Posted by Tokyo, Japan: Riken and Fujitsu have opened a new collaboration centre devoted to superconducting quantum computers at Wako, Saitama. Basically, superconducting quantum computers is an implementation of a quantum computer in the superconducting electronic circuit.
Both the entities in last October had first announced their joint research plan on superconducting quantum computers. The new collaboration centre is part of that announced joint research plan between Riken and Fujitsu.
The joint R&D activities aim to develop foundational technologies for realizing fault-tolerant superconducting quantum computers. It will contribute to solving persistent challenges facing society through comprehensive and efficient research at each technology layer.
Founded in 1917, Riken is one of the oldest scientific research institutes in Japan. While Fujitsu is one of the top ICT company in the world.
The newly opened RIKEN RQC-Fujitsu Collaboration Center will conduct joint research and development of foundational technologies. These technologies are crucial for putting superconducting quantum computers into practical use. Such as improving the dispersion in qubit manufacturing, reducing the size and noise of peripheral components and wiring, and implementing packages and chips at low temperatures.
Riken and Fujitsu will develop hardware and software technologies to realize a quantum computer with as many as 1000 qubits and build applications using a prototype quantum computer.
In addition, Fujitsu and RIKEN will integrate the research results on hardware technologies, build a prototype and verify the usefulness of the related technologies.
On the software side, research will help to develop middleware and cloud computing systems necessary for running quantum computers, and the R&D of algorithms for running applications. Riken and Fujitsu will verify the usefulness of error mitigation technologies in practical applications.
They will be executing quantum algorithms that integrate quantum chemical calculation algorithms and quantum error mitigation technologies on a prototype build through these research activities.
Intel, Google and Raytheon BBN Technologies are among the tech giants that have been conducting R&D on superconducting quantum computers in the US. Such research is not just expensive but it requires tremendous scientific and technological capabilities.
Prior to the joint R&D centre, Riken has been doing work with advanced superconducting quantum computing technologies along with Fujitsu’s computing technologies. These capabilities will be integrated with applied knowledge of quantum technologies.
This will be based on a customer perspective, which has been acquired from the application of Fujitsu’s Digital Annealer. Overall it will be supporting the joint research to speed up the practical application of such technologies.
The collaboration centre is located within the “Riken Centre for Quantum Computing. Opened on April 1, the centre’s purpose is driving R&D in quantum computers and its related fundamental theories, technologies, hardware and software.
The joint R&D activities schedule till March 31, 2025. The outcomes are expected to offer potential real-world applications in areas like drug discovery and material sciences.
Besides, it will contribute to the development of science and technology both in Japan and the rest of the world. The research will generate more information and data on physical phenomena and fundamental scientific theory.