Quantum technology is an emerging field of physics and engineering, encompassing technologies that rely on the properties of quantum mechanics, [1] especially quantum entanglement, quantum superposition, and quantum tunneling. Quantum computing, sensors, cryptography, simulation, measurement, imaging, quantum energy generators and space navigation are all examples of emerging quantum technologies. The development of quantum technologies also heavily impacts established fields such as space exploration, [2] the sustainable energy & cleantech sector, nanomanufacturing, semiconductors and laser technology.
Furthermore, some scientists are researching possible interconnections between quantum biology and quantum technology, for example to better understand immunology [3] and improve healthcare. Apart from its main roots in physics, some types of quantum technology may even involve chemistry or microbiology.
Quantum secure communication is a method that is expected to be 'quantum safe' in the advent of quantum computing systems that could break current cryptography systems using methods such as Shor's algorithm. These methods include quantum key distribution (QKD), a method of transmitting information using entangled light in a way that makes any interception of the transmission obvious to the user. Another method is the quantum random number generator, which is capable of producing truly random numbers unlike non-quantum algorithms that merely imitate randomness. [4]
Quantum computers are expected to have a number of important uses in computing fields such as optimization and machine learning. They are perhaps best known for their expected ability to carry out Shor's algorithm, which can be used to factorize large numbers and is an important process in the securing of data transmissions.
Quantum simulators are types of quantum computers used to simulate a real world system and can be used to simulate chemical compounds or solve high energy physics problems. [5] [6] Quantum simulators are simpler to build as opposed to general purpose quantum computers because complete control over every component is not necessary. [5] Current quantum simulators under development include ultracold atoms in optical lattices, trapped ions, arrays of superconducting qubits, and others. [5]
Quantum sensors are expected to have a number of applications in a wide variety of fields including positioning systems, communication technology, electric and magnetic field sensors, gravimetry [7] as well as geophysical areas of research such as civil engineering [8] and seismology.
The field of quantum technology was first outlined in a 1997 book by Gerard J. Milburn, [9] which was then followed by a 2003 article by Jonathan P. Dowling and Gerard J. Milburn, [10] [11] as well as a 2003 article by David Deutsch. [12]
Many devices already available are fundamentally reliant on the effects of quantum mechanics. These include laser systems, transistors and semiconductor devices, as well as other devices such as MRI imagers. The UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) grouped these devices as 'quantum 1.0' to differentiate them from what it dubbed 'quantum 2.0', which it defined as a class of devices that actively create, manipulate, and read out quantum states of matter using the effects of superposition and entanglement. [13]
From 2010 onwards, multiple governments have established programmes to explore quantum technologies, [14] such as the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme, [15] which created four quantum 'hubs', the Centre for Quantum Technologies in Singapore, and QuTech, a Dutch center to develop a topological quantum computer. [16] In 2016, the European Union introduced the Quantum Technology Flagship, [17] [18] a €1 Billion, 10-year-long megaproject, similar in size to earlier European Future and Emerging Technologies Flagship projects. [19] [20] In December 2018, the United States passed the National Quantum Initiative Act, which provides a US$1 billion annual budget for quantum research. [21] China is building the world's largest quantum research facility with a planned investment of 76 billion Yuan (approx. €10 Billion). [22] [23] Indian government has also invested 8000 crore Rupees (approx. US$1.02 Billion) over 5-years to boost quantum technologies under its National Quantum Mission. [24]
In the private sector, large companies have made multiple investments in quantum technologies. Organizations such as Google, D-wave systems, and University of California Santa Barbara [25] have formed partnerships and investments to develop quantum technology.
