36C3 preroll music
Herald: Welcome to the world of quantum computing. Well, most of you is gonna just
gonna say, ah, that stuff is just for cracking RSA keys. But there is actually a
little bit more to that. It's interesting stuff. And our next speaker, Yann Allain
is going to introduce this world of quantum computing to us. And he's gonna
show us a couple of application scenarios and how to build your or our own quantum
computer. Yann.
Applause
Yann: Salut, hello everybody, Guten Tag, alle - this is the only word I know in
Deutsch. We will begin this session by try to convince you that building a quantum
computer at home is still possible. This is the agenda. We are in a INFOSEC
security conference. Why bother with quantum computing when we work at
cybersecurity? We will try to explain to you in a simply manner how to our quantum
computer works. We will explain to you, how we build our own quantum computer. And
of course, because we are CCC, we need to know how to hack into a quantum computer.
So, let me introduce myself a little bit. So, I'm Yann Allain, I am French. I'm used
to share my project with some security conferences: Hack In the Box, Blackhat.
I was a speaker and trainer in this type of conference. It's the first time for me in
CCC, so it's very cool. I'm mostly an entrepreneur, an engineer. And of course,
my new company, NextGenQ, which stands for Next Generation of Quantum Computer is a
quantum company. I work in the INFOSEC security since 25 years now. So I'm a
veteran of these domain. I fight again "I love you" very seasoned slammer worm. If
you remember those worm and my past activities are related to software and
hardware security. So why bother with quantum computing when we work in
cybersecurity? If you want to make some difficult calculation on areas like sci., for
example, to factor... a large number on a classical computer, it will take 10 to the
power of 34 steps. It's a big number and it will take on a normal computer 300
trillion of years. It's a long, long time. It's why we say that RSA is secure. On a
quantum computer we have a specific algorithm called Shor algorithm. It take
only 10 to the power of 7 steps. It's a smaller number and it takes only 10
seconds. However, you could think that the statement is a little bit overhyped. Yes
and no. No, because Shor algorithm is able to break RSA. This is the goal of this
algorithm in the human time. However, at the moment we speak - to break a big
number with this algorithm you need to have a much bigger quantum computer that
exists nowadays. For example, you need 4 thousands ideal qubits quantum computer.
It doesn't exist for the moment. However, quantum computing could be used also for
some benefits for our domain of INFOSEC cybersecurity. There is many advantage on
the corner. You can use a quantum computer or quantum technology to generate true
random number. This is useful for cryptography. You can deploy what is
called blind quantum computing. In fact, blind quantum computing is the ultimate
privacy for the cloud, for example. Some guys try to launch, what they call a
Quantum Internet. It's not so easy as cable networks and with a particular
future for us, that could be cool to use if you use a Quantum Internet. Everyone
that tried to spy you on the line will be detected. So it could be very useful. And
of course, quantum computing brings to the massive new power of processing.
But, how those computer works? This is the 1 slide quantum mechanic course. Why does
a fancy new quantum computer are so powerful? In classical computing, we use
bits. A bit is only in two states, 1 or 0. In quantum computing we replace the bits
by the quantum bits, which we call then qubits. These qubits follow the quantum
mechanical principle called superposition. And this principle is able to do, to
provide to the user several step at the same time. So if you use a qubit, the
qubit could be in the state of 0 and 1 nearly at the same time. It's not exactly
what it is, but for us as a computer scientist, we could understand that it's a
zero and 1 at the same time. And of course, if a quantum computer. This is a
quantum computer wants to manage to deal with all this qubits. It deals with all
the solution of the quantum register at the same time. So it will speed up the
process of data computing because you take all the space generated by these quantum
register and in one clock time the computer process all
solution. This is mainly why and how the quantum computing is so powerful. So it's
cool. So I want to build my own qubits. So this is my journey to build my own quantum
computer. And you will see that there is some success and failure in most of the
time. And I'm in the middle of this. So, I need to choose a technology to build
my own qubit's hardware. This talk is mainly about hardwear. How to build your own
hardrwear, to build your own quantum computer. So my ingredients, I need to
find a suport at the hardware level that behave like quantum mechanic. Say you need
to be able to do a quantum computer. So I need to find something that's behaving at
atomic scale. I need to be able to build it. So I want to be able to use my do-it-
yourself skills. And I want that my quantum computer works at room
temperature. If it could be stable machine, it could be the best. There is
many, many technology to build you on qubits. This one called superconducting
qubits is used by a small startup like IBM, Google. Mainly the big one use this
technology. Microsoft tried to use this technology. This technology with Diamond
vacancy is used by university in Australia and in Ireland, I think. And of course, I
use this technology. I use the technology called trap ions. So I trapped ions to
make a quantum computer. So my low level hardware support and device to do some
calculation with my quantum computer is atom. Why I choose an atom to make some
fancy new qantum computer? The main reason is because I think I may be able to
build it in my garage. It's enough affordable and well spread technology
because we use technology that has been developed in 1945. There is a lot of
experience with this type of technology. And the main reason, in fact, the qubit
quality is better than any other technology. We have a long coherence time.
