52 million euros for quantum research in Garching

Created: 01/03/2022, 16:00

They want Bavaria to take a leading position in quantum technology: (from left) Claudia Eckert, Head of the Fraunhofer Institute, Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger and Florian Marquardt from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light.

© Sabina Brosch

Bavaria's Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger came to the center of Bavarian quantum research, the Garching Munich Quantum Valley (MQV), with a 52 million euro check.

The Fraunhofer and Max Planck Institutes are working together on the development of quantum computers.

Garching

- “Essential means for a central key technology of the future,” emphasized Aiwanger when handing over the check.

Quantum technology deals with the smallest and indivisible units that cause physical interactions.

Due to their special properties, the light and energy modules can be used for various fields of application.

Quantum technology produced semiconductor electronics, lasers and the Internet, and is also used for microchips and broadband Internet.

Secure global top position

Anyone who is ahead of the curve when it comes to quantum technology “belongs to the global top position,” emphasized Aiwanger.

And they don't want to leave the top position to Silicon Valley, but rather to have an important say in Bavaria, which is strong in research.

The Minister added that the Fraunhofer Institute and the Max Planck Society are in the lead here.

One of the most important topics in the research and use of the properties of quantum particles is quantum optics, the research focus of the two Bavarian MPI Institutes for Quantum Optics in Garching and for the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen.

According to its director Florian Marquardt, the funding will be used to expand the quantum infrastructure.

"The semiconductor laboratory, for example, is a huge challenge."

Research into the quantum world with laser light is the central topic

Claudia Eckert, director of the Fraunhofer Institute, sees the opportunity to combine basic research, applied research and industrial use.

"With our laboratories, we want to enable precisely this transfer and transfer the research into the real world," emphasized Eckert.

It is about usability and specific solutions to problems that arise from the automotive, pharmaceutical, medical and financial sectors.

At the Garching MQV, researching the quantum world with laser light is the central topic.

The researchers are developing powerful quantum computers, quantum simulators and quantum communication at this research location.

Science in these areas ranks at the very highest level worldwide.

One of the institute's core competencies is the research and control of ultra-cold atoms, which scientists use in the Munich Quantum Valley to build a quantum computer on this basis.

“Now it is up to us to do something sensible with the funding.

We will deliver ”, promised Eckert.

Development of the supercomputers

Under the "Munich Quantum Valley" project, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) Munich, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences, the Fraunhofer Society and the Max Planck Society throughout Bavaria its research and development work and capacities.

Together they want to develop at least two quantum computers over the next five years.

In contrast to binary computers, quantum computers do not store information in the form of "bits" but rather "qubits" and are therefore many times faster and more powerful than conventional computers.

The Free State of Bavaria is supporting the project with around 300 million euros.