Samsung, IISc to promote research on quantum technologies

Samsung Semiconductor India Research (SSIR) has collaborated with The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, to establish a Quantum Technology Lab. This collaboration aims to provide research and training opportunities to faculty members and students pursuing higher education in fields such as physics, engineering, computer science, and mathematics. Led by Prof Mayank Shrivastava, the lab will be a pioneering facility dedicated to advanced quantum technologies. 
 
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged between Balajee Sowrirajan, CVP & MD at SSIR, and Prof Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc. The lab will serve as a centre for technological innovation, manpower training, and collaboration with national and international quantum research institutions. By focusing on building indigenous quantum technologies, the lab will contribute significantly to local development and showcase India's research innovations on the international stage. 
 
Balajee Sowrirajan, CVP & MD of SSIR, said, "Our partnership with IISc for the establishment of the Quantum Technology Lab aims to spearhead breakthroughs in quantum technologies. By empowering a skilled workforce, fostering collaborative innovation, strengthening national competitiveness, and transforming industries with societal impact, we will propel India's focus on quantum innovation and excellence in the global technology landscape." 
 
The lab will provide students pursuing higher education in physics, engineering, computer science, and mathematics with unparalleled opportunities for hands-on training, research experience, and skill development in quantum technologies. This will enhance their employability and career prospects.

Researchers and scientists engaged in quantum research will benefit from the advanced infrastructure, collaborative environment, and access to cutting-edge resources, enabling them to push the boundaries of knowledge and make significant contributions to the field. Additionally, the lab will support faculty members from other colleges and institutions who are unable to engage in capital-intensive research by providing resources and support. 
 
Govindan Rangarajan from IISc said, “This new Quantum Technology Lab at IISc highlights our commitment to emerging and futuristic research threads. The collaboration with SSIR will strengthen the Institute's cutting-edge infrastructure and expertise, offering students and researchers a unique opportunity to explore the limitless possibilities of quantum technologies." 
 
The Quantum Technology Lab will integrate cryogenic control chips with qubits, single photon sources, and detectors to address reliability challenges in quantum technologies. It will provide a platform for interdisciplinary research, industry collaborations, and the exchange of knowledge, cultivating a dynamic ecosystem for innovation. Its significance will extend beyond the advancement of scientific understanding, empowering India to compete globally and harness the power of quantum technologies for socio-economic growth. 
 
In a related news, on Thursday, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with tech giant IBM to accelerate innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor, and quantum technology. 
 
The National Quantum Mission, announced on April 19, by the Indian government, offers an outlay of ₹6,003.65 crore to develop expertise and capabilities in four main areas of quantum technologies: communications, computing, metrology and sensing, and materials. Over an eight-year term, the government aims to build up to 2,000 kilometers of quantum communications network and achieve 1,000-qubit quantum computing power by enabling industry-academia partnerships and facilitating startups to build quantum computing applications.

Speaking at the Quantum Technology Conclave organized by industry body Assocham on October 5, Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) with the Department of Science and Technology (DST), mentioned his involvement in "making the framework of the mission." He emphasized the importance of adopting quantum technologies, stating, "Today, it is not a choice but a question of getting in at the earliest. For example, a traditional supercomputer would take 100 trillion years to break a 128-bit encryption code. Quantum computers would take only a fraction of that time, and that is what should concern us all."