Have you ever heard ofthe saying, "When faced with the unknown, turnto quantum mechanics?" What is quantum? What can cutting-edge quantum computers do? Today, "New Quality Productive Forces in Beijing" will take you to Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences and Beijing Quantum Boson Technology to explore the mystery of everything quantum.

Quantum is a hot topic for physicists around the world. If the physical world were a person, the quantum world would be its soul.

Schrödinger used a cat to verify quantum superposition, and Einstein referred to the phenomenon of quantum entanglement as "spooky action at a distance."Cao Zexian, a researcher at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, describes quantum using a different metaphor: "Let's say we are looking at a school of fish. From a distance, all we see is black, but when we zoom in, we see everysingle fish – this is the quantum of the school of fish."

So what exactly is quantum? There are many directions to explore. It can be a vast universe or a single species. It is discrete and changing.It's innately mysterious. In recent years, quantum science and technology hasdeveloped by leaps and bounds to become the frontier of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. The three major fields of quantum communication, computing, and measurement are key research directions for many scientists.

Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences in Haidian District, Beijing

Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences (or Beijing Quantum Academy) is located in Haidian District, Beijing, and is a captivating realm where talent and cutting-edge technologies converge in a distinctly quantum world. "Beijing Quantum Academy was founded to gather talent for the research and development of quantum science and technology in Beijing. It is a central hub contributing to the development of our national quantum science and technology program," said Chang Kai,executivedirectorofBeijing Quantum Academy.

In recent years,Beijing Quantum Academy has producedworld-class scientific and technological achievements one after another: quantum secure direct communication technologyin 2020, long-coherence time superconducting qubits in2021, a new generation quantum computing cloud platform in2023, and a large-scale quantum cloud computing cluster and Rydberg atomic electromagnetic detection system in2024.Theseachievements in quantum communication, computing, and measurement prove that quantum science and technology is on the cusp of broader application.

To illustrate: Quantum computing isa new type of computingcharacterized by highspeed, superior information processing, a wide range of applications, and a basic operating unit known as a qubit. It can be applied to many fields, such as cryptography, material science, bio-medicine, and AI, resulting in the emergence of more and more quantum research teams.

The 550-qubit coherent light quantum computer developed by Beijing Quantum Boson Technology (Q Boson)

This stunning, nearly two-meter cube is Q Boson’s 550-qubit coherent light quantum computer.

"Its core componentsare all produced domestically. The computer can search for the optimal solution in parallel among different answers of 2 to the 550th power within a few milliseconds. It can resolve a task tens of thousands of times faster than the classical algorithm, and its performance is the best anywhere. It is already working in fields like communications, finance, transportation, medicine, the mobile cloud, and electricity," said Q Boson CEO Dr. Wen Kai.

In 2021, Q Boson won financial support from Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission and Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park for key projects, laying a solid foundation for future academic research and development and achievement application. In 2023, Quantum Boson was accredited by Beijing Municipality as a specialized, high-grade, innovation-driven business providing distinctive products or services.

So how strong is quantum computing? In the Beijing Quantum Academy exhibition hall, Chang Kai told us: "If a quantum computer uses perfect qubits, then the information storage space composed of 50 qubits is roughly equivalent to that of the most powerful supercomputer in the world today. The amount of data stored in 300 bits can be equivalent to the number of all atoms in the universe. The exponential increase in the relationship between computing, storage capacity, and the number of qubits showcases the enormous potential of a quantum computer. This is also why countries around the world attach such importance to quantum technology and computing."

How far off are real achievements in quantum research and development? "The Quafu quantum computing cloud platform we launched at ZGC Forum last year will take quantum computing public. Anyone with internet access can register for a free account and access the cloud platform through their own computer to study quantum computing from home. A joint Shenzhen University and Chinese University of Hong Kong research team recently carried out a complex experimental verification with a ScQ-136 (Baiwang) superconducting quantum chip newly developed on our cloud platform, publishing a paper about it in October. As of now, more than 20 scientific papers have been published on the platform," Chang Kai said.

Isquantumtechnology important? According to the Beijing Municipal Implementation Plan for Promoting the Innovative Development of Future Industries,20 industrial directions in the six major fields of future information, future health, future manufacturing, future energy, future materials, and future space will be the city's priorities for the future.

The future is here, andquantum science and technologyis an innovation test field for Beijing's future industry. Take a photo, click the “send” button, and in just a few seconds your picture is safely transmitted by quantum light through a 100-kilometer optical fiber. 100 kilometersisthe recordthat Beijing Quantum Academy holds for the longest quantum direct communication.

In addition to quantum direct communication system, technologies like miniature atomic clock and Rydberg atomic electromagnetic detection systemcan also be widely used in fields such asaerospace, meteorology, and unmanned driving.

Rydberg Atomic Electromagnetic Detection System

Support from Beijing Municipality is also slated to increase to keep pace with the increasingly rapid development of quantum science and technology. The Zhongguancun (Haidian) Quantum Science and Technology Future Industrial Park and Zhongguancun Quantum Science and Technology Incubator were officially unveiled on October 26 at the First Innovative Conference of Quantum Information Technology in Beijing with the joint support of Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park, and Haidian District. Thisquantum incubator, the first in China,is concrete evidence of the work Beijing Municipality is doing to promote the industrialization of quantum information technology.

TheCNY200 million Beijing Quantum Information Industry Development Investment Fund is also being established to support the development of start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises through equity investment as they grow and show the potential to lead their respective industries.

The Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission and Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park are working to leverage Beijing's innovation advantages on the global innovation frontier to build a national quantum highland, prioritizing four key areas: scientific research, achievement application, applicationdemonstration, and ecosystem cultivation.

Quantum science and technology is scientifically and strategically important for improvingcomputing and processing capacity, strengtheninginformation security, and increasingthe accuracy of measurement. Research in the field of quantum science will provide unflagging impetus for accelerating the developmentof Beijingas aninternationalcenter for scienceandtechnologyinnovation and cultivating new quality productive forces.

(Sources: Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park)