If you have a long quantum coherence time, you can make much larger program, for
example. So we need to share a bit of theory to understand how this type of
computer works or I have a choice. I made a choice. I could have take time to make
dozens of equations mainly I don't understand those equation to explain to
you how to make some calculation with ions. But I found a video on YouTube and I
would like to share you this two minutes only video to let you understand how at a
theoretical point of view a quantum computer based on ion trap works. Let's
see if it works.
background music starts
Video: .. electrically charged atoms make for excellent qubits. This kind of
research has paved the way for a quantum computer prototype. Like an ordinary bit,
a qubit can be a 1 or a 0. A Qubit differs from a bit because it can also be in
combinations of these two states. An ion qubit is made from two of its energy
levels. Ions of the same type are identical. So adding more qubits is
simple. You just need to add more ions to the system. This is a major plus because a
quantum computer will need lots and lots of qubits. Qubits must be configured in
certain quantum states in order to perform quantum tasks. In an iron trap, taylored
Laser pulses can change the energy of an eye on setting it into quantum state 1, 0
or a combination of the two. The qubit surrounding environment sometimes sneakes
in and destroys the qubit state, a covert act that can ruin a computation. But some
ion energy levels are naturally isolated and scientists have come up with clever
ways of adding an extra layers of protection. Quantum computer calculations
are made from steps called Logic Gates. This will often involve more than one
qubit, which means the qubits should be connected in some way in an iron trap.
Neighboring ion qubits are connected through their collective motion. This
happens because of their electrical repulsion. Laser pulses target the motion,
enabling gates between any pair of qubits. To get the result of a calculation,
scientists need to tell whether a qubit is in state 1 or 0. Shining laser pulses onto
the ions makes only one of the two qubit levels flouress. So the result, light or
no light, gives information about the calculation. Because many qubits are
needed, quantum devices must be designed to be scalable. Researchers can only cram
so many ions next to each other in a single ion trap before they get too
unruly. But with modules each containing tens or hundreds of ions, they can start
to wire up a large scale quantum computer. Flight from individual ion modules can be
collected, allowing ion qubits from separate modules to communicate using
photons rather than their motion. So far, scientists wired up two such modules and
they are getting ready to deploy larger devices using several more.
background music stops
Yann: So now, congratulation, you are experts in ion trap quantum computing. A
two minute video only is necessary. However, we like to build this quantum
computer. So the plan is the following. We need some ions. You know that now. You
need an ion trap. You need a vacuum chamber because we need to isolate our
atom from the environment to maintain the quantum states. We need some laser, as you
show in the video, to manipulate the quantum states. We need some low level
software, to timely send the pulse of laser to manipulate the ions. And we
need a camera to measure the ions quantum states. It's easy, no? So let's go to the
difficult parts, I think mainly I would like to say that it's a work in progress.
