South Korean quantum computing startup OQT announced on the 13th that it has secured a seed investment of approximately $2.25 million (KRW 3 billion) from Kakao Ventures and Bluepoint Partners.

In the CiRQus project, we have implemented laser-controlled interactions between a highly-excited circular Rydberg qubit and a second ionic core electron. This achievement advances control of circular Rydberg atoms from the microwave to the optical domain by combining established tools for manipulating trapped ions with neutral atom arrays.

Researchers in the Institute for Molecular Science revealed the quantum entanglement between electronic and motional states in their “ultrafast quantum simulator,” generated by the repulsive force due to the strong interaction between Rydberg atoms. They also propose a new quantum simulation method including repulsive force between particles. This achievement is published August 30th in Physical Review Letters.

The team from the University of Birmingham tested the laser cooling method developed by Aquark Technologies which does not require an applied magnetic field and so could make quantum sensing systems more portable and robust and therefore easier to use commercially.