The Quantum Electronic Devices (QED) Group at Tyndall National Institute, based at UCC, is working on the discovery and engineering of emerging materials and devices that will enable disruptive information processing to support the development of quantum computers.

The QED Group has partnered with UK academics from the University of Warwick, University College London and University of Cambridge to solve one of the main challenges for scalability in architectures using germanium hole-spins on silicon as qubits. In the GeQuantumBus project, the consortium will overcome limitations by using coupler quantum dots to control qubit-qubit interaction.

Unsolvable for a classical computer in a feasible time

A quantum computer could operate algorithms that can solve problems which are unsolvable for a classical computer in a feasible time. Target applications of quantum computing include a large family of optimisation problems, which could be used in designing targeted drugs more efficiently for personalised medicine or improving logistics to protect natural resources and managing financial and personal risk. However, current qubit systems, while demonstrating the feasibility of quantum information processing, lack an apparent route to scalability.

Dr Giorgos Fagas, Head of the Quantum Electronic Devices Group at Tyndall, said: “GeQuantumBus offers the ideal challenge to elaborate our significant research programme on new material platforms for qubit realisation. Our QED group will contribute with our expertise on processing and nanomaterials along with condensed matter theory and structural characterisation.  

"The project allows us to collaborate with top-class leading experts to address a most challenging issue for semiconductor spin qubits.”

The project funding of €2.6m is from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and is supported by a global MNC and a UK SME, and five other international collaborators.