Quantum information science and technology is a vast field that includes computing, telecommunications, detection and sensors, with a wide range of applications. Taken together, these technologies promise to revolutionise our information systems. The significant advances in quantum technologies in recent years, and their implications for security and the economy in particular, have created a real momentum of interest among governments, including in Europe. Despite the impressive advances made by the two giants, China and the United States, and unlike most other digital technologies, Europe (in the geographical sense) is well placed in the global race for quantum technologies. On this promising basis, can Europe hope to achieve technological sovereignty in quantum technology? There are two main challenges: firstly, reconciling the objective of sovereignty with international cooperation, and secondly, ensuring that any quantum strategy is rooted in a holistic, long-term perspective.
Quantum information science and technology is a vast field that includes computing, telecommunications, detection and sensors, with a wide range of applications. Taken together, these technologies promise to revolutionise our information systems. The significant advances in quantum technologies in recent years, and their implications for security and the economy in particular, have created a real momentum of interest among governments, including in Europe. Despite the impressive advances made by the two giants, China and the United States, and unlike most other digital technologies, Europe (in the geographical sense) is well placed in the global race for quantum technologies. On this promising basis, can Europe hope to achieve technological sovereignty in quantum technology? There are two main challenges: firstly, reconciling the objective of sovereignty with international cooperation, and secondly, ensuring that any quantum strategy is rooted in a holistic, long-term perspective.
Over the past decades, a gradual technological marginalisation of Europe could be observed, as it became dependent on imports of advanced microchips from the United States and Taiwan. However, despite planned investments in the development and production of semiconductors in the EU Member States, Europe is still unlikely to be able to compete with the United States and China in this area. The solution to this problem may lie within quantum technology, the economic use of which is in the initial phase in all world centres. The performance of quantum computing surpasses algorithms used in silicon technology by several tens of orders of magnitude. This means that access to quantum technology will become a basic determinant of security in the coming years. The aim of this paper is to present the issue of quantum technology and its most important implicationsin the context of the technological sovereignty of the European Union.
In the early decades of the 20th century, the inception of quantum mechanics catalyzed the first quantum revolution, resulting in groundbreaking technological advances, such as nuclear energy, semiconductors, lasers, nuclear magnetic resonance, superconductivity, and global satellite positioning systems. These innovations have promoted significant progress in material civilization, fundamentally changed the way of life and societal landscape of humanity. Since the 1990s, quantum control technology has made significant strides forward, ushering in a rapid evolution of quantum technologies, notably exemplified by quantum information science. This encompasses domains such as quantum communication, quantum computing, and quantum precision measurement, offering paradigm-shifting solutions for enhancing information transmission security, accelerating computational speed, and elevating measurement precision. These advances hold the potential to provide crucial underpinning for national security and the high-quality development of the national economy. The swift progression of quantum information technology heralds the advent of the second quantum revolution. Following nearly three decades of concerted efforts, China’s quantum information technology field as a whole has achieved a leap. Specifically, China presently assumes a prominent international role in both the research and practical application of quantum communication, leading the global domain in quantum computing, and achieving international preeminence or advanced standing across various facets of quantum precision measurement. Presently, it is imperative to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the developmental priorities in the realm of quantum information in China for the forthcoming 5 to 10 years, in alignment with national strategic priorities and the evolving landscape of international competition. This will enable the proactive establishment of next-generation information technology systems that are secure, efficient, autonomous, and controllable.
As the first applications leap out of research laboratories toward commercialization, the global race for dominance in the maturing field of quantum technologies is becoming ever fiercer. To retain its historical lead and kick-start a continent-wide quantum-driven industry and accelerate market take-up, Europe has launched the Quantum Flagship, an ambitious €1 billion, 10 year endeavor. This article provides an overview of the underlying considerations and the current state of the initiative. Furthermore, it briefly presents the 20 projects selected to be at the core of the ramp-up phase of the initiative, which will address core applications of quantum technologies such as communications, computing, simulation, as well as sensing and metrology, all of which are supported by basic science. Finally, we present the broader ecosystem of European funding instruments and institutions which aim to create the next generation of disruptive technologies within quantum sciences, placing Europe as a worldwide knowledge-based industrial and technological leader in this innovative field.
Abstract The development of quantum technology is facing substantial scientific and technological challenges. More importantly, there are as-yet-unknown aspects and applications of quantum technology to be uncovered. There is thus global acknowledgement by stakeholder communities and governments alike that the ongoing advancement of quantum science and technology ought to be an international pursuit in which the strain between competition and cooperation is balanced through collaboration. It is in this spirit of ‘coopetition’ that this article seeks to give a cross-sectional view of the state of Quantum 2.0 technology in the USA, Europe and Japan, by providing the predictions of a large number of experts concerning progress in quantum technology over the next two decades.
Over the past century, quantum theory has taken flight from conceptual breakthroughs, such as wave–particle duality, quantisation of energy, and the uncertainty principle, to practical tools that are the backbone of modern electronics, lasers, semiconductors, and precision measurement systems. In the twenty-first century, this progress under the regime of the second quantum revolution has acquired the ability to directly control, manipulate, and engineer individual quantum systems. Quantum technologies found their pillars in quantum properties, such as superposition, entanglement, and coherence and have exceeded the boundaries of classical physics. The steady theoretical advances, combined with experimental progress, have brought quantum concepts closer to real-life use. Significant progress has made in filed of computation, communication, sensing, navigation, medicine, cyber security, and national defense undr the guidance of quantum technology. This book chapter presents a comprehensive and pedagogical overview of quantum technologies. It highlights quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing and metrology. The shift of quantum mechanics into practical applications is discussed. Current research trends are reviewed alongside the technological and engineering challenges. The critical issues, such as decoherence, scalability, error correction, standardisation, and workforce development, are discussed, which further highlights the need for global collaboration. Both National governments and the private sector are investing heavily in quantum research. This will act as a booster for quantum technologies to revolutionise information processing, secure communications, and precision measurements. Consequently and will significantly impact the scientific and technological landscape.