Technologies for a Quantum Computer with 100 Qubits are Being Developed in the Netherlands

The Dutch-German company QuiX Quantum has led a research project to develop technologies for a universal photonic quantum computer with more than 100 qubits. The initiative received funding under the PhotonDelta National Growth Fund program, aimed at developing photonic technologies in the Netherlands. The work is scheduled until December 2028, but the amount of allocated funds is not disclosed.

The project brings together quantum equipment developers and scientific organizations, including Eindhoven University of Technology, University of Twente, Leiden University, and the research center imec. Participants are tasked with completing 12 technological challenges, the results of which are planned to be integrated into a single computing system.

The main focus will be on components necessary for scaling photonic quantum computers. In such devices, photons—particles of light—are used to process quantum information. Increasing the number of qubits requires more precise control over them, reducing light losses, and improving photon detection equipment.

Developers aim to reduce control delay to 10 nanoseconds

One of the directions will be the creation of control chips with a signal delay of less than 10 nanoseconds. For comparison, in the current control system described by QuiX Quantum, this figure is about 150 nanoseconds. Thus, the project provides for a significant reduction in electronics response time, although achieving the target value has not yet been confirmed.

Other participants will focus on improving optical waveguides, developing single-photon sources, and new detectors. A separate task is related to reducing light losses when connecting optical fiber to a chip to 0.1 dB per connection.

QuiX Quantum will be responsible for integrating the developed components and testing their joint operation. By the end of the project, the consortium intends to prepare a production strategy for quantum systems with more than 100 qubits.

The results obtained should form the basis for the next stage of the company's technology development. In 2028–2030, QuiX Quantum plans to demonstrate logical qubits capable of preserving quantum information using error correction mechanisms. The creation of commercially applicable fault-tolerant photonic computers is considered a longer-term goal after 2030.

Earlier in 2026, the company announced the delivery of a hardware platform for the quantum computing project of the German Aerospace Center. However, the timing for creating a full-fledged computer with more than 100 qubits and confirmed performance indicators is not specified in the new announcement.