COLLEGE PARK, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), a leader in the quantum computing and networking industries, today announced a significant milestone in the development of high-speed, mixed-species quantum logic gates for trapped-ion quantum computing and networking. The findings further the company’s momentum in driving scalable, high-fidelity quantum networking and distributed quantum computing. Detailed in a new paper written by IonQ scientists and co-authored with Australian National University, the research shows a novel approach to achieving an orders-of-magnitude increase in physical gate speed of two-qubit gates between different atomic species.
“Quantum gate speed is critical for quantum computing at scale, and this work is expected to enable IonQ to bring quantum computing to the market faster to help our customers solve problems not possible with current technology,” said Dean Kassmann, SVP of Engineering and Technology at IonQ. “Developing high-speed, high-fidelity mixed-species gates with fewer errors is essential for building large-scale quantum networks. This research not only drives faster and more efficient entanglement but also lays the foundation for delivering scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing.”
IonQ’s research demonstrates a practical method for executing high-speed, mixed-species entangling operations, a key step in linking computational qubits across separate quantum processing nodes via photonic connections. The research introduces an industry-first approach using ultrafast state-dependent kicks (SDKs) from nanosecond laser pulses, expected to enable quantum logic gates to operate at much faster megahertz (MHz) speeds. By enabling fast, high-fidelity interactions between different qubit types, this advancement improves quantum information transfer, reduces noise and errors, and enhances network accuracy. The increased gate speed and computational efficiency support deeper circuits, more effective qubit use, and higher system throughput, bringing quantum computing closer to practical scalability and real-world applications.
Mixed-species gates refer to quantum operations between ions of different atomic elements or isotopes such as Barium and Ytterbium. Species are chosen strategically to enable optimal interaction between qubits. For example, some can offer longer coherence times, making them ideal for memory, while others can interact efficiently with photons, improving performance for networking applications. Effectively integrating different species can optimize quantum architectures for scalability, reliability, improved fidelity, and efficient entanglement distribution.
“In addition to being an important milestone for quantum computing, achieving high-speed mixed-species quantum gates is also a crucial step toward scalable and modular quantum networks,” said Dr. Ricardo Viteri, Staff Physicist at IonQ. “This research paves the way for architectures that can more efficiently interconnect and process information.”
IonQ has filed for patent protection on the underlying invention. Forthcoming experimental work will determine when and how these techniques may be incorporated into IonQ’s commercial systems.
The paper was authored by IonQ scientists Haonan Liu, Alexander K. Ratcliffe, Varun D. Vaidya and C. Ricardo Viteri, with Australian National University scientists Phoebe Grosser, Simon A. Haine, Joseph J. Hope, Zain Mehdi and Isabelle Savill-Brown. For more details, see our technical blog post or read the full research paper here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.07185.
About IonQ
IonQ, Inc. is a leader in the quantum computing and networking industries, delivering high-performance systems aimed at solving the world’s largest and most complex commercial and research use cases. IonQ’s current generation quantum computers, IonQ Forte and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems, boasting 36 algorithmic qubits. The company’s innovative technology and rapid growth were recognized in Newsweek’s 2025 Excellence Index 1000, Forbes’ 2025 Most Successful Mid-Cap Companies list, and Built In’s 2025 100 Best Midsize Places to Work in Washington DC and Seattle, respectively. Available through all major cloud providers, IonQ is making quantum computing more accessible and impactful than ever before. Learn more at IonQ.com.
IonQ Forward-Looking Statements
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