ORCA Computing has announced the shipment of its PT-2 photonic quantum system to the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) in the UK. Building on the success of its predecessor, the PT-1, the PT-2 offers 40 qumodes at industry-relevant clock cycles, housed in a standard 19-inch rack. The system is designed for seamless integration with GPUs and classical computing infrastructure, enabling hybrid quantum-classical applications. It has already demonstrated its capabilities by completing 25,000 uninterrupted jobs during a recent QTap day, including tasks such as 81-parameter binary optimization and quantum-classical generative AI benchmarking for molecular chemistry.
The PT-2 represents a significant advancement in photonic quantum computing, operating at room temperature and leveraging state-of-the-art photonic components. It is tailored for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) environments, offering developer-friendly tools and low total cost of ownership. ORCA’s collaboration with partners like Sparrow Quantum, which supplies deterministic single-photon sources, and NVIDIA, ID Quantique, and Digital Catapult, highlights the importance of ecosystem collaboration in advancing quantum technologies.
Looking ahead, ORCA plans to deliver the NQCC Photonic Testbed in Q1 2025, which will integrate multiple photon sources within a single system—a technological first. This testbed will further enhance hybrid quantum-classical capabilities, paving the way for quantum utility by 2026. ORCA is also part of a Eurostars-funded project with Pixel Photonics, Sparrow Quantum, and the Niels Bohr Institute to develop a full-stack photonic quantum computing system, demonstrating its commitment to advancing quantum photonics globally.
For more details, visit ORCA Computing’s announcement here and Sparrow Quantum’s LinkedIn post here.
March 14, 2025
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