Will quantum technology save the world?: an Australian perspective

Gavin K. Brennen, Simon J. Devitt, Tara M. Roberson +1 more

Tara M. Roberson, Andrew G. White

Australia has world-class research in quantum technology, and has been a significant presence since the earliest days of the field. There has been sustained and substantial support from all levels of government, and an industrial base that has grown from a single quantum-technology company to a spectrum of businesses covering both software and hardware. Here, we discuss the Australian approach to quantum technology, briefly outlining the research and funding, discussing the current environment, and looking forward to the future.

Peter Pockley

Researchers in Australia have boldly declared that they will produce a prototype building block for the world's first quantum computer within 12 months. Quantum computers would exploit the ability of a particle to be in two quantum states at the same time, allowing them, in principle, to outperform classical computers by many orders of magnitude in some operations. Staff at the Australian Centre for Quantum Computing Technology say that a device based on two quantum bits, or “qubits”, will be ready within a year. While groups in other countries are pursing different strategies, the Australian scientists are basing their research on silicon chips, which, they say, have the advantage of already being widely used in industry.

Kamil Reza Khondakar

K. G. H. Baldwin

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum-Atom Optics investigates the quantum nature of multiple particle states of atoms and photons. It combines pre-eminent theoretical and experimental research groups in quantum and atom optics at the Australian National University, the University of Queensland and the Swinburne University of Technology.