It's good, well, to say that it doesn't finished. And, just an alert, we need to
manipulate, very high power electric voltages. So if you want to do this at home, do it
at your own risk. It's not my fault. So how to create? First, we need to create an
ion trap. How to create an ion trap and what is an iron trap? An iron trap is
mainly a bunch of electrode with specific 3D or 2D geometry. We send to the
electrode medium to high power voltage. AC voltage, alternative voltage. From 200 V
to 6 kV. It's a big number for a voltage. We will use moderate to high frequency.
This is due to the trap theory. Someone have won the Nobel Prize to explain that
to trap an atom, you need to use an alternating voltage. And this electric
voltage will make an electric field, and the goal of the electric field with the
trap is just to maintain all the atom in a chain that will float over the air, over
the trap. So how to achieve that at a small, small company budget, we say,
because it's not for our best, I think. Let's go. So I use my ultra high tech
military grade garage. I use 3D printer, local CNC machine, PCB milling techniques,
only open source software. KiCad, FreeCAD, FlatCAM. KiCad for the electronics,
FreeCAD for the mechanics and FlatCAM for the CNC. I used some high voltage
transformer, classical electronics and of course isolated gloves. Security first.
Safety first, sometime. And of course, I use eBay as a main procurement utility.
First try. I need to make a classical Paul trap, of course, when I
don't know, how it works, I go to Google and I find that some institution like CERN
have a project to make an ion trap from 3D printed parts. I use conductive ink and
only high voltage power supply. So I need to build this. There is the high voltage...
air, two electrodes and one ring electrodes. The goal is to trap ions with
that. So this is the main laboratory I use. So you have a variac. We take the
electric plug from your domestic electric network. The high transformer and air. So
the 3D printed, you have two electrode and the camera. This is the electrode. It's a
very safe wiring system. For safety reason, I put some resistance here just to
limit the currents. The first time.
laughter
Yann: In a more closer way you will see that the high voltages is coming from
this. We will apply the voltages to the electrode. And the camera is here. Just
see what the electrode will do. It works. I'm succeeding trapping some macro
particles. This is not ion for demonstrational purposes, but we succeed to
trap in the electrode some particles. Macro particles. But we have a first
failure because with this geometry, we couldn't shine correctly the laser to
manipulate the quantum state. First failure. Second try. We need to to make,
another ion trap based on a new topology or new geometry of electrode. And this
time we use a linear port to facilitate the laser shining. So again, I need to
design on my own this new type because the CERN don't provide me the 3D
printed parts. I use conductive ink and high voltages. So the goal is to design
this. And in this trap you will see that we will trap the ion in the chain in
the middle of the trap. So I use my 3D printer. I make some rods. The supports.
Some electrodes. I built all the system and I plug the cable, the wiring and the
trap. The particle will be trapped in these regions. For this second trap I
didn't use a resistance to limit the currents, so it's impossible to touch this
electrode because of death.
laughter
Yann: And it works, again.
applause
Yann: And in fact, this is a chain of particles that nearly clearly aligned. And
this is my first quantum register of eight particles. But, this is the biggest
failure, I need to put this ion trap in the vacuum chamber. A vacuum chamber is
this type of thing. It's a big bunch of metal and we put the iron trap inside
this. However, first, why we need a vacuum chamber? To be able to isolate particle
from the other atoms in atmosphere to avoid collision between atoms. Because if
we have collision between atoms, the quantum state is destroyed and the quantum
processing is destroyed also. So we need a vacuum chamber. That's for them. 3D
printing parts are not compatible with Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) environments. So
it's a big fail? Are we doomed? Maker is our job, really. So we need to find a new
solution. We have found one. So I need to find some materials that are compatible
with UHV environments to build an ion trap. I ask the NASA, because NASA sends
electronics in space. Space is like a big vacuum chamber. So they have a list of
materials publicly available to be able to use some material that are compatible with
a space condition. They are professionals. So what are the candidates, the material
candidates for my ion trap? I need to use some gold for electronic conductor. I need
to use ceramic for mechanical supports and Kapton cable for wiring inside the vacuum
chamber. So maker is really, really our job, because I need to find an idea to
transform my 3D printed linear ion trap to somthing that is compatible with UHV
environments. So I need to read the manual. There is a lot of literature on
quantum computers on Google, on Internet. So I have a bunch of books about quantum
mechanics and research paper are full of details. I found this: some guys
in 62 transform a linear Paul trap with rods to a planar ion trap with planar
or surface electrodes. That's cool. So I need to transform this. To that. Oh, boy.
