The Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi (IIT-Delhi) has set up a Centre of Excellence on Quantum Technologies. The centre aims to bring all research in the field into one facility. According to the institute, the centre will focus on thrust areas such as quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum materials and devices. The centre will help principal investigators pitch more projects from the Indian Department of Science and Technology.
As per a news report, along with the design and development of new quantum materials, the centre will carry out research activities related to quantum processors and cryogenic controllers, the modelling and technology development of semiconducting qubits, and CMOS and 2D materials. Furthermore, the centre will explore quantum sensing and metrology, quantum biophotonics, the development of single-photon detectors, and sources based on semiconductors (2D materials, III-V). Professor Rajendra Singh, Head, School of Interdisciplinary Research (SIRe) and lead PI at the centre added that the centre of excellence will study superconductors, the development of bright single and entangled photon sources based on SPDC, quantum secure communication in free space, and optical fibre, quantum imaging, and sensing using quantum correlated photons.
The global quantum computing market size is expected to reach US$3728.4 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 25.40% over the forecast period from 2021 to 2030, according to a recent report. Countries from around the world, including India, are increasing investment and fostering partnerships to improve quantum technology development.
In June, the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras (IIT-Madras) collaborated with a tech giant on quantum computing education and research. The institute’s faculty, researchers, and students will get access to quantum systems and tools to accelerate joint research in quantum computing and develop curricula. As OpenGov Asia reported, the Quantum Computing Lab at IIT-Madras will host courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The courses, which will be taught by IIT-Madras faculty and the company’s researchers, include hands-on lab sessions on their quantum systems. The partnership will augment existing courses on quantum information and computing. The company will provide the learning resources, tools, and systems access needed by faculty and students.
More recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched the country’s first Quantum Computer Simulator (QSim) Toolkit. The project was developed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore, the Indian Institute of Technology in Roorkee (IIT-Roorkee), and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC). Quantum Simulators are devices that allow scientists to study quantum effects, which are otherwise difficult to study in a lab. The simulator is a software library that simulates quantum computation on classical computers. The novelty of this simulator is that it includes various types of errors that can occur in a realistic, practical device, a researcher explained.
QSim equips researchers to explore quantum algorithms under ideal conditions and helps them make the necessary arrangements for experiments to run on actual quantum hardware. It serves as an essential educational and research tool. It will bring together students and researchers in the field of quantum technology. The toolkit creates a platform to help users acquire the skills they need to programme and design real quantum hardware. It allows them to write and debug quantum code that is essential for developing quantum algorithms.
