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One of Europe's largest open quantum computers is to be established at the Niels Bohr Institute
Denmark is strengthening its infrastructure in quantum technology development by establishing a quantum computer at the Niels Bohr Institute, where all components can be opened, examined and developed. With its 25 quantum bits, the quantum computer will be the largest so far on Danish soil and one of the few of the same size in Europe. Innovation Fund Denmark has invested DKK 39.6 million. DKK in the project, which is to give Danish research and industry a head start in understanding the possibilities and limitations of the technology.
In the future, quantum computers can become a key tool for solving complex challenges in, for example, chemistry, material development and advanced medical models, and can potentially contribute to solving societal challenges such as the green transition.
In order to be able to exploit the great potential that quantum computers hold, a new research project - which unites basic research, applied research and technology development - will establish a superconducting quantum computer at the Niels Bohr Institute.
The quantum computer will hold five times as many quantum bits as the second largest of its kind on Danish soil at present. There are only a handful of open quantum computers of similar size worldwide that research groups have access to.
- I think it is fascinating to think that in Denmark, with this project, there can be access to a quantum computer of the size of one of very few places in the world. This testifies to our strong international position in the field. I am also pleased to see how the project sets the stage for close collaboration across companies, universities and the healthcare system. It is completely in line with the government's strategic research programme, which we launched in early summer with the national strategy for quantum technology, and hopefully the project can bring quantum technology closer to contributing to solutions in areas such as health and climate, says Education and Research Minister Christina Egelund.
Innovation Fund Denmark has invested DKK 39.6 million in the project, which is called DanQ.
- Innovation Fund Denmark has chosen to invest a large amount in the DanQ project, in order to get Denmark well in the quantum race. Enormous sums are currently being invested internationally in quantum technology, and if Denmark and Europe are to keep up, it is crucial that we already begin to gain insight into what the technology can be used for in a number of years, when the even larger quantum computers of the future have been developed . The project has the potential to provide both industry and research with a unique tool to develop quantum computer technology, which can both create jobs in Denmark and lead to solutions to major societal challenges, says Innovationsfonden's chairman Anders Eldrup.
Open platform is essential for full utilization of future quantum technology
Over the next five years, the quantum computer will be established and tested by uniting experts in quantum computer hardware at the Niels Bohr Institute and experts in quantum computer software from the Center for Mathematics of Quantum Theory (QMATH) and from Aarhus University with Danish startups, Kvantify and QDevil/Quantum Machines, which focuses on the commercialization of quantum computer development. The quantum computer will be installed in the Superconducting Quantum Information Device Laboratory at the Niels Bohr Institute.
At the same time, a close collaboration with Ørsted Wind Power and the Department of X-rays at Herlev/Gentofte Hospital and Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen will examine concrete, future application possibilities that can accelerate the green transition and improve the way we work with health using the new calculation options
- If in the future the quantum computer is to be able to solve some of the type of problems we hope, then it is absolutely necessary that we improve both our ability to control quantum bits and our understanding of what quantum computers are good for. Therefore, it is absolutely central to establish a platform like this, where we can contribute both to research and development of all the elements of the quantum computer, says Morten Kjaergaard, Associate Professor at the Niels Bohr Institute, researcher in quantum information physics and project manager at DanQ.
The potential for quantum computers can be enormous, but it is only very specific problems where the quantum computer is expected to be able to use its enormous computing power.
- Right now, our understanding of the possibilities and limitations of the quantum computer is developing rapidly. In order to deepen this understanding and uncover exactly where it makes sense, and perhaps more importantly where it does not make sense, to use future large quantum computers, investments like this one from Innovation Fund Denmark are incredibly important. The investment strengthens an essential collaboration between basic research, applied research and technology development, elaborates Morten Kjaergaard.
The investment in the quantum computer will also act as a seed crystal for future workforce in quantum technology and is expected to be ready in 2026, when it will be possible for other stakeholders to visit the lab and learn about quantum computer programming.
The project is a collaboration between research groups at the Center for Quantum Devices at the Niels Bohr Institute/University of Copenhagen, the Center for Mathematics of Quantum Theory at the University of Copenhagen, Kvantify, QDevil/Quantum Machines, Ørsted Wind Power and Herlev/Gentofte Hospital.
Facts
The Innovation Fund's investment: DKK 39.6 million. DKK
Total budget: DKK 53.2 million. DKK
Duration: 5 years
Official title: DanQ – Applied Quantum Computing Denmark
About the Partners
- Center for Quantum Devices – University of Copenhagen
- The research group 'Superconducting Quantum Information Device Lab' led by project manager Morten Kjaergaard.
- The research group 'Quantum Matter Lab' led by Charles Marcus both at the Center for Quantum Devices (QDev) and at Materials Science and Engineering, and Physics, at the University of Washington, USA.
- Center for Mathematics of Quantum Theory (QMATH) – University of Copenhagen
- Center with 30-40 researchers who provide quantum software (including algorithms and benchmarking) for the project. QMATH is part of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Copenhagen. The project is led by Matthias Christandl and Albert Werner.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy - Aarhus University
- Research group in quantum dynamics, quantum algorithms and their applications led by Professor Nikolaj Thomas Zinner.
- Quantify
- Leading Nordic quantum company, which develops quantum-based software that tackles the most difficult and most valuable problems within, among other things, the pharmaceutical, finance and logistics industries, including a product that can discover new medicine, and solutions that can optimize e.g. returns from financial portfolios or route plans. Founded in Denmark in 2022 by Allan Grønlund, Nikolaj Thomas Zinner and Hans Henrik Knudsen, and consists of 50+ experts across physics, mathematics, chemistry and cloud software development.
- QDevil
- QDevil is the Quantum Electronics business unit of Quantum Machines that's focused on developing and manufacturing auxiliary electronics and specialized components, operating from milli-Kelvin to room temperatures. The project is led by Jonatan Kutchinsky.
- Ørsted Wind Power
- A global leader in green energy and the largest operator of offshore wind farms worldwide. The project is led from Ørsted's side by Alexander Holm Kiilerich and Rafał Ołdziejewski from the Numerical Competence Centre.
- Herlev/Gentofte Hospital
- In a collaboration between the Steno Diabetes Center and the Department of X-ray and Scanning, Capital Region, research is to be carried out into the assessment of kidney function in healthy people and people with diabetes on CT scans. This under the guidance of Michael Brun Andersen, Felix C. Müller, Frederik Persson and Charlotte Mehlin Sørensen (Department of Biomedicine, University of Copenhagen)
Photo: Morten Kjaergaard, Associate Professor at the Niels Bohr Institute, researcher in quantum information physics and project manager at DanQ.