I need to make my own chip. Price for complete chip factories are around 200 M$.
I called Intel, they don't want to sell me one. And it's a bit out of my budget
scope. A bit. Let's think this five minutes through to find a solution. In
fact, it took me two months to find an affordable solution to do that. So I
wanted to make a new design like a boss, of ion trap. I use a CNC, a 300$ CNC, come
from Amazon. And then I found an empty ceramic chip carrier on eBay from a
Norwegian guy. And I designed a simple KiCad PCB. So I use this. This is the
ceramic chip supports. And what you see in yellow - it's gold. I designed in
KiCad this PCB and this time we apply electric field, high voltage electric
field to this electrode, this one and those one, and it creates an electric
field to align all the macro particles of the ion in this line. And this is
how I made my quantum computer chip.
applause
Yann: Thank you. And the better is that it works.
applause
So, tada, I have my first quantum
computer done on my garage and just keep calm and except I'm a boss.
laughter
Yann: And it is not just a slide. Well, because if you want to see one of my
prototype, I bring it so you can touch it and see how it works. But when you design
such complex things; I am not a physicist, I'm just an engineer. A crazy one. But how
to be sure that I am on the right road. I went to the Science Museum in London few
few months ago, and there's this exhibition from our friend of GCHQ. Do you
know what GCHQ is? It's like doing stuff of the UK and they made an exhibition
about cryptography. And in this museum, they present a quantum computer based on
ion trap technology. Thanks. This is the experimental part they show in this museum
about quantum computer. In the right corner of this exhibition there is a
wafer. On the wafer you have the electric design that they done to make their own
iron trap. This is the design of the GCHQ. This is mine. I think I'm on the right road.
applause
Yann: Of course, I need to build my own vacuum chamber, it's not the difficult
part, the vacuum chamber. It's just metal, you need not... you need some nuts, bolts,
thin metal and pumps. A lot of pumps to suck out all the air in the vacuum. So I
bought off eBay a different type of pumps. I like my vacuum chamber. This one, pretty
one. And I put the ion trap inside the vacuum chamber. And for now I'm working on
the laser, an optical setup. And this is the main difficult part for this quantum
computer because with fancy, new, numerous wavelength for laser and we need to have a
very precise wavelength to be able to manage all the atom, the energy level of
the atom to make some calculation. So, of course, I could have and I have asked some
professional of these devices to send me some proposal. A laser costs around 25 k€.
A rule at least for this type of instrumentation. Or you can do it yourself
from 2 k€. So I decide to make my own laser setup. I'm not a laser, optical or
laser specialist. The first time I play with laser. And there is everything on
the web. You can learn everything with the web. And I found this type of schematic
you'd use either laser diode, some fancy optical lense. grating mirror that lets
you choose... mainly choose what the reference frequency you want to use.
There is a sort of loop control with PID control, which is for an electrician like
me normal things to do. I don't know why all those fancy commercial product cost a
lot. I don't know yet. Perhaps I will have some failure in the future, but I don't
know. So I ask a guy on the Internet that's sold me a laser in kits. You can
buy and mount you own laser. And this laser is controlled by an arduino. So you
have fancy mirror. The HeNe aluminum laser tube and you can make your own laser at
home also. I need a bunch of optical mounts and
supports to support the lens and mirror, etc.. And as I bought a 3D printer for my
iron trap that I can not use anymore because I use a vacuum chamber. I use the
3D printer to make all the optical mounts, in fact. So it saved me my money again.