Country/Group | Name of Center/ Project | Government control (yes/no/partial) | Type of Quantum Technology Research | Established date | Funding |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence | Yes | Computing | 2017 | US$94 million |
Department of Defence's Next Generation Technologies Fund | Yes | Integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance Space capabilities Enhanced human performance Medical countermeasure products Multi-disciplinary material sciences Quantum technologies Trusted autonomous systems Cyber Advanced sensors Hypersonics Directed energy capabilities [26] | 2016 [27] | US$4.5M | |
Sydney Quantum Academy | Partial | Quantum economy | December 7, 2020 [28] | US$15.0M [29] | |
Silicon Quantum Computing | Partial | Quantum computing | May 2017 | US$83M [30] | |
Canada | Canadian Space Agency Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite | Partial | Quantum key distribution(QKD) [31] | December 2017 | |
National Research Council of Canada's Security and Disruptive Technologies Research Centre: Quantum Sensors and Security program | Partial | Longer-range emerging and disruptive technologies | 2012 | US$23M | |
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council/UK Research and Innovation | Partial | Quantum technology development | US$3.4M | ||
Canada’s National Quantum Strategy | Partial | The Strategy will guide investments along three pillars − quantum research, talent and commercialization − toward achieving three key missions, in quantum computers and software, communications and sensors. | 2023 | US$267M | |
China | Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics | Yes | General | May 2015 | US$10.0B |
Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) project (the Micius satellite) | Yes | Quantum key distribution | May 2015 | ||
Beijing–Shanghai Quantum Secure Communication Backbone | Yes | Quantum Communications | May 2015 | ||
National Quantum Laboratory | Yes | Quantum metrology and building a quantum computer | May 2015 (opened in 2020) | ||
European Union | Quantum Technologies Flagship program | Yes | Quantum computing Quantum metrology and sensing [32] | 2018 | Expected budget of €1 billion [32] |
Coordination and support action for Quantum Technology Education (QTEdu) | Yes | Education [33] | 2020 | ||
QuantERA | Yes | Quantum technologies | 2016 [34] | €89 million [35] | |
Open European Quantum Key Distribution (OpenQKD) | Yes | Quantum-based cryptography [36] | Sept. 2, 2019 (ended Sept. 1, 2022) [37] | €17 974 246,25 [37] | |
European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI) | Yes | Quantum communication infrastructure [38] | June 2019 [38] | €90,000,000 [39] | |
France | National Strategy for Quantum Technologies | Yes | Quantum computing, quantum communications and quantum sensors [40] | January 21, 2021 [40] | US$1.8B [40] |
Germany | Quantum Technologies — From Basic Research to Market | Yes | Quantum technologies | September 26, 2018 | €650M [41] |
Agenda Quantensysteme 2030 | Yes | quantum computing, quantum simulation, quantum communication, quantum sensors, supporting technologies, public outreach | March 23, 2021. [42] | ||
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft-IBM collaboration | Yes | Quantum computing [43] | September, 2019 [43] | €40M [43] | |
QuNET | Yes | Quantum communication [44] | 2018 [44] | €165M [44] | |
India | National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications | Yes | Quantum communication, quantum simulation, quantum computation, Quantum sensing, and quantum metrology [45] | 2020 [45] | Rs 8000 Crore [45] |
Israel | National Program for Quantum Science and Technology | Yes | National quantum development [46] | 2019 [46] | US$360 [46] |
Japan | Quantum Technology Innovation Strategy | Yes | Quantum technology | 2020 | US$470 |
Quantum Strategic Industry Alliance for Revolution (Q-STAR) | Yes | An industry council to promote quantum technologies | September 1, 2021 | ||
Quantum Leap Flagship Program | Yes | Superconducting quantum computer, quantum simulation, quantum computing, solid state quantum sensors, lasers [47] | 2018 [47] | US$200M [47] | |
The Moonshot Research and Development Program (Goal 6) | Yes | Quantum computing | 2019 [48] | US$963M for total program not just quantum [48] | |
Netherlands | National Agenda for Quantum Technology: Quantum Delta NL | Yes | Quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing [49] | 2020 [50] | €615M [50] |
Russia | Rosatom | Yes | Quantum technologies and research infrastructure [51] | 2021 [51] | 23 billion rubles [51] |
RZD (Russian Railways) | Yes | Quantum Communications [52] | October 2021 [52] | 138M Russian rubles [52] | |
