[qmeets talk] The Power of Counting Photons

Dates: Wednesday, February 4, 2026Web page: qmeetsRegistration deadline: Wednesday, February 4, 2026Submission deadline: Wednesday, February 4, 2026Tags: #quantum #quantumcomputing #quantuminformationAbstract: Quantum computers promise to revolutionise the world as we know it – we just need to build one! However, constructing one of these computers is a gargantuan task that is being explored from many different approaches, each with their own benefits and disadvantages. Optical networks, for example, offer scalability far beyond what is capable in other systems, but often require non-deterministic elements. Nevertheless, scientists have begun to explore what is capable in these scalable systems, even in the presence of current system imperfections – a concept known as noisy intermediate-scale quantum computing, or NISQ. One of the most promising of such systems is known as Gaussian boson sampling, the core concept of which involves counting photons at the output of a large photonic network – a task that is provably impossible for a classical computer beyond a given size. In this qmeets talk, Prof. Christine Silberhorn, Dr. Benjamin Brecht and Dr. Michael Stefszky will introduce different methods of implementing quantum optical networks in real-world conditions and introduce the concept and power of Gaussian boson sampling to illuminate the power that these large photonic systems contain. Speakers: Christine Silberhorn, Benjamin Brecht & Michael Stefszky [Online seminar] Format: Each talk will be 20 + 10 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of general discussion.