Quantum technology is an emerging field of physics and engineering that has the potential to revolutionise science and society in the next five to ten years. Knowledge in this rapidly evolving field has advanced considerably, yet still, there are resources required that are not mainstream today.

CERN can be at the forefront of this revolution. As an international, open, and neutral platform, and building on its collaborative culture and proven track record of innovations, CERN is uniquely positioned to act as an “honest broker” between CERN Member States to foster innovative ideas in the field of high-energy physics and beyond. This is underpinned by several concrete R&D projects which are already under way.

The CERN Quantum Technology Initiative (CERN QTI) has defined a roadmap and research programme in collaboration with its recently formed advisory board, as well as the high-energy physics and quantum-technology research communities. Together, we will establish joint research, educational and training activities, set up the supporting computing infrastructure, and provide dedicated mechanisms for exchange of knowledge and innovation.

EVENTS

RESEARCH FIELDS AND OBJECTIVES

  • Formalise and extend the existing catalogue of use cases and examples of possible applications of quantum computing to HEP workflows and algorithms.
  • Collect and share information about existing resources, tools, and libraries across the community [....]
  • Identify possible applications of quantum simulations in HEP, supporting worldwide experimental efforts to probe and measure Standard Model and beyond the Standard Model physics. 
  • Benchmark current and potential performance of quantum simulations against state-of-the-art classical computations [....]
  • Encourage the acquisition and dissemination of expertise on quantum sensing in areas relevant to low- and high-energy particle physics.
  • Identify particularly promising technologies, focusing on a small number of developments with potential specifically for novel applications in HEP [....]
  • Identify and support use cases for specific uses in collaboration with research and industry partners in areas such as security, privacy protection, medical applications.
  • Formalise CERN’s participation in the pan-European QKD infrastructure, providing operational and technical support [....]