We are delighted to unveil the initiation of a groundbreaking project under the EIC Pathfinder Challenge – HEISINGBERG: Spatial Quantum Optical Annealer for Spin Hamiltonians. UBITECH is honoured to take the lead as the Project Coordinator, with QUBITECH joining as a key Project Partner. HEISINGBERG stands among the 8 funded projects responding to the call for “alternative approaches to Quantum Information Processing, Communication, and Sensing”.
This ambitious and innovative endeavour unites six proficient and complementary partners from five different EU regions, including Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, and the UK as an associated country in Horizon Europe. HEISINGBERG aims to elevate a state-of-the-art spatial photonic spin simulator to the quantum realm. This involves upgrading its coherent drive to non-classical light, enabling full programmability through vector-matrix multiplication schemes. The project integrates holography, ancillary spins, effective magnetic fields, and custom-tailored algorithms to achieve this transformation.
The HEISINGBERG consortium brings together a dynamic collaboration between academia and the business world, blending expertise in quantum and photonic technologies with acute business acumen. Over the next 48 months, the consortium will pursue key objectives with partners such as Sapienza University of Rome, University of Cambridge, Foundation of Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), UBITECH, and QUBITECH.
Through HEISINGBERG, the Consortium aims to develop a device dedicated to solving combinatorial optimization problems, with the implicit goal of commercializing a new quantum simulator paradigm. This paradigm leverages: a novel approach based on Holographic spin encoding; all-optical manipulation of interactions; all-to-all and weighted connectivity; straightforward scalability; room temperature operation; relatively low energy requirements.
UBITECH will spearhead project coordination, drawing on its extensive experience in managing large-scale international projects. Additionally, UBITECH will play a crucial role in implementing the software stack and developing the online portal for external user access.
QUBITECH will contribute to the development of the XY photonic simulator prototype, slated for availability through the online portal. QUBITECH will also coordinate interactions between technical development and technological integration across machine hardware, software, and annealing algorithms.
The project officially commenced on November 1, 2023, with all partners actively participating in the Project Kick-off Meeting held in Athens on November 10, 2023.
Stay tuned for further exciting developments from the HEISINGBERG project!
