Future technology: superconductivity revolutionizes quantum computers!

Future technology: superconductivity revolutionizes quantum computers!

The International Superconductive Electronics Conference (ISEC) has established itself as an important platform for research on superconducting materials. This conference takes place every two years in different countries, with Germany last hosting in 1997. University President Kai-Uwe Sattler from the TU Ilmenau emphasized the essential role of this research for digitalization and energy-intensive technologies. Superconducting materials are able to conduct electricity without loss, offering revolutionary possibilities for quantum computers and energy-efficient semiconductors.

These advances are particularly relevant to reducing the energy needs of data centers, which play a key role in cloud service delivery and the Internet of Things (IoT). With the current level of technology, traditional computers are reaching their limits due to their outdated architecture. To address these challenges, Prof. Hannes Töpfer will present a novel approach to energy conservation that combines neuromorphic computing with superconductivity.

Neuromorphic computing as a key technology

The concept of neuromorphic computing mimics the information processing of the human brain. In a neuromorphic Josephson network, superconducting Josephson contacts are connected in such a way that they simulate the function of biological nerve cells. Information is transmitted through short impulses, similar to the neuronal signals in the nervous system. This leads to significant energy consumption. Each computing bit could require up to a billion times less energy than previous technologies.

The aim of this research is not only to develop innovative techniques, but also to optimize their use in data centers, transport and industry. This helps reduce the carbon footprint of IT, which is of urgent importance in today's world. There are also valuable insights from studies that also address the energetic efficiency of neuromorphic computers, such as in publications by Li et al. (2020) and Zhang et al. (2020), where efficient neural networks and neuro-inspired computing architectures are investigated.

The European approach to innovation

In parallel to the findings from the ISEC, the OpenSuperQplus100, a project based on superconducting quantum computers, is also being developed in Europe. This project is part of the EU's strategic research agenda for quantum technology and aims to develop systems and technologies to produce high-quality quantum chips. This will create a design and manufacturing platform for quantum chips, including integration into multi-chip modules and definition of manufacturing processes for qubit chips.

Fraunhofer EMFT is actively involved in the development of new processes for producing qubit chips in the pilot line. The end goal is to produce these chips on an industrial scale for commercial applications and a path to further advances, with the next step aiming for chips with up to 1,000 qubits. Applications of this technology include quantum simulations in the chemical industry and materials science, as well as optimization problems and machine learning.

Overall, these developments show how closely the topics of superconducting electronics and neuromorphic computing are linked and what high expectations research at various levels has for future technology. Advances in superconducting technology could not only revolutionize efficiency in data technology, but also lead to improvements in energy efficiency on a global scale.