Thesis defense of Lucas LECLERC

Thesis defense of Lucas LECLERC, PhD student in the Quantum Optics group of the Laboratoire Charles Fabry, on Thursday 19 September 2024 at 2:00pm in the Auditorium of the Institut d'Optique Graduate School in Palaiseau, on the topic: "Quantum computing with Rydberg atoms: control and modelling for quantum simulation and practical algorithms"

Abstracts: "Refining our understanding of an unknown system through modelling lays the groundwork for optimally controlling it and opens the door to a myriad of potential applications, exploiting the once enigmatic and unpredictable effects of this now-known system. This thesis applies this paradigm to analog quantum computing with Rydberg atoms, showcasing how careful noise modelling, optimal control and machine learning frameworks can support and enhance the simulation of quantum magnetism and the solving of graph-based optimisation and classification problems. After describing the experimental platform enabling the control of Rydberg atoms, we introduce classical tools such as digital twins of noisy systems, tensor network modelling, robust optimal control, and Bayesian optimisation for variational algorithms. We apply the latter to several applications. We improve the preparation of antiferromagnetic state in the Ising model and benchmark the noisy behaviour of a dipolar XY quantum simulator when probing continuous symmetry breaking and performing quantum state tomography. Using optimisation techniques and machine learning methods, we also tackle industrial use cases such as maximum independent set on graphs representing smart charging tasks, binary classification of toxic or harmless molecular compounds, and prediction of fallen angel companies in financial risk management."