Quantum computers are expected to solve many of the hard problems that are challenging for today’s classical supercomputers. We are developing techniques to build scalable quantum computers using various physical qubits. We also work on developing new algorithms for real-world applications, fault-tolerant quantum computing and error correction codes.
A quantum computer will be able to simulate quantum-mechanical interactions efficiently. Since chemical bonds are quantum-mechanical in nature, quantum mechanics is required to understand many of the functionally important properties of molecules and materials, as well as their structure and dynamics, with applications spanning molecular biology, pharmacology, geology and materials science.
Researchers at Imperial are working on photonic and superconducting qubits to demonstrate quantum advantages in some quantum simulation problems. Using cold molecules, we can simulate quantum effects in chemical reactions and open quantum systems. We can also trap tens of ionic qubits to realise basic quantum gate operations and highly accurate measurements of qubit states. In all these aspects of quantum hardware and software development, we work closely with industry partners.
Our researchers:
Dr Rita Ahmadi
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/rita_ahmadi_400X400.jpg)
Dr Rita Ahmadi
Department of Mathematics
Dr Daan Arroo
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Daan_Arroo_400X400.jpg)
Dr Daan Arroo
Department of Materials
Dr Ryan Barnett
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Ryan_Barnett_400X400.jpg)
Dr Ryan Barnett
Department of Mathematics
Dr Charles Baynham
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Charles_Baynham_400X400.jpg)
Dr Charles Baynham
Department of Physics
Professor Michael Bearpark
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/mike_bearpark_400X400.jpg)
Professor Michael Bearpark
Department of Chemistry
Dr Roberto Bondesan
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/roberto-bondesan_400X400.jpg)
Dr Roberto Bondesan
Department of Computing
Professor Fernando Bresme
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Fernando_Bresme_400X400.jpg)
Professor Fernando Bresme
Department of Chemistry
Dr Chris Cantwell
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Chris_Cantwell_400X400.jpg)
Dr Chris Cantwell
Department of Aeronautics
Dr Malcolm Connolly
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Malcolm_Connolly_400X400.jpg)
Dr Malcolm Connolly
Department of Physics
Professor Matthew Foulkes
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Matthew_Foulkes_400X400.jpg)
Professor Matthew Foulkes
Department of Physics
Dr Alex Ganose
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Alex_Ganose_400X400.jpg)
Dr Alex Ganose
Department of Chemistry
Dr Liam (Jianliang) Gao
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Jianliang_gao_400X400.jpg)
Dr Liam (Jianliang) Gao
Graduate School and Business School
Professor Gerard Gorman
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Gerard_Gorman_400X400.jpg)
Professor Gerard Gorman
Department of Earth Science and Engineering
Dr Kevin Gouder
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Kevin_Gouder_400X400.jpg)
Dr Kevin Gouder
Department of Aeronautics
Professor Geoffrey Hall FRS
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Geoffrey_hall_400X400.jpg)
Professor Geoffrey Hall FRS
Department of Physics
Professor Nicholas Harrison
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Nic_harrison_400X400.jpg)
Professor Nicholas Harrison
Department of Chemistry
Professor Peter Haynes FREng
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Peter_Haynes_400X400.jpg)
Professor Peter Haynes FREng
Department of Materials
Professor Antoine Jack Jacquier
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Jack_Jacquier_-400X400.jpg)
Professor Antoine Jack Jacquier
Department of Mathematics
Dr Johannes Knolle
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Johannes_knolle_400X400.jpg)
Dr Johannes Knolle
Department of Physics
Dr Steve Kolthammer
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Steve_Kolthammer_400X400.jpg)
Dr Steve Kolthammer
Department of Physics
Professor Sylvain Laizet
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Sylvain_Laizet_400X400.jpg)
Professor Sylvain Laizet
Department of Aeronautics
Professor Cong Ling
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/cong_ling_400X400.jpg)
Professor Cong Ling
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Professor Luca Magri
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/luca-magri_400X400.jpg)
Professor Luca Magri
Department of Aeronautics
Professor Jon Marangos
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Jon_Marangos_400X400.jpg)
Professor Jon Marangos
Department of Physics
Professor Cecilia Mattevi
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/cecilia-mattevi_400X400.jpg)
Professor Cecilia Mattevi
Department of Materials
Dr Richard Meister
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/blank-white-400X400.jpg)
Dr Richard Meister
Department of Physics
Professor Francesco Montomoli
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/francesco-montomoli_400X400.jpg)
Professor Francesco Montomoli
Department of Aeronautics
Professor Arash Mostofi
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/arash_mostofi_400X400.jpg)
Professor Arash Mostofi
Department of Materials
Professor Ramana Nanda
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Ramana_Nanda_400X400.jpg)
Professor Ramana Nanda
Business School
Dr Raj Patel
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/RajPatel.jpg)
Dr Raj Patel
Department of Physics
Professor Terry Rudolph
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/terry_rudolph_400X400.jpg)
Professor Terry Rudolph
Department of Physics
Professor Riccardo Sapienza
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Riccardo_Sapienza_400X400.jpg)
Professor Riccardo Sapienza
Department of Physics
Dr Frank Schindler
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/frank_schindler_400X400.jpg)
Dr Frank Schindler
Department of Physics
Professor Michael Tarbutt
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/mike-tarbutt_400X400.jpg)
Professor Michael Tarbutt
Department of Physics
Dr Mansour Taghavi Azar Sharabiani
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Mansour_TA_Sharabiani_400X400.jpg)
Dr Mansour Taghavi Azar Sharabiani
School of Public Health
Professor Richard Thompson
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Richard_Thompson_400X400.jpg)
Professor Richard Thompson
Department of Physics
Dr Kai Voges
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/kai_voges_400X400.jpg)
Dr Kai Voges
Department of Physics
Professor Ian Walmsley CBE FRS
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Ian_Walmsley_400X400.jpg)
Professor Ian Walmsley CBE FRS
Department of Physics
Professor Wolfram Wiesemann
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Wolfram_Wiesemann_400X400.jpg)
Professor Wolfram Wiesemann
Business School
Dr Herbert Wiklicky
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/herbert_wiklicky_400X400.jpg)
Dr Herbert Wiklicky
Department of Computing
Dr Shang Yu
/prod01/channel_3/media/images/people-list/Shang_yu_400X400.jpg)
Dr Shang Yu
Department of Physics