However, you need to know that it's still a long road to have a complete quantum
computer because I need to set up all these fancy optical and laser. This is my
job at the moment. Mearly I have 6 months to one year of works. But the good
news is that at the software level, everything exists. If you need to have a
quantum compiler to make your code, it exist. At the moment, it's open source. If
you need to have some firmware to make some pulse and laser control, it
exists. And it is open source. So I am trying to convince you. Let me know if you
agree with me, that doing a quantum computer at home - it's doable. You agree?
applause
Yann: But we are at the CCC. How to hack into a quantum computer. This is
different part. It's easy. Just do what we do when we are infosec guy. Do the same
things we do as usual: Hack the weakest link. You must know that when you build
the quantum computer, there is few things that behave in the quantum mechanical
regime. You just only need this chip, for example, and some laser. But all the
equipment surrounding the quantum parts of the quantum computer is classical
system. This is wave generator. Classical computer. Some IoTs, some programmable
industrial systems. Sometimes they have IP address. If they have IP address, they are
vulnerable. So, the main I have to know to hack into a quantum computer is to
act the surrounding classical embedded system. So. Small company that is a
competitor of me. It's cool. It's a startup called IBM. They used
superconducting technology to build their own quantum computer. Their processor is
just behind this delusion of refrigerator because they need to cool down their
processor to be able to use the superconducting capability. Mine work at
room temperature. And surrounded this processor, the researcher explained, this
is a very good video to understand how it works. And surrounded this quantum
part of their quantum computer you have a bunch of instruments. And if you zoom in,
you see. If you zoom in this wave generator, it's a wave generator to send
pulse to the superconducting processor. There is a sticker. And this sticker, in fact..
laughter
Yann: So, of course, for security reason, I make some X to not show the complete
passwords. So as a conclusion. I'm trying to convince you that quantum computing and
quantum computer hardware is doable at home. So far cybersecurity or so-called
cybersecurity specialist, you need to make, to adapt your own risk analysis.
Because it's doable at home. Just understand that - is doable at home. They
will, all these quantum computer will be used for good, bad and ugly. Just
remember, GCHQ has a prototype in the museum. It would have fun if I could have
seen the production quantum computer of the GCHQ. Of course quantum computers are
hackable as any normal computer. So it's a good news for the cybersecurity industry.
But you need as a community of maker in CCC, we need to be prepared to learn and
how to use them, how to ask them how to program them and at the software level,
just, you need to unlock your classical brain, the classical software brain
because if I want to mention something at the software level, if you want to do some
control codes, you need to be able to use your code without any variables. You can't
use variables in quantum codes because if you use variable, you make a copy of a
quantum state. Making a copy of a quantum state is impossible. So you can't use them
to make a vairables or use variables in a new program and you can't debug it
because if you debug it, you make a measurement. If you make a measurement,
you destroy the quantum states. So be prepared to allow your brain to be able
to make some code in the quantum world. But it's fun. Some time. Thanks for your
attention. And if you have any question, it will be a pleasure. And as I'm French,
I need to have a two hour lunchtime.
Herald: Fantastic. Merci beaucoup. We have a lot of time now for your
questions, answers. Line up at the microphones, please. And let's have a look
if there is something from the Internet. Yes, there is. So please. First one from
the Internet. Yann: Where is the Internet?
Signal-Angel: All right. The Internet's quite impressed by your talk. So that's
just a statement. Like everyone's very happy and pleased with your talk.
Yann: Thanks to the Internet. light laughter
Signal-Angel: All right. You have a few questions. So the first one is what
properties should the element be chosen for the ion trap?
Yann: What? Sorry. Signal-Angel: So what are the properties
that should be looked at for choosing the element for the iron trap?
Yann: What atom? I think the person asked what atom I used. I used the atom from
calcium because those atoms have a specific.. because there is a lot of
literature available. So it's easy for me to understand how it works. Researchers have
done all the work before. And I used the atom because there are some energy level
in this atom that is better protected from the environment.
Herald: OK, let's quickly switch to microphone number 3.
Mic3: Thank you for it. Thank you for your talk. My question is, what's the
catch? If your design already exists in prototypes out there and it seems so much
easier than working with superconductors, then why isn't everyone already doing
this? Yann: Why someone choose superconducting
and not ion trap technologies? Is that your question?
