The Royal Academy of Engineering recently hosted a Critical Conversation with Professor Melissa Mather and Professor Peter Coveney FREng exploring what quantum technologies are and what they mean for our future. This summary has been generated with input from ChatGPT.
Professor Melissa Mather, Professor in Quantum Sensing and Engineering, University of Nottingham and Chair in Emerging Technologies and Professor Peter Coveney FREng, Professor of Physical Chemistry, University College London, explores what quantum technologies are and what they mean for our future.
This critical conversation explored the latest challenges, and opportunities, with engineers at the forefront of semiconductor research and industry.
In March 2023, the UK Government identified five critical technologies, including quantum technologies, as vital for the country's future.
Quantum technologies refer to a diverse set of technologies that leverage the principles of quantum mechanics, which is the branch of physics that describes the behaviour of matter and energy at the smallest scales, such as atoms and subatomic particles. Quantum technologies take advantage of quantum properties like superposition, entanglement and coherence to perform tasks that would be difficult or impossible using classical (non-quantum) methods.
These technologies have the potential to revolutionize various fields, including computing, communication, sensing, and cryptography.
The Critical Conversation featured two experts working on quantum sensing and quantum computing. Professor Melissa Mather, Professor in Quantum Sensing and Engineering, University of Nottingham and Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies, works on quantum sensing, using atomic-scale defects in synthetic diamonds to measure magnetic fields, electric fields and chemical reactions. These sensors are particularly useful for high precision and high sensitivity applications, such as imaging in medicine and biology, drug discovery and diagnostic testing, as well as environmental applications.
Professor Peter Coveney FREng, Professor of Physical Chemistry, University College London, focuses on quantum computing, which uses qubits as its basic building blocks. Quantum computers have the potential to revolutionize fields like molecular electronic structure calculations, enabling the study of complex systems with thousands of atoms and billions of electrons. However, current quantum computers face challenges due to noise and limited qubit counts, making it difficult to achieve significant quantum advantage.
While quantum technologies have enormous potential, Melissa and Peter cautioned against hype, noting that the timeline for real-world impact at scale is still uncertain, and for quantum computing could possibly be a decade away.
They also noted the potential for convergence between quantum and classical computing to harness the strengths of both. The integration of quantum computing into large-scale computing systems could lead to a more powerful and balanced approach to complex problem-solving. And while AI is already being deployed at scale, quantum computing, when mature, could provide explanatory power and a physics-based foundation to enhance AI's capabilities.
The discussion focused on several key points:
Overall, the discussion highlighted the importance of integrated efforts in research, development, and access to quantum technologies to maintain UK strategic advantage and foster inclusivity in the quantum ecosystem. While it is important to remain clear-eyed about the state of play, these are an exceedingly powerful set of technologies which, as they mature, could drive transformational and disruptive impacts across a variety of domains.