Qblox Products Overview#
Qblox provides fully integrated control electronics and a streamlined solution, consisting of both hardware and software. This unified system simplifies the process by consolidating the essential classical electronics components required for quantum computing.
Electronics#
Our hardware products use a modular design, allowing you to customize your instrument by adding specific modules to one of our three base chassis models. The capabilities of your system depend entirely on the modules you install.
Some modules are exclusive to a certain chassis, while others are compatible with multiple models. A full list of available modules and their frequency capabilities is provided below.
Chassis types#
Qblox Cluster is the scalable 19” rack instrument that can be configured with a combination of up to 20 modules for control and readout qubits over a wide frequency range (up to 18.5 GHz).
Qblox presents two unique protocols to ensure deterministic timing across all modules SYNQ and low-latency feedback with an arbitrary control flow LINQ.
The available modules on this cluster are:
QCM: Qubit Control Module with 4 channel outputs in the baseband regime (0-400 MHz) and 4 digital markers.
QCM-RF: Qubit Control Module with 2 channel outputs in the radio-frequency regime (2-18.5 GHz) and 2 digital markers.
QRM: Qubit Readout Module with 2 channel inputs and 2 channel outputs in the baseband regime (0-400 MHz) and 4 digital markers.
QRM-RF: Qubit Readout Module with 1 channel input and 1 channel output in the radio-frequency regime (2-18.5 GHz) and 2 digital markers.
QTM: Photon counting and time tagging module with 8 in/out digital marker channels with the input resolution of 20 ps.
While pulses are always shaped in the digital (baseband) domain, they are upconverted to relevant qubit drive frequencies in the GHz regime through the analog stage in the RF modules. We also provide tools to reduce local oscillator leakage and calibrate the IQ mixer. Readout works similarly, where readout pulses are sent to the feedline and then collected via the input port of the QRM-RF module. First, the GHz signal is downconverted to the baseband regime and fed into the digital domain via integrated digitizers. Then the signal is analyzed with the onboard processors, allowing real-time integrations, averaging, binning, and storage of 131k measurement results per run. For more information on the exact capabilities of this system please visit the user guides.
The DC Cluster is in many ways a more specialized version of the aforementioned Qblox cluster with its scalable 19” rack that can be similarly configured with a combination of up to 20 modules to perform control and readout. What makes this cluster special is that it is built with the QSM module in mind allowing it to source and measure current and voltage in a highly stable and low noise manner. This product comes with a ground-loop isolation architecture on top of what’s available in the classic QBlox cluster. Similarly to the Qblox Cluster, the DC Cluster also supports the two unique protocols ensuring deterministic timing across all modules SYNQ and low-latency feedback with an arbitrary control flow LINQ.
Due to the special architecture made to produce higher quality DC output none of the modules capable of producing signals in the GHz regime can be used with this chassis. Making it so that the applicable modules on the following cluster are as follows:
QCM: Qubit Control Module with 4 channel outputs in the baseband regime (0-400 MHz) and 4 digital markers.
Important
In case the module is used in a DC-Cluster, ferrites should be used for EMC requirements. See QCMs in Dc-Cluster.
The SPI system is an ultra stable and extremely low noise modular system for DC current and DC voltage source modules. Modules are designed to maximize output stability. Together with the galvanically isolated control interface and isolated power supply, ground loops are avoided and interference (like 50 Hz) is minimized.
Along with the SPI rack, the full SPI set up consists of the following components:
SPI rack chassis
External Power Supply
Gyrator
Ferrite core
Battery unit
DisplayPort cable
USB cable
The SPI rack houses the following modules:
Software#
Qblox scheduler#
To operate your qubits through an intuitive interface, we advise installing Qblox scheduler. Qblox scheduler is a Python module for writing quantum programs featuring a hybrid gate-pulse control model with explicit timing control. The control model allows quantum gate- and pulse-level descriptions to be combined in a clearly defined and hardware-agnostic way. Qblox-scheduler is designed to enable experimentalists to define complex experiments easily and produces synchronized pulse schedules to be distributed to control hardware along with containing all basic functionality to control experiments in a more general manner.
Qblox scheduler is compatible with various quantum platforms such as transmons, spin-qubits, or NV-centers and can also be used with any equipment from other vendors that supports QCoDeS drivers.
Functionalities provided by the Qblox scheduler include:
A framework to control instruments.
A data-acquisition loop.
Data storage and analysis.
The ability to monitor parameters and live visualization of experiments.
For more details on the functionalities and tutorials please visit the user guide.
Qblox Instruments#
To get the most out of the Qblox hardware, we offer low-level control of all equipment parameters and pulse processors (Q1ASM) through the Qblox Instruments driver.
Q1ASM#
Q1ASM is a low-level assembly language designed for direct machine-level control of Qblox hardware. It serves as the foundational tool upon which all subsequent compilers, including the Qblox scheduler, are built.
With Q1ASM, users work directly with pulses and waveforms rather than high-level experimental operations. This provides significant value for users who need to test unorthodox pulse shapes and unique operations. The language offers a more intuitive, step-by-step clarity for pulse generation and acquisition, providing a less opaque view of the instrument’s output.
Due to its assembly nature, Q1ASM can be adapted for a wide variety of qubit platforms to meet a user’s specific needs. Tutorials and detailed documentation on using Q1ASM for different platforms can be found in the user guide.
QCoDeS parameters#
All static equipment parameters in Qblox Instruments use the QCoDeS framework for setting and reading out these parameters. QCoDeS is a Python-based data acquisition and handling framework designed to facilitate experiments in nanoelectronics, developed by the Copenhagen / Delft / Sydney / Microsoft quantum computing consortium.
For general information on the product offering, visit qblox.com.