In January 2023, QuEra Computing, a leader in neutral-atom quantum computing, and Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre, Australia’s premier high-performance computing facility, established a strategic partnership to integrate quantum computing with traditional supercomputing capabilities. This collaboration aims to enhance research capabilities across multiple scientific domains by developing specialized quantum emulation software optimized for Pawsey’s Setonix supercomputer while providing Australian researchers with access to QuEra’s advanced quantum hardware platforms.

The Quantum-Supercomputing Integration Challenge

Scientific research increasingly requires computational capabilities that exceed what classical supercomputers alone can provide. As quantum computing emerges as a viable technology, integrating quantum and classical systems presents both technical and practical challenges for research institutions worldwide.

A significant obstacle in this integration is the specialized expertise gap between quantum computing and high-performance computing domains. Few organizations possess proficiency in both areas, which substantially limits potential synergies between these technologies. This expertise divide is further compounded by geographic and financial barriers that restrict access to cutting-edge quantum systems, particularly for research institutions outside major technology hubs.

From a technical perspective, developing software that effectively bridges quantum and classical computing environments demands specialized knowledge and significant development resources that exceed the capabilities of most individual research organizations. The creation of seamless workflows between quantum processors and classical supercomputers involves complex challenges in data transfer, timing, and resource management that require coordinated expertise from both quantum and classical computing disciplines.

The integration of quantum computing into traditional high-performance computing workflows has become increasingly important as researchers tackle complex problems in materials science, optimization, and simulation that benefit from both computing paradigms. According to industry analyses, hybrid quantum-classical computing approaches are expected to deliver practical advantages years before pure quantum systems can operate at scale, making partnerships like the QuEra-Pawsey collaboration particularly valuable in the current technological landscape.

Quantum Solution

QuEra and Pawsey’s partnership addresses these integration challenges through a multi-faceted approach centered on hybrid quantum-classical computing. The solution leverages QuEra’s neutral-atom quantum technology and Pawsey’s world-class supercomputing infrastructure to create a synergistic computing environment that exceeds the capabilities of either system operating independently.

The centerpiece of the solution is the joint development of high-performance quantum emulation software optimized specifically for Pawsey’s Setonix supercomputer—the most powerful research computer in the Southern Hemisphere and the fourth greenest supercomputer globally according to the TOP500 and Green500 rankings. This specialized software facilitates seamless integration between quantum and classical workloads, enabling researchers to develop and test quantum algorithms at scale within a unified computational framework.

The implementation builds upon QuEra’s Bloqade software package, available in both Python and Julia programming languages, which provides sophisticated tools for quantum simulation and algorithm development. Through collaborative engineering efforts, this software is being enhanced to leverage Setonix’s massive parallel processing capabilities, allowing for larger and more complex quantum simulations than possible on standard computing platforms, thereby extending the practical research applications of quantum algorithms.

Beyond software integration, QuEra provides Pawsey with private cloud access to its Boston-based Aquila-class quantum computers—256-qubit devices featuring unique capabilities including high coherence times and an innovative analog quantum processing mode. This remote access arrangement is complemented by expert consulting services and specialized training programs designed to build quantum computing expertise within the Australian research community, addressing the critical expertise gap identified in quantum-classical integration.

A particularly significant innovation in QuEra’s technology contribution is their Field-Programmable Qubit Array (FPQA) approach, which allows flexible reconfiguration of qubit positioning for each computation. This capability essentially enables customized “quantum chip designs” tailored to specific research problems, providing a level of adaptability that significantly enhances the practical utility of quantum computing for scientific applications.

Implementation

The implementation of this quantum-supercomputing integration followed a carefully structured process designed to ensure successful deployment and adoption of these advanced technologies across the Australian research community.
The partnership formally began in January 2023 when QuEra and Pawsey established their collaboration with specific focus on joint research projects and software development initiatives. Following this formal agreement, technical teams from both organizations conducted comprehensive analyses of Setonix’s architecture and QuEra’s quantum systems to identify optimal integration points and detailed software requirements for their hybrid computing approach.

With this technical foundation established, the collaborative development of quantum emulation software optimized for Setonix commenced, drawing upon QuEra’s expertise in quantum simulation and Pawsey’s extensive experience in high-performance computing. In parallel, the technical infrastructure necessary to provide Australian researchers with secure access to QuEra’s Boston-based quantum computers through private cloud services was implemented, creating a seamless connection between these geographically distant computing resources.

To ensure effective utilization of these advanced technologies, QuEra provided specialized training and consulting services to build quantum computing expertise within the Pawsey ecosystem. These knowledge transfer activities included workshops and technical sessions for researchers across multiple disciplines, creating a foundation of quantum computing literacy essential for leveraging the integrated systems effectively.

