tender for a new quantum computer in the Netherlands.

EuroHPC JU is a coordination mechanism between the European Union (EU) and its member states, with the goal of making Europe the world's leading supercomputing center. The agency has currently purchased 11 supercomputers, including 3 in the global top 10: JUPITER in Germany, LUMI in Finland and Leonardo in Italy.

These supercomputers are made available to the research community, businesses and the public through call-for-action programs, to advance science , industry and society.

In addition, EuroHPC JU also manages 13 “artificial intelligence (AI) factories” across Europe, provides free support to small businesses and startups, and funds many projects to develop the supercomputer supply chain from hardware to software, as well as train human resources.

The VLQ quantum computer demonstrates Europe's long-term vision of combining supercomputing and quantum, aiming for technological breakthroughs that can shape the future of global science and society./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/chau-au-dua-vao-su-dung-may-tinh-luong-tu-vlq-post1063694.vnp