Erwin Schrödinger Center for Quantum Science & Technology (ESQ)

Ultrastrong-coupling circuit QED for quantum chemistry simulations

In this project we will explore an unconventional new approach for designing complex superconducting circuits and demonstrate its potential for quantum chemistry applications. The key idea is to consider circuit QED systems with multiple superconducting qubits coupled to a microwave resonator in the so-called ultrastrong coupling regime. In this regime, the coupling between the individual components becomes the dominante energy scale and a clear separation between qubit- and photonic degrees of freedom is no longer possible. This enables the design of quantum circuits with completely new functionalities, which can be used to mimic, for example, the full quantum dynamics of a chemical reaction process. It is the goal of this project to analyze all the necessary steps and the overall feasibility of this approach using state-of-the-art superconducting circuits.