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Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC) is an Australian quantum computing hardware company commercializing research produced from the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T). SQC will develop the potential of this work to realize wider economic benefits through new quantum computing industries and spin-offs.
Launched in May 2017 with significant public and private funding, SQC's first goal is to build a prototype 10 qubit integrated circuit by 2023 as a forerunner to a silicon-based quantum computer. SQC operates from new laboratories within the CQC2T headquarters at UNSW, in Sydney, Australia.
Significant investment has allowed new and developing lab infrastructure to be purpose-built to carry SQC’s work well into the future. In addition to 40 scientists, researchers and technicians, SQC have invested over A$15 million into specialist equipment and inputs. This includes scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs), dilution fridges that operate at 0.003K, electron beam lithography devices, and purified 28Si.
SQC has 3 objectives:
- Short Term 10 Qubit Prototype - Demonstrating the capability required to reliably produce a ten (10) qubit prototype quantum integrated processor by 2023.
- Mid Term 100 Qubit Quantum Processor - Delivering a programmable device based on a one hundred (100) qubit quantum processor embodying error correction before 2030.
- Long Term Universal Quantum Computer - Enabling access to useful Quantum Computing solutions for a broad audience of users and multiple uses by the mid-2030s.
At launch SQC had over A$83M capital funding from existing investors to CQC2T:
- University of New South Wales (UNSW) - A$25M
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) - A$14M
- Telecommunication company Telstra - A$10M
- Australian Commonwealth Government - A$25M over five years as part of the National Innovation and Science Agenda
- State Government of New South Wales - A$8.7M from its Quantum Computing Fund announced in July 2017
The company is co-owned by these 5 investors and is seeking three further shareholders to bring the total investment up to A$100m.
SQC is lead by Professor Michelle Simmons AO UNSW Professor of Physics and director of the CQC2T with her colleagues Professors Sven Rogge, Andrew Dzurak, and Andrea Morello.
The board includes Michelle Simmons, Hugh Bradlow, Telstra’s chief scientist; David Whiteing, Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s chief information officer; and Glenys Beauchamp, secretary of the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. Corporate lawyer and company director Stephen Menzies will act as interim chair.