Mic3: Correct. Yann: I don't know.
light laughter Yann: Every time there is this type of
question, why the big one used superconducting technology and why are you
using iron trap technology? Mainly the answer could be that the big one is from
the microelectronics domain. So a superconducting qubit is done on a
wafer. So it's usual for this type of company to be able to build these
type of qubits. I think it produced a habit.
Mic3: Okay, thank you. Herald: Okay. Microphone number two,
please. Mic2: I'm very impressed. But.
Okay. You mentioned that hobbyists can't really afford this. A small company can.
So just as a ballpark figure, I would like to ask the question. Nice. How much?
Yann: All I've shown you here. It cost only less than 15 k€ of material for the
moment. It is not for a hobbyist - for small company.
Herald: Okay, one question from the Internet. Signal-Angel, please.
Signal-Angel: All right. The next question is: is your next step going to be singling
out individual ions? Yann: Sorry, can you repeat?
Signal-Angel: Would your next step be singling out individual ions for the next
step in your quantum computer? Yann: We try to manipulate single ions,
but in fact, it's the goal with laser. With laser you shine a laser of individual
qubits. And with another laser, you make a link between the ions with the common mode
motion of the ion chain and you change the state of an individual ions, you transfer
the state of these individual ions to the chain, which move because ions are
electrically charged. So they repell each other and this act as a bus and you
transfer the quantum state information to to a second ion to make a logic. So the
goal effectively is to be able to manipulate one ions. We shine a laser on
the individual atoms. This is the goal. Herald: Okay. Microphone number four,
please. Mic4: Google announced recently that they
achieved the quantum supremacy. What is your opinion on this theme?
Yann: They have done a very good job for that. I think they show to the world
for the first time that a quantum computer is able to do a calculation that a
classical computer will never be able to do in the classical world. However, is
that calculation useful? I'm not sure, except for one thing, it's able to
certify the randomness of a number and it could be useful for the cyber security
world. So it's I think and for my company, I have no money to spend to marketing
thanks to Google because they show the world the power of quantum computer. So
it's cool for me. Herald: Okay. Microphone number two,
please. Mic2: Hello. Thanks for the nice talk.
I'm a material scientist from Offline Gießen. Maybe you heard about our incident
here. I was asking what are your current problems with this? For example, I mean, I
think I have too many questions to ask here now. But for example, we saw that you
had some like little pellets that were floating over your structure. But these
are not the atoms that you are trying to to confine with each other so you can make
calculations. So you didn't say anything about how you are trying to achieve this?
And what is your current state? I mean, have you- could you start some crude
calculations on this already or... ? Yann: Not for the moment because I need
to shine the laser in the right direction. So for the moment, I am building the
optical setup. Mic4: Okay. All right. Maybe there are
some possibilities how I could help you with your project.
Yann: You're welcome. Mic4: I have an access. If I could ask the
right people, I'm not in a position to promise something to you now. But for
example, we have an nano scribe laser system with this like a 3D printer. But
you can build things on nano levels, on nano meter scale.
Yann: What is the cost of using that? Mic4: The cost of the printer is around
300.000€. Yann: Oh... I take it.
Mic4: All right. Yann: Thanks. Thanks. Thanks for your
help. Mic4: Maybe after the talk we can get in
contact. Yann: Oh yes, we have a dinner. laughter
Mic4: All right. Herald: Two new friends, actually.
applause Question from the Internet, please.
Signal Angel: All right. So how many qubits is it possible to make in the garage?
Yann: For the prototype, we think we are able to do some 10 to 15 qubits with
one ion trap. The goal is to chain the ion trap. So we have many, not as many as we
want, but we could raise the number of qubits to 100 qubits.
Heral: Okay. Microphone number three, please.
Mic3: Which calculations do you plan to perform on your quantum computer?
Yann: I don't care. I build thing and software guy do their code. It's not my
job. Herald: Okay. Microphone number four, please.
There is somebody. Mic4: Hello. So your optical setup
reminded me of atomic force microscopes. Are you aware of what they are?
