SpinQ, a Chinese company founded in 2018, has successfully delivered its first domestically developed superconducting quantum chip, named QPU, to an unnamed scientific research institute in the Middle East. This marks a significant step in China’s quantum computing capabilities and its influence in the global quantum computing sector. The company’s founder and CEO, Xiang Jingen, emphasized SpinQ’s commitment to global collaboration in quantum computing. The company has already extended its quantum computing products to five continents. SpinQ’s quantum chips are pivotal to quantum computers, containing multiple quantum bits (qubits) that enable specific quantum computations.
“We are honoured by this collaboration. Delivering the superconducting quantum chip shows our skill and innovation in quantum computing. It also represents our commitment to worldwide collaboration in this field,”
Xiang Jingen, founder and chief executive of SpinQ.
SpinQ’s Quantum Computing Advancements
SpinQ, a quantum computing company established in 2018, has successfully developed a superconducting quantum computer R&D centre and a production line for superconducting quantum chips. The company’s quantum processing unit (QPU) chip represents a significant step towards the standardised mass production of this technology. This achievement highlights China’s increasing influence in the quantum computing sector and its role in promoting global collaboration within the industry.
SpinQ’s sale of quantum chips to the United States and its allies follows closely on the heels of similar sales by other Chinese companies. The company’s first delivery of a domestically developed superconducting quantum chip to a scientific research institute in the Middle East signifies a significant leap in China’s quantum computing capabilities.
Global Quantum Computing Competition
The global competition in quantum information technologies is evident in the US Department of Commerce’s inclusion of several Chinese quantum technology enterprises and institutions on its Entity List in November 2021. This list includes entities such as the Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale (HFNL), which developed the world’s first quantum science satellite, Micius, and QuantumCTek Co, Ltd, a company specialising in quantum secure communication products.
SpinQ has quickly established an international market presence in the quantum computing industry. The company has also engaged in technical exchanges with buyers, a process that has provided invaluable global insights and cutting-edge information.
“This was a mutually beneficial learning process, providing us with invaluable global insights and cutting-edge information,”
Zou Hongyan, SpinQ vice-president.
SpinQ’s Global Reach
SpinQ has extended its quantum computing products to five continents, with clients across the US, Canada, Australia, Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Slovenia, Russia, Brazil, Japan, and other countries and regions. Despite the US leading the quantum information industry, China ranks high in the second tier, with the technological development gap not significantly wide.
Quantum Computing Technology
Quantum computing encompasses various physical implementations, including superconducting, semiconductors, ion traps, and photonic quantum systems, each with its own advantages and limitations. Superconducting quantum computing, based on superconducting circuits, is the fastest-developing and most industry-ready technology.
Quantum chips, similar to the CPU in classical computers, are pivotal to quantum computers. They contain multiple quantum bits (qubits) and use pulse sequences sent by quantum measurement and control systems to perform quantum gate operations between qubits, enabling specific quantum computations.
Challenges and Future Plans
Producing a standard superconducting quantum chip is challenging due to its complex design, the need to ensure the qubits work consistently and remain stable, and challenges in the materials and technologies used for making and controlling them. However, through independent research and development, SpinQ has mastered key technologies, from chip design to complete machine and algorithm applications.
The company has three major production lines: large superconducting quantum computers for industrial scenarios, small quantum computers for educational purposes, and a general-purpose quantum cloud platform. Looking ahead, SpinQ aims to deepen its internationalisation strategy, driving common prosperity in the global quantum computing industry chain through increased international technical cooperation and exchanges.
“From a global perspective, the US leads the quantum information industry, with China ranking high in the second tier. However, the technological development gap is not significantly wide,”
Xiang Jingen, founder and chief executive of SpinQ.
What is the QPU from SpinQ?
The QPU is a type of quantum chip based on superconducting materials. It uses superconducting qubits as the basic unit for quantum computation and has advantages such as long coherence time, fast operation speed, and high fidelity. Superconducting qubits are constructed from superconducting quantum circuits, with superconducting Josephson junctions as the core. Due to the unique macroscopic quantum effects, superconducting qubits are also known as an “artificial atom”. By using precisely designed pulse sequences, high-fidelity quantum logic gate operations can be achieved, and quantum algorithms can be completed.
“Looking ahead, SpinQ aims to deepen its internationalisation strategy, driving common prosperity in the global quantum computing industry chain through increased international technical cooperation and exchanges,”
Xiang Jingen, founder and chief executive of SpinQ.
Summary
China’s quantum computing capabilities have advanced with the first delivery of a domestically developed superconducting quantum chip, named QPU, to a Middle Eastern scientific research institute. The chip, produced by SpinQ, represents a significant step towards standardised mass production of quantum technology, highlighting China’s growing influence in the global quantum computing sector.
- SpinQ, a Chinese company founded in 2018, has successfully developed and delivered a superconducting quantum chip, named QPU, to an unnamed scientific research institute in the Middle East.
- This achievement marks a significant step in China’s quantum computing sector, demonstrating its growing influence and commitment to global collaboration in the industry.
- SpinQ’s CEO, Xiang Jingen, and Vice-President, Zou Hongyan, have expressed their pride in this accomplishment and the valuable insights gained from the collaboration.
- The company has already extended its quantum computing products to five continents, with clients in various countries including the US, Canada, Australia, Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Slovenia, Russia, Brazil, and Japan.
- Quantum computing involves various physical implementations, with superconducting quantum computing being the fastest-developing and most industry-ready technology.
- Quantum chips, similar to the CPU in classical computers, are crucial to quantum computers. They contain multiple quantum bits (qubits) and use pulse sequences to perform specific quantum computations.
- SpinQ has three major production lines: large superconducting quantum computers for industrial scenarios, small quantum computers for educational purposes, and a general-purpose quantum cloud platform.
- Looking forward, SpinQ plans to deepen its internationalisation strategy and contribute to the global quantum computing industry through increased international technical cooperation and exchanges.