HPCQS (Pan-European Hybrid HPC/Quantum Infrastructure) is a four-year pan-European Hybrid HPC (High Performance Computing)/Quantum Pilot Project to develop, deploy and coordinate a cloud-based European joint infrastructure at Tier- 0 The HPC system tightly integrates two quantum computers, each controlling more than 100 qubits. Including the JOLIOT-CURIE supercomputer (operating agency CEA/TGCC) of the French National Large-scale Computing Center (GENCI), and the JUWELS modular supercomputer of the Jülich Supercomputing Center (JSC).

IMG_256

HPCQS brings together leading quantum and supercomputer experts from the scientific community and industry from six European countries.

HPCQS was launched in December 2021 with the support of the European High Performance Computing Joint Project (EuroHPC JU) and six European countries (Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain) and is managed by JSC.

Integrating quantum hardware seamlessly with classical computing resources to create a hybrid system is an important step toward harnessing quantum computers for practical applications. HPCQS will also create and provide a European-made, hardware-agnostic and comprehensive programming environment for quantum computing and the design of quantum HPC hybrid applications for end users.

To achieve these goals, the French National Centre for Large-scale Computing (GENCI) and the German Research Center Jülich (FZJ), with the support of EuroHPC JU, have launched a joint PPI (Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions)-based program to obtain two A quantum simulator capable of controlling at least 100 qubits. The result of this PPI was the selection of Fresnel (named after the 19th century French physicist Fresnel) provided by the French start-up Pasqal to simulate a quantum computer. Techniques relying on neutral atoms arranged in 2D/3D optical tweezers arrays and interacting in their Rydberg states. Each Fresnel will be combined with a Tier-0 system and act as a quantum accelerator for specific workloads in optimization, quantum chemistry and machine learning.

The two Fresnel quantum simulators will be installed at CEA/TGCC and FZJ/JSC in the second half of 2023. CEA/TGCC is an infrastructure dedicated to high-performance computing, capable of hosting petascale supercomputers.

IMG_257

The Jülich Research Center (FZJ) in Germany and GENCI in France supported HPCQS by selecting Pasqal to provide two quantum computers.

At the same time, Pasqal will provide remote access to its internal Fresnel system to drive HPCQS activities enabling the deployment of a full hybrid software stack, including cloud access, resource management for hybrid workloads, tools and libraries, including benchmarking and certification/performance analysis. Engaging users in collaborative design will drive prototyping applications of machine learning and scientific simulations featuring quantum algorithms to solve differential equations, material simulations, graph machine learning problems, and optimization problems.

Anders Dam Jensen, Executive Director of EuroHPC, said: "I am delighted to be supporting its first quantum computing initiative and look forward to seeing the new quantum simulators put into use. The ability to enable quantum computing and take advantage of this resource is comparable to our existing classical The combined HPC infrastructure will enable Europe's research community and industry to develop new and groundbreaking technology applications and solutions."

IMG_258

Anders Dam Jensen

"GENCI and CEA are very pleased with the selection of Pasqal's Fresnel quantum simulator to bring HPCQS up and running. This purchase in the area of the French Quantum Strategy and the HPCQS European project is a historic step for France and Europe in assessing quantum advantage Philippe Lavocat, CEO of GENCI, and Jacques-Charles Lafoucrière, HQI project manager at CEA, said: "Combined with our supercomputer Joliot Curie at TGCC, PASQAL's unique cold atom-based 100+ quantum technology will enable European researchers Be able to specifically assess the potential of quantum computing for scientific and industrial workloads."

"HPCQS is an ideal continuation of the hybrid quantum HPC computing program and activities, through which we have achieved the world's first deep integration between HPC and quantum computing based on modular supercomputing, through HPCQS, together with outstanding partners in Europe, and through This innovative technology brings Europe to the forefront of research," explains JSC's Professor Thomas Lippert.

"Our neutral atom quantum computer was able to be selected by the HPCQS consortium to form the core of Europe's first hybrid (quantum-classical) HPC infrastructure. We are honoured to be working with such a great partner and to support the European HPC community in quantum Contributing to the forefront of the revolution. Pasqal could not have played such a role in the HPCQS Consortium without the strong support of the French government authorities and without their commitment to quantum technological excellence in the French National Quantum Initiative. This is why today Not just about the choice of the Pasqal quantum computer, but about strengthening Europe's strategic autonomy in quantum and HPC. We are building the HPC infrastructure of the future," said Georges-Olivier Reymond, CEO of PASQAL.

IMG_259

Georges-Olivier Reymond

Reference link:

https://pasqal.io/2022/05/30/with-two-100-qubits-quantum-computers-from-pasqal-fzj-and-genci-boost-hpcqs-the-pan-european-hybrid-hpc- quantum-infrastructure/