Yann: Perhaps. Mic4: They are essentially an optical
setup with a micro scale tip at the edge that rasters, that scans across the
surface and can detect nanoscale features. But the cool thing is that even though
this is a scientific instrument, there is also open hardware designs for that. And
maybe you can see the ideas from that for your optical setup, because once again
you've got precise lasers, at least on the geometrical side. They have to be
precisely alined and everything. Yann: Thanks. Thanks for the information.
And of course, we use a lot of spectrography techniques in this type of
computer. Heral: Okay, we have somebody over there
at microphone number three. Mic4: Did you consider optical quantum
computers with entangled photons and such stuff?
Yann: I did- This was my first choice in fact. However as far as I know, I'm not a
physicist, it's difficult to make some and trick entanglements and, not
entanglement... It's difficult to make some photon to talk to each other. Let's
say that. So it's a complicated way to do something with multiple qubits. But
photonic is a good technology because it works also at room temperature. But I
prefer to have a vacuum chamber in my garage.
Herald: Okay, let's interrogate the Internet again.
Signal Angel: So you've mentioned that you should not be doing measurements on the
quantum computer. So have you tried doing any measurements on your prototype?
Yann: Measurement of what? Herald: This is hard. I think the Internet
cannot really reply now. So can we... Yann: Internet is limited. I think we can
give the guy that ask the question. He wants to send me the question I can answer
just after all. Signal angel: But I think they are talking
about electric field. Yann: Ah, no. I just I don't make any
measurement. I'm an engineer. And as I am a good engineer, I just plug things. And
just see what happens. I have no idea of the electric field generated. No idea.
Again. Herald: OK. Microphone number two, please.
Mic2: Hello. Thank you for the talk. So after you generate the vacuum in your
vacuum chamber, how do you actually introduce the right number of ions and how
do you keep them in the place where you need to have them?
Yann: It's a good question. In fact, we don't introduce the ions. We put a calcium
stone, sort of calcium stone, in a sort of oven, it's just a tube. We send current in
this tube, the tube heats the calcium. They make some vapor and we shine a laser
on the vapor of neutral atom of calcium. And this creates the ions. And this ion is
trapped because it's now electric charged by the electrostatic field we make with
the ion trap. So we just introduced before closing all the vacuum viewport and all
the nuts and bolts. We just put a piece of stone of calcium, neutral atom. So
everything is in the chamber before we turn on the quantum computer or the
chamber. Herald: OK. We stay at microphone number
two. There is another one. Mic2: OK, second question. What you're
describing is you have a linear array of right now macroscopic particles. You will
have a linear array of ions that are then coupled by kind of common vibrational
modes. So they need to see each other's electrical fields. So I am wondering what
the characteristic length scale between macroscopic particles versus ions would be
if you want to have some meaningful vibrational modes that don't immediately
get drowned by external thermal noise. Yann: So if I understand correctly the
question, you ask me what is the dimension between the ions?
Mic2: Yes. I mean you you are pretty big compared to the IBM guys.
Yann: Yes. I'm big. Yes. You're right. The main dimension we use between ion it's few
micron. And if some researcher succeeds to align 100 ions. So you have a chain of 100
ions multiplied by five to ten microns between ions. This is the length.
Mic2: But I mean, on your substrate, you ou have a fraction of a
millimeter. Yeah. Between the... Yann: It's because it's prototype.
Mic2: Okay. Yann: You're right. I need to squeeze the
design a little bit, okay? It just need to buy a better CNC machine.
Herald: OK, we got some question from the Internet again.
Signal angel: All right so this one is... This is more towards knowing about the
GCHQ exhibition. Is it still open do you know?
Yann: Yes. I think, you have a free ticket if you want. It's free. In
fact, it's free. Signal Angel: I guess people will contact
you on Twitter for that. Yann: Yeah. I make some touristic business
or so. I can help. Signal Angel: Everyone was impressed with
your GCHQ hack. Herald: Ok, any more questions. How many
people are working in your garage? Yann: There is me and sometimes one of
my daughters, which is, 10 years old. Herald: Pro team.
Yann: Yeah, a big one. Herald: Okay. Any more questions from
the audience, from the Internet? We have time. Okay, I'm gonna close that session
now, thank you very much. Big applause again for Yann.
applause
36C3 outro music
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