Home-grown quantum computer a milestone in Taiwan tech progress: Tsai

Taipei, Jan. 29 (CNA) A superconducting quantum computer developed and made in Taiwan represents a significant stride in Taiwan's quantum technology, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Monday.

Tsai was speaking at a forum organized by Academia Sinica, Taiwan's preeminent academic institution on the progress in research made by its Thematic Center for Quantum Computer.

Lauding the breakthrough as a testament to Taiwan's prowess in the field, Tsai said the plan was initiated by Academia Sinica over three years ago.

That led to National Tsing Hua University's development of quantum network coding in May 2023, which is expected to boost Taiwan's capabilities in cybersecurity, national security, finance, and biomedical science.

Academia Sinica said the new computer was developed through a quantum technology project funded by the National Science and Technology Council.

The project came to fruition in October 2023 when Academia Sinica successfully developed a computer powered by 5-quantum-bit (qubit) chips in collaboration with multiple domestic and foreign institutions.

Its partners included the Industrial Technology Research Institute, National Applied Research Laboratories, several domestic universities, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, according to Academia Sinica.

On Jan. 19, Academia Sinica said the new quantum computer was providing online services to program participants and being used by developers as a platform for developing complementary metal oxide semiconductor and parametric amplifier technologies.

Chen Chii-dong (陳啟東), executive officer of the thematic center, said at the time that the 5-qubit chips exceeded the program's expectations, which envisioned only a 3-qubit chip being developed by February 2024.

Taiwan is now one of the few countries in the world capable of independently producing a superconducting quantum computer, Chen said earlier this month.

Although the concept of a quantum computer was conceived decades ago, significant breakthroughs in this field have only occurred in recent years, said Academia Sinica President James Liao (廖俊智) on Monday.

Academia Sinica initially proposed the idea of developing a superconducting quantum computer in Taiwan in 2019 and has since received substantial support from the government, Liao said.

Meanwhile, Science and Technology Minister Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) argued that Taiwan is highly competitive globally in the field despite having relatively limited funds compared to Europe and the United States.

Tsai pledged that additional funding will be injected into Academia Sinica's south branch to support its continual development of quantum computing technologies and efforts to establish a quantum technology industry chain.