MQV K6

Munich Quantum Valley

(Third Party Funds Single)

Title of the overall project:

Project start: 01/10/2021
Acronym: MQV
Funders: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst (StMWK) (seit 2018)

Abstract

Quantum information processing (QIP), and generally the use of quantum technologies (QT) for communication, sensing, metrology and computational purposes, has become a key technology during the last decade for the advancement of science and technology. The capability to prepare and manipulate quantum states and to generate superpositions and entanglement on demand has led to the development of measurement and computational procedures, which promise to perform well beyond classical tools. During the last two decades, the physics of quantum information (QI) has been developed in laboratories and routes to quantum devices with unsurpassed features have been demonstrated [ARU19]. In particular, it has been shown that quantum computing (QC) promises unprecedented computational power for the solution of some hard problems, especially when quantum features are involved, as for example, in chemical calculations and for quantum simulations of many-body problems as are frequently encountered in material sciences. Moreover, quantum procedures enhance optimization routines and can be used for the efficient solution of some hard mathematical problems, such as factoring.

During the last decade, laboratory realizations of quantum computers have demonstrated their unique computational capabilities and spawned the efforts to make such devices available for a wider use in industrial applications. IBM has made quantum computers available via cloud access and attracted a huge number of users and customers who want to get themselves acquainted with the new technology. Google has demonstrated what they coined “quantum supremacy”, i.e., it shows a large speedup compared with classical computational power. While the hitherto demonstrated algorithm (random circuits) is useless for practical purposes, it clearly demonstrated the quantum advantage that can be achieved. Such a computational potential led to the establishment of hundreds of startups, both hardware and software oriented, in search of realizing scalable quantum devices and algorithms. While much of the foundations and many demonstrated quantum features were obtained in Europe, most of these newly founded companies were established in the US, Canada, in Australia, some in the UK, the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe, but very few in Germany. Realizing the potential advantages of QC and the general-purpose use of QT and pertaining devices, several initiatives are currently forming to establish QC and QT in Germany and, especially, in Bavaria. Expertise in QC and QT will enable advanced technologies and ensure the leading role of the German and the Bavarian industry for decades to come.

MQV – the Munich Quantum Valley initiative intends to combine the profound quantum knowledge of the research institutes and universities in Bavaria with expert technologies of companies and industry to develop and provide QC technology, and more generally, expertise in QT. New startup companies are expected to be established in the course of the proposed work, enhancing the technology environment and making Bavaria increasingly attractive for research and development. Moreover, the initiative aims at educating a new generation of engineers with a quantum technology background and quantum physicists with solid engineering expertise to establish the basis for new quantum applications and quantum devices as a resource for shaping the future.

Publications

No publications found.