German report calls for quantum boost
Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation (ISI) have published a report that highlights the need to support quantum technology development in Germany.
The report on “Quantum technologies and quantum ecosystems” looks across the patent applications in quantum computing, sensing and networking but only up to 2021.
The study derives political recommendations for action from the highly conservative findings which sees 20 to 30 years before commercial fault tolerant quantum computers are available.
- Europe falls behind in quantum patents despite strong growth
- PsiQuantum shows chipset for million qubit quantum computer
“Many countries, including Germany, the USA and China, have developed national quantum strategies to specifically promote research and innovation in this area,” said Dr. Thomas Schmaltz, who heads the Industrial Technologies business unit at Fraunhofer ISI and prepared the EFI study with eight colleagues.
“Global government investments amount to over $40bn, with the aim of strengthening scientific excellence, industrial applications and international competitiveness. International cooperation and the training of skilled workers are particularly relevant. Countries without such strategies risk falling behind technologically and economically.”
The recommendations include long-term public funding, strategic framework conditions and financing in order to remain internationally competitive. Reducing bureaucratic hurdles, supporting start-ups with technical infrastructure and venture capital, and promoting software development and skilled workers are also essential.
The study identified 473 companies worldwide in quantum computing, 22 in quantum sensing and 86 in quantum communication. Most of the companies come from the USA (with a focus on computing) or China (with a focus on communication).
Of the startups in quantum computing, 18 come from Germany, mostly spin-offs from research institutions or universities.
Some technologies such as atomic clocks, magnetic field sensors or optical sensors are already established and offer significant advantages due to their higher measurement accuracy, which could be used in medical diagnostics in the future. Other technologies such as optical quantum methods are still in an early stage of research. Challenges include the miniaturization, user-friendliness, robustness and cost reduction of these technologies.
Another technology field is quantum communication and cryptography, which uses quantum properties for secure communication using technologies such as quantum random number generators (QRNGs), quantum key distribution (QKD), and quantum repeaters. QRNGs, for example, generate random numbers for cryptography, while QKD enables secure key exchange that detects eavesdropping attempts.
Quantum computing is the third technology field examined in the study. Fault-tolerant quantum computers that offer a real advantage over supercomputers are not expected for another 20 to 30 years it says, which is highly conservative given recent technology announcements from PsiQuantum, Google and Microsoft. Development requires large investments, a lot of collaboration and research. Hybrid systems could serve as an interim solution.
www.isi.fraunhofer.de; The StuDIS report (in German)
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