Singapore | Quantum Engineering Program | Yes | Quantum technology [53] | 2018 [53] | US$121.6M [53] |
Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT) | Yes | Quantum Technologies [54] | 2007 [54] | US$194.9M [54] | |
SGInnovate- Quantum Technologies [55] | Yes | Digital financing | 2015 [56] | ||
South Korea | Quantum Computing Technology Development Project | Yes | Quantum technologies [57] | 2019 [57] | US$39.8M [57] |
United Kingdom | National Quantum Technologies Programme | Yes | Funding UK quantum technologies [58] | 2013 [59] | US$1B [58] |
National Quantum Computing Centre | Yes | Quantum computing [60] | Set to open in 2023 [60] | £93m [60] | |
Rigetti Computing | Partial | Quantum computing [61] | 2013 [62] | US$268m [62] | |
United States | Quantum Industry Consortium | Yes | General "quantum ecosystem" (quantum industry supply chain, federal R&D investment priorities, standards and regulation, industry interactions, etc.) [63] | 2018 | US$1.25B [64] |
National Quantum Coordination Office | Yes | Quantum technology research and development [65] | 2019 [65] | ||
The Department of Energy Office of Science [66] | Yes | Quantum computing, quantum algorithms, quantum sensors, quantum processors, quantum networks and quantum simulation [66] [67] | 2019 | US$900M (US$300M in FY 2023) [68] [69] | |
The National Science Foundation (Five Quantum Leap Challenges Institutes) | Yes | Quantum computing, quantum sensors, quantum processors, quantum biological sensing, and quantum simulation [70] [71] | 2020 [71] | US$125M [70] [71] | |
National Quantum Initiative Act | Yes | Quantum information science and Quantum technology development [72] | Dec. 21, 2018 [72] | US$1.275B [72] | |
MonArk Quantum Foundry | Partial | Development of quantum materials and devices [73] | August 17, 2021 [74] | US$19,990,000 [74] | |
Center for Quantum Networks | Partial | Quantum computing [75] | 2020 [75] | US$26 m [75] | |
National Q-12 Education Partnership | Yes | Education [76] | 2020 [76] | US$1M [76] | |
Quantum Wellness Technologies | No | Quantum information science and Quantum technology development [77] | 2023 [77] |
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a secure communication method that implements a cryptographic protocol involving components of quantum mechanics. It enables two parties to produce a shared random secret key known only to them, which then can be used to encrypt and decrypt messages. The process of quantum key distribution is not to be confused with quantum cryptography, as it is the best-known example of a quantum-cryptographic task.
In quantum computing, a quantum algorithm is an algorithm that runs on a realistic model of quantum computation, the most commonly used model being the quantum circuit model of computation. A classical algorithm is a finite sequence of instructions, or a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem, where each step or instruction can be performed on a classical computer. Similarly, a quantum algorithm is a step-by-step procedure, where each of the steps can be performed on a quantum computer. Although all classical algorithms can also be performed on a quantum computer, the term quantum algorithm is generally reserved for algorithms that seem inherently quantum, or use some essential feature of quantum computation such as quantum superposition or quantum entanglement.
Quantum programming is the process of designing or assembling sequences of instructions, called quantum circuits, using gates, switches, and operators to manipulate a quantum system for a desired outcome or results of a given experiment. Quantum circuit algorithms can be implemented on integrated circuits, conducted with instrumentation, or written in a programming language for use with a quantum computer or a quantum processor.
Quantum networks form an important element of quantum computing and quantum communication systems. Quantum networks facilitate the transmission of information in the form of quantum bits, also called qubits, between physically separated quantum processors. A quantum processor is a machine able to perform quantum circuits on a certain number of qubits. Quantum networks work in a similar way to classical networks. The main difference is that quantum networking, like quantum computing, is better at solving certain problems, such as modeling quantum systems.
Jonathan P. Dowling was an Irish-American researcher and professor in theoretical physics, known for his work on quantum technology, particularly for exploiting quantum entanglement for applications to quantum metrology, quantum sensing, and quantum imaging.
Jens Eisert is a German physicist, ERC fellow, and professor at the Free University of Berlin. He is also affiliated with the Helmholtz Association and the Fraunhofer Society.
Quantum simulators permit the study of a quantum system in a programmable fashion. In this instance, simulators are special purpose devices designed to provide insight about specific physics problems. Quantum simulators may be contrasted with generally programmable "digital" quantum computers, which would be capable of solving a wider class of quantum problems.
In quantum mechanics, the cat state, named after Schrödinger's cat, is a quantum state composed of two diametrically opposed conditions at the same time, such as the possibilities that a cat is alive and dead at the same time.
Christopher Roy Monroe is an American physicist and engineer in the areas of atomic, molecular, and optical physics and quantum information science, especially quantum computing. He directs one of the leading research and development efforts in ion trap quantum computing. Monroe is the Gilhuly Family Presidential Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics at Duke University and is College Park Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland and Fellow of the Joint Quantum Institute and Joint Center for Quantum Computer Science. He is also co-founder of IonQ, Inc.
Linear optical quantum computing or linear optics quantum computation (LOQC), also photonic quantum computing (PQC), is a paradigm of quantum computation, allowing (under certain conditions, described below) universal quantum computation. LOQC uses photons as information carriers, mainly uses linear optical elements, or optical instruments (including reciprocal mirrors and waveplates) to process quantum information, and uses photon detectors and quantum memories to detect and store quantum information.
The UK National Quantum Technologies Programme (UKNQTP) is a programme set up by the UK government to translate academic work on quantum mechanics, and the effects of quantum superposition and quantum entanglement into new products and services. It brings UK physicists and engineers together with companies and entrepreneurs who have an interest in commercialising the technology.
Quil is a quantum instruction set architecture that first introduced a shared quantum/classical memory model. It was introduced by Robert Smith, Michael Curtis, and William Zeng in A Practical Quantum Instruction Set Architecture. Many quantum algorithms require a shared memory architecture. Quil is being developed for the superconducting quantum processors developed by Rigetti Computing through the Forest quantum programming API. A Python library called pyQuil
was introduced to develop Quil programs with higher level constructs. A Quil backend is also supported by other quantum programming environments.
Qiskit is an open-source software development kit (SDK) for working with quantum computers at the level of circuits, pulses, and algorithms. It provides tools for creating and manipulating quantum programs and running them on prototype quantum devices on IBM Quantum Platform or on simulators on a local computer. It follows the circuit model for universal quantum computation, and can be used for any quantum hardware that follows this model.
Simon John Devitt is an Australian theoretical quantum physicist who has worked on large-scale Quantum computing architectures, Quantum network systems design, Quantum programming development and Quantum error correction. In 2022 he was appointed as a member to Australia's National Quantum Advisory Committee.
The National Quantum Initiative Act is an Act of Congress passed on December 13, 2018, and signed into law on December 21, 2018. The law gives the United States a plan for advancing quantum technology, particularly quantum computing.
Xanadu Quantum Technologies is a Canadian quantum computing hardware and software company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The company develops cloud accessible photonic quantum computers and develops open-source software for quantum machine learning and simulating quantum photonic devices.
In quantum computing, the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) is a quantum algorithm for quantum chemistry, quantum simulations and optimization problems. It is a hybrid algorithm that uses both classical computers and quantum computers to find the ground state of a given physical system. Given a guess or ansatz, the quantum processor calculates the expectation value of the system with respect to an observable, often the Hamiltonian, and a classical optimizer is used to improve the guess. The algorithm is based on the variational method of quantum mechanics.
This glossary of quantum computing is a list of definitions of terms and concepts used in quantum computing, its sub-disciplines, and related fields.
The Quantum Technologies Flagship is a European Union scientific research initiative. With a budget of €1 billion, it is one of the large scale initiatives organized by the Future and Emerging Technologies program, along with the Human Brain Project and the Graphene Flagship.The Quantum Flagship funds over 5,000 Europeans researchers over ten years. Its long term vision is to develop in Europe a quantum web, where quantum computers, simulators and sensors are interconnected via quantum communication networks. The objective being to develop in Europe a competitive quantum industry making research results available as commercial applications and disruptive technologies.
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