With both technical infrastructure and knowledge foundations in place, initial research projects were launched focusing on quantum simulation applications relevant to Australian research priorities. These projects placed particular emphasis on materials science and optimization problems where the quantum-classical integration offered significant computational advantages over traditional approaches.
Throughout this implementation process, both organizations maintained robust communication channels to address emerging technical challenges and ensure continuous alignment with evolving research objectives. The partnership structure was deliberately designed to allow for ongoing refinement of tools and approaches as quantum technology evolves, ensuring sustainable long-term value from the collaboration.

Results and Business Impact

The QuEra-Pawsey partnership has delivered substantial benefits for both organizations and the broader scientific community through its innovative approach to quantum-classical integration. By combining complementary expertise and technologies, the collaboration has created value that neither organization could have achieved independently.

The integration of quantum computing capabilities with Pawsey’s supercomputing infrastructure has significantly extended computational capabilities for Australian researchers, particularly in quantum simulation and optimization domains. This enhanced computational power has enabled new approaches to previously intractable scientific problems, opening research pathways that were inaccessible with classical computing resources alone. The practical impact of this capability expansion has been observed across multiple research domains, from materials science to complex systems modeling.

By combining Pawsey’s deep expertise in high-performance computing with QuEra’s quantum technology innovations, the partnership has accelerated the development of practical quantum applications with real-world relevance. Researchers can now move seamlessly between classical and quantum computational approaches within a unified framework, selecting the optimal computational strategy for each aspect of complex scientific challenges. This flexibility represents a significant advancement over the isolated quantum or classical computing environments that characterized previous research infrastructures.

The collaboration has also substantially expanded quantum computing expertise within the Australian research community through structured training programs and hands-on experience with quantum systems. This knowledge development aspect of the partnership addresses one of the fundamental challenges in quantum-classical integration—the expertise gap—creating lasting value that extends beyond the immediate technical implementations.

From a strategic perspective, the partnership has strengthened the competitive positioning of both organizations. For Pawsey, the collaboration has established the center as a pioneering facility in quantum-supercomputing integration, enhancing its position as a world-class research infrastructure provider capable of supporting the most advanced computational research methodologies. For QuEra, the partnership has expanded its global reach and provided valuable real-world testing of its technology in diverse research applications, accelerating the refinement and practical validation of its quantum computing approach.

The joint software development initiatives have improved the efficiency of quantum resource utilization across the research ecosystem, allowing scientists to maximize the utility of limited quantum computing time through effective pre-testing and simulation on classical systems. This optimization of computational resources represents a significant operational efficiency gain, particularly given the current scarcity and expense of quantum computing resources globally.

Through these multifaceted benefits, the partnership has positioned both organizations at the forefront of quantum-classical computing integration, creating practical pathways for researchers to leverage emerging quantum capabilities alongside established supercomputing resources in ways that advance scientific discovery and technological innovation.

Future Directions

Building on the solid foundation established through their initial collaboration, QuEra and Pawsey have developed an ambitious roadmap for future development that extends the impact and capabilities of their quantum-supercomputing integration. This forward-looking strategy encompasses multiple dimensions of technological and application development.

The partners plan to extend their collaboration to encompass new scientific domains, including quantum machine learning applications, advanced materials research with quantum simulation components, and complex optimization problems relevant to Australian industries. This expansion of application domains will broaden the impact of their quantum-classical computing integration, creating value across a more diverse range of scientific and industrial challenges.

In the technical domain, future development will focus on creating increasingly sophisticated tools for quantum-classical integration. These advanced software systems will include automated workflow management capabilities that optimize resource allocation between quantum and classical computing elements based on problem characteristics and computational requirements. These tools will further reduce the technical barriers to quantum computing adoption by research teams without specialized quantum expertise.

The partnership’s educational dimension will also expand through enhanced training programs designed to build a broader base of quantum computing expertise within the Australian research community. These initiatives will accelerate the adoption of quantum techniques across multiple disciplines by creating a larger pool of researchers capable of effectively leveraging quantum-enhanced computational approaches in their work.

As QuEra advances its quantum hardware capabilities through ongoing development, the partnership will ensure Pawsey researchers maintain access to increasingly powerful quantum systems. The software infrastructure developed through the collaboration will be continuously optimized to leverage these hardware advancements, creating a sustainable pathway for computational capability enhancement over time.

The strengthening relationship between these organizations was further formalized in August 2024, when Pawsey was named as an initial member of the QuEra Quantum Alliance Partner Program. This development has created new pathways for quantum computing deployment in research applications, cementing the long-term nature of the collaboration and its strategic importance to both organizations.

The strategic alignment between QuEra and Pawsey represents a significant step toward practical quantum advantage in scientific research. Their collaboration demonstrates how targeted partnerships between quantum technology providers and high-performance computing facilities can accelerate the transition to quantum-enhanced computational methods, creating value for the broader scientific community while advancing the technical capabilities and strategic positioning of